The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1907-08-17
not yet given up the struggle.

not Yet given up the struggle.
But the moral of Fontenoy reaches
further and deeper. If it was fash
light in the blackness of the Penal
days, it is still more reminder in
our own time. If the few thousands
who We're in the Irish Brigade in 1745
We're able to recall the existence of
ireland as a seperate nationality SO
much greater effect can the millions
of our Irish exiles drive home the
same point today in every corner of
the empire, which, unfortunately for
US and for itself, only half learned the
lesson taught it by Lord Clare, when
SAKE gave him his opportunity.
Cursed be the laws which deprive me
of such subjects" the English lord is
reported to have said when he heard
about. 1t was wise curse; but some
of the laws are there still.
| Almost 120 years after OBrian led
his men to the charge of Fontenoy.
and saved the day for France. Mea-
gher with another Irish Brigade.
dashed forward at the critical moment
at Gaines Mill and turned defeat into
victory for the American Union.
Was it France the heroes of Fonte-
noy We're thinking of in the moment
of triumph? Was it the Republic
Mea ghers men were thinking of when
they saw the Confederates reeling he
fore them? No surely, their first
thought was. like Sarsfield's. as he lay
dying at Landon, "Oh, that this might
be for Ireland!"
There was not one of the Wild
Geese" who did not look forward to
the day when he could come back to
Ireland and strike the fetters from
Dark Rosaleen;" there possibly was
not man in Meaghers brigade who
did not hope to take part as a trained
soldier, in the Irish insurrection which
was then being planned and organized
by James Stephens and John o. Ma
honey. 10.
To revive the memory of Fontenoy
therefore. is not merely to recall one
of the finest achievements of Irish
bravery; it is, far more. to impress on
our minds the continuity of the Irish
struggle for liberty, the business of 1t,
the duty that lies on every sef-re
specting and patriotic 1rishmen to
take part in it. the necessity to main
tain it until. as in the case of our
brave exiles on that great day, the
field is fought and Won"
Efforts have lAeen made both in
France and in England to minimize
and even to ignore the effect produced
by the Irish Brigade upon the fortunes
of the day. Voltaire's account of the
battle is. in general. very clear and
precise: but Voltaire. in his Louis
| y,
though he cannot altogether avoid all
mention of the Irish troops, takes care
to say as little about them as possible.
Voltaire, indeed probably from hatred
of the Catholic faith. to which the ex-
lied Irish soldiers We're faithful until
death. always grudges any credit to
them, and never speaks Of them at all
in his histories when he can avoid it,
Froude. Lord Saisbury's regius pro-
fessor of history at Oxford, who was a
fierce hater and reviler of this coun-
try. incidentally discloses his arpre-
citation Of 1relands part in Fontenoy.
I'm the Seven Years War" he writes,
"Austra's best general were Irish
men. Brown was an Irishman; Lacy
was an Irishman; ODonnelrs name
speaks for him. and Lally Tolendal,
who punished England at F'ontenoy,
was O'Mullally of Tollendally."