The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1905-02-04
THE IRISH UNIVERSITY.
(By the Gaelic Editor of the Irish
World).

| 10y lile NTdellC fullOG OF lUe IIloH
World).
| Whether our suggestion of last week,
as to the founding of a university by
the Irish people, will join the mighty
! river of forgotten words or reach and
/ anchor in the minds of those who alone
| could give them effect, we do not know.
| The suggestion of any details. there
! fore, at this period may be Superfiuous
! and waste of time. But We think a
| little further consideration may show
! how practicable the plan would be.
| The problem, the great want Is ma
| tional university of ireland. The irish
Parliamentary party may compel the
| British parliament to allow Irish funds
! TO be devoted to that purpose: such
| compulSion might be made possible by
! the eXigencies of the English political
situation, but we cannot tell when such
| a situation may develop. Or the British
parliament may voluntarily, with some
pressure, decide to allow the establish
ment of such university, but this is
extremely doubtful. In either event
the university established would have
strings to it. and would not be such an
institution as Irish aspirations and
needs of the present demand. 1t is also
possible that the eXigencies of the Eng
lish political situation might result in
the esta blishment of an Irish parlia
ment which could then found such
university as the people want. These
are all that lie i'm the future in the way
of possibilities of the university being
established without the Irish people
everywhere taking the matter in hand
themselves irrespective of what may
happen in the British parliament.
We do not doubt the view is held by
many that the striving for and attain
ment of several rights might operate
against the struggle for Home Rule
and thus turn out to be evils in dis
guise. but such an argument would
have no weight in this case. because
the establishment of a university by
the people would be striking example
of the fact that the progress of the
Gaelic League is demonstrating every
day. namely. that the Irish are a dis
tinct race and nation the more they
are recovering their separate identity
the less satisfied are they becoming
with English domination in any shape
or form.
As we said last week the fact of the
Irish as race taking up this matter
themselves would in no conceivable
way weaken the case of the Irish party
in parliament in pressing for the right
of a university, but would rather
sertngthen their case. 1t is true such
a scheme would make the Orange big
OTIS howl with fury and the Trinity CO.
horts tremble with rage and the fear
of rivalry. but that would only serve
to show these up in their true colors,
and would nerve the people on to
greater efforts.
We believe the want is of thoro-
ughly national as distinct from an eX
clusively Catholic university. But a
thoroughly national Irish university
would be essentially Catholic, and its
thorough Irishism guaranteed it would
doubtless be entirely satisfactory to
the people to have the control in the
hands Of the hierarchy, with adequate
lay representation on the governing
body. The provision of college. chap
el. etc, for nop-Catholic Irishmen or
foreigners could undoubtedly be ar
Such a university would be the great
centre of Irish learning, through and
by which Irish culture would again be
a feature and force in the world. and I
by which Ireland might be brought to |
take her place in the arts, sciences and ]
all the progressive studies of the pres |
ent. There is brains and ability enough |
in Ireland to plan and lay the founda
tions of such an institution.
AS to the support of the Irish people l
everywhere, the hierarchy of Ireland. l
the Gaelic League and others inter- i
ested in Ireland have only to get to- |
gether and decide upon the undertake |
ing, and there is no room for reason !
able doubt of abundant success. This |
would have none of the aspects of |
passing around the hat" il would be |
a great, striking. voluntarily, determi |
nation of the Gaelic race TO found in
the eradle-land an institution reflective
Of the Gaelic civilization and ideals of
the past, another star of the North"
as Iona was. which would embody
Irish aspiration Of the present, be of
value to Ireland, and the
pride of the race everywhere.