The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1905-03-25

II
along political channels. Her discon.
tented sons during the last centuries
have been thus engaged in an endeavor
to bring political freedom to Ireland
and its people. Now when that object
seems about to be accomplished it is
time that there should be an awaken.
ing along the lines of research into
Celtic literature and antiquities.
Just now the Gaelic League is max
ing tremendous fight for the rehabili-
tation of the Gaelic language in Ire
land. The efforts of this association
are meeting with much success, and
even here in this country, where a
few years ago the earnest enthusiastic
and patriotic souls, who were urging
the sons Of Irish parents to study the
|anclent language of their ancestors,
We're met with good-humored, but in
credulous smiles; there is now a move
ment Of decided force in favor of the
study Of Celtic literature Every city
of importance in this country has an
association interested in the study of
Gaelic. The presidents words will
add momentum to the movement,
They are bound to command respect
and notice. 1t is gratifying to know
that he considers the matter of suf
ficlent Importance to call for the estab-
lishment Of chairs in American uni
versities. The Chicago Chronicle in
commenting upon this portion of the
presidents speech says: "Our versa
tile president evidently touched the
head as we'll as the heart Of Ireland's
sons when in his address on st. Pat
rick's Day he expressed the hope that
an effort would be made to endow
chairs in American universities for the
study of Celtic literature and for re-
search in Celtic antiquities. President
Roosevelt might well say that without
having in mind an appeal for popular
ity among the Irish. He knows that
the national literature Of Ireland is
more primitive than anything to be
found in Anglo-Saxon or Icelandic, and
that in both prose and poetry it is a
veritable gold mine for earnest study
and scholarship.
The ancient language of Ireland is
by no means dead. 1t is living Ian
guage to about one million persons
out of four millions in Ireland.
Through the efforts of the Gaelic
League the number of those speaking
Gaelic as we'll as English is rapidly
increasing both in Ireland and Amer
lea. There is wonderful half bar
barrie splendor and beauty in the an
cient Gaelic tales. Wildly magma
tive, they have the glow, the
romance, the spirit and tie
chivalry which still characterizes
the Irish people. Tennyson found in
them rare material for his verse, and
other poets have found inspiration in
"Deirdre" and in that wonderful
story which gives an account of the
Celtic Ulysses and that other one
which treats of the Celtic Rip Van
Wrinkle. There are Gaelic chairs at
Harvard, at the Catholic University
at Washington and at Notre Dame,
but there should be, as the president
suggested, chairs for the study of this
literature in all the large universities.
Interest in the subject would not by
any means be limited to Americans of
Irish descent. 1t would appeal to all
who like the flavor Of the antique and
who would get ut the heart and
thought Of people by knowing its
early history as expressed in poetry
and romance and song.