The Irish standard., 1905-06-03
WHAT IT RfCALLS|
No Word in Irish History of
Deeper Meaning
Than That Of Fontenoy, Says r..
Barry O'BPien.

interesting sketch to the Dublin Free.
man:
What's in word? Sometimes much.
The whole history of nation may be
expressed in word Even the de-.
generate Greek draws noble inspira-
tions from the word Marathon. What
centuries of the worlds history is
summed up in that single word! The
Englishman for whom the word Blen-
helm or Trafalgar has lost it's force
has already reached the stage of de-
generacy. Napoleon, the greatest
captain OF any age, knew the value of
the history word, when on memor.
able occasion he told his veterans that
the sun af Austerlitz shone upon them.
There was not man in the old guard
who did not at the sound of that word
grip his musket tighter and fight that
day as if the honor and glory of France
depended on his individual exertions.
Many years ago | visited the field of
Waterloo. l entered the little inn
with which those who visit the field
are familiar, and found guide de-
scribing, or purporting to describe, the
battle. There were comparatively a
large multitude present. They were
almost all English The guide was
ttatterer. He belonged to those mean
er spirits, which worship power. He
fattered, he pleased, he did not tell
the truth. Well, | went for that guide
and confuted hi INTO my entire satis-
faction. The multitude then went
out into the field. | dissociated my
self from the multitude. After a while
six other men dissociated themselves
from the multitude, too, and Joined
me. They were Schotchmen. (The
Scotch are a very intelligent people,
They said: I'VE think you know
more about the battle than the guide,
and we mean to stick to you" q
repeat the Scotch are Il very intel
ligent people.) We went over the
ground together They said, DO you
think you could show lis the exact
spot where the Scots Greys charged?"
said | was not sure that l could;
but that | should like to visit their
country and to see the exact spot
where the whole Scottish army
charged at Bannockburn. "Ah" they
said. "Bannockburn was great bat
tle"; and we talked of Bannockburn
on the field of Waterloo.
Ireland has her history words, too
There are those who think-Irishmen
who think-lrishmen forsooth that
the Irish history word should be pro-
nounced with bated breath and whis-
pring humbleness. These men think
that by ceasing to be Irish, they be-
come English. In truth, they have
no country. For them no minstrel
raptures will ever swell.
Last year l stood on the hill at Ar
magh, where the new Cathedral looks
down upon the town. gazed upon the
beautiful scene before me, and re-
called the memory of the past. In
one direction lay Benburb, in another
the Yellow Ford l thought of the
O'Neills, and of many things besides
| pictured to myself the scenes which
were enacted on those famous fields,
when the Irish Celt fought two great
battles for freedom, and won them
But l have not confined my visits
to scenes associated with victory. 1
have also visited scenes associated
with defeat. There are some songs
of defeat which have truer note of
triumph in them than any song of vic
tory. l have stood on the hill of
Donore, and looked at the Boyne flow
ing beneath. l thought of the strug-
gle at the ford, and the gallantry of
the Irish horse. l thought of the
precious moments when the fortunes
of the day hung in the balance, and
when the issue was at length decided
by the bravery of one King and the
cowardice of another | stood in the
old churchyard on the summit of the
hill. There was a Presbyterian with
me. He was standing on tombstone.
Il believe" he said, that it was on
this tombstone James H. stood to see
the battle" wish to God, | said,
that he had been under it before the
battle began.
But the fame of Irishmen-of Irish
scholars-of Irish soldiers-is not con-
fined to Ireland. The fame of Irish
scholars was known in Europe before
the Anglo-Saxon had emerged from
barbaric darkness; and in more mod
ern times. Irish soldiers have Won
renown in an age of great warriors
and great commanders.
A short time ago was in Paris.
drove in the direction of the Pantheon.
| passed through crowded thorough
fares, spacious streets with great
buildings. l alighted at little bye
street which presented humble ap
pearance. There were comparatively
small houses with one large building
in their midst. 1t might have been
street in little town in Ireland.
| looked at the name and read Rue
des Irlandais."