The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1906-04-03
LOVE OF IRELAND
DIR. gYDE TRYING TO SPREAD
GAELIC TONGUE.
Speaker Declares His People have
Been Too Willing to Accept
Second Hand English.

In introducing DR.. Douglas Hyde,
the famous Irish lecturer, in Port
land, Archbishop Christie character
lied The Irish language, as it had been
defined to him, as "the language of
the angels. Immediately DIR. Hyde
arose and began his address in Irish.
However, don't be alarmed" he
observed in plain English, after he
had spoken in the unfamiliar tongue
for several minutes, II won't deliver
the whole of my address in the Ian
guage Of the angels. ;"
The theatre, says the Journal, was
we'll filled with thoroughly in
terested audience to hear the president
of the Gaelic language tell of the re-
vival of the language of his race.
Judge M. g. Munly presided and
made brief remarks. He introduced
Archbishop Christie, who, after
short address, presented Mr.. Hyde.
DR.. hyde, in his efforts to revive
what is said to be one of the oldest
and the only uncontaminated Ian
guages of Western Europe, appeals to
the pride of the Irish. He insists
that the motive which inspires the
movement is not hatred of England,
but love of Ireland He deplores the
anglioizing of Ireland.
"It is the Irish themselves who are
to blame for the national extinction
that threatens u.s." he said. ''It is
our ready and willing acceptance of
second-han English customs and
manners that has brought us to the
brink of a chasm where as a nation
one of the noblest. proudest and en-
lightened of people is about to become
extinct" 7"
1t is this ready acceptance of Eng
lish customs and selfshame resulting
from the penal laws once in vogue
that has caused the changes of many
good old Irish names, according to Mr..
Hyde However, he said, he had
found more Sullivans in America than
in Ireland. And it was the result of
the rich and influential Irish, he said,
that the name of Bridget, one Of the
most revered aud honored names of
the Gaels, had been allowed to reach
its present state of common disregard.
"Why don't some of our rich and
influential people lift the name out
of the gutter" the lecturer asked,
"and give i place of honor and
position? They could easily do it.
Not only has this spirit of self shame
that results from the enforcement of
the penal laws some years ago de-
prived us of our names, but it has
taken away our games, our dances,
our musical instruments, our song,
our language and all our national
characteristics.
1T is the Irishman who is ashamed
of Ireland that is our enemy. And it
is the purpose of the Gaelic language
to sweep aside the present generation
of Irish as useless. IL is upon the
boys and girls, who will soon be the
people Of Ireland, that we are work
ing. few years ago the Irish Ian
guage was taught in q very few
schools. Today more than quarter
of million children are studying it,
and it is impossible even to secure a
clerkship in many Of the large cities
Of Ireland without proving that the
applicant has knowledge of the
language of his ancestors. ("
DR.. Hyde told in detail the work OF
the league in reviving the language
I and the customs. He insisted that
the movement was not mere lin
/ guistic one, but had wide scope.
However, be said, to preserve the
| national identity of Ireland it was
absolutely necessary to revive and
preserve the language.
) At the conclusion Of Dr. Hyde's ad-
: dress resolutions in Gaelic, in support
{ of his work, were read by Professor
} Lambert Morrin, representing the
} Ancient Order of Hibernians. In
) the course of his remarks DIR. Hyde
{ took occasion to praise that body
) highly for its loyal support Of every
| a L.,