The Irish standard., 1908-11-07
THE HISTORY OF IRELAND.

'Sioi'y, MIL" duhee, 10 lne nlerarCnE,
clergy and religious orders of the
United States has been received for
publication. but owing to lack of spa,e
VIC draw attention to it cditorially in
stead of printing 1t in full in our other
columns.
Prof. Rohan is the National Chair
man of the Irish History Committee
oppointed at the last Hibernian COIL
vention for the purpose of urging the
bishops and priests to place the His
tory Of Ireland in the Universities,
Colleges. Academies and Parochial
Schools under their jurisdiction. and
nc better qualified nor more enthusias-
tic Irishman could have been selected
for the position.
Instead of expressing our own views
in relation to this important matt ,r,
and making special appeal to The
hierarchy and clergy of the Northwest
where the Irish Standard circulates,
VIC shall permit Prof. Rohan to ad-
dress them in his own language as
fellows:
Not one of us but is glad to assert
himself either as a native of the En-
erald Isle. or a descendant from. tue
gallant race that has made it's name H.
lustrious. We are proud on these points
for numerous reasons, but chiefly, per-
haps. because it was our Irish FORE
fathers who held the faith for us
through centuries Of suffering md
persecution, and have given us this
sacred treasure to hold and cherish 20
the end of time. They have given us
stout hearts and keen intellccts: thew
have given US a love of liberty AMI
a hatred Of injustice; but above AL
they have given us the true faith Of
God for ourselves, our children md
our children's children.
But here comes in the burning uu.s-
tion-What will our children know Of
ireland? What will they know of It's
bright and glorious record in the ages
past: What will they ever know r,f
Its saints and martyrs. it's chieftains
and kings, it's scholars and sages?
What will they know Of the struggles
and sufferings and valor Of the ances-
try that clung to this treasure against
the bitterest oppression. wrong, and
villification that was ever heaped IN
any people? We have very good
right to ask these questions when nc
consider the sad neglect with which
the History of Ireland is treated in
this country. Are we not neglecting to
learn 1t and also failing to teach it?
AS matter Of fact. it Is almost lost
sight of in our schols and homes,
while the children Of this grand. Old
race can get all the instruction they
wish In the annals of Greece aud
Rome, Of Germany and Great Britain
and other countries that is of far lass
concern to them from every point cf
view.
"Must we not look upon this failure
of our duty as crime against our.
race, as we'll as a privation to the
themselves? 1t is a simple
truth that many Of the children of
'"ish lineage are far more familiar
with the names in French and British
history than they are with the names
and deeds that have glorified the land
OF their forefathers.
1T would be shame that our chill.
d:en and our children's children cid
not know the glorious deeds Of Nc
Mahon in France, an o'Donnell IN.
Spain. a. Nugent in Austria, Lacy
In Russia. and SO on throughout The
world of action and distinction. rhe
history of this republic and It's vari-
GUS wars from the revolution in which
Patrick Henry. Sullivan. Moylan. and
Barry were leaders, down to the latest
struggles in which Americans were
engaged are dotted all over with The
names of our Irish families.
This knowledge we can impart w
making general provision for the
study OF Irish history in all our vari-
GUS schools. If we fail In this. it may
be truthfully said that the Irish race
is the only race which knows nothing
of the land of it's forefathers."
We heartily indorse what Prot.
Rohan so eloquently sets forth. The
noble order Of which he is a distin-
grished member has never undertaken
a more meriterious duty. Why shou,l
not the Irish-American boys and girls
be taught the history Of that little
island which produced some of the
worlds greatest men? Why should
they not know of Burke. Goldsmith,
Grattan. Emmett O'connell and Par
= NJ u D. 4