The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1909-03-27
1.-THE zenith CITY
HAS CELEBRATION
The Orator of the Day the
IN; Rev. ]. j. O'Mahoney of
s.', Brainerd
ia Eloquent Words Told of
II. III Influence of the Celts in
's This Country.

REV. j. j. O'Mahoney, OF Bralnerd. de-
livered a. patriotic address on THE M
duence Of the Celt on the Destiny OF
america" saying in part
ssa4 The human mind loves to dwell on
1.-THE grand and patriotic. The deeds OF
n war, the conquests of virtue. and the
q sublime lessons of self-sacrif1ce ever
Il Fave and always will have an untold
a influence OF nations and individuals.
Holding that idea in mind we can
Il well understand why, throughout the
universe today. glad hearts are cele'
brating with high festival the name
End the memory of that great Apostle
Il Of the Celtic race, st. Patrick, and
q iyhile doing so they are not forgetting
II the same time to pay honor and re-
q tpect to the race itself. 1t is right ahG
fitting that we. the dwo'ers on COL
\ umbia's fair domain. should be mind.
/ In the present or tn" PAST has the Gel
4 tic race been such II valuable accession
i MS it has been t" us; and I think that
4 i short meditation OH the part played
by the Celt i'll this country will set
aside paltr,, prejudice and excite in
our minds gratitude towards Ireland
and its sons.
In ancient Ireland there was no topic
I. 70 frequently alluded to as the exist
\ .ence of a land sitting far out in the
4 tide stories reveal 1t. They named it
IN their own native language. THE
Land of the Living" and The Land
Of the Young" The pagan bards In
i their poetic effusions marked it out as
! The home of the brave who died in
/! war. or the heavenly abiding place Of
those who in divers other ways rem
dered famous the name Of their Coun-
try. In post-Christian days this early
ire dition lived on. and the name of St
Brendan-an Irish monk. was held IN
reverence all during the Middle Ages,
as the great navigator who had sailed
and discovered a new land In the
western seas. It is generally conced-
/ ed that the history Of his voyages had
! captivated the mind of the great Col
umbus and was no doubt instrumental
In confirming his opinion in regard to
the existence of the Western Conti-
rent.
Leaving this question out of coneid-
e7ation, namely. that the Irish We're
the real discoverers Of America. we
shall hasten on to show their love for
this country by hasting hither In large
numbers, and indelibly placing their
prestige and character here.
In colonial days the exactions and
tyranny of English despots rendered
life at home by no means comfortable
Tor them.
The benefactors of Europe and the
disseminators of civilization during
the Middle Ages. became race or h4-
lots in their own dear land. The
Rrindine laws Of their Saxon neighbor
became so CALLING that even death it.
self were sweet to the prosecuted Gaels
i turtles. To how many Of them i'll those
days could be applied the wistful
yearning of the Irish poet. Thomas
Moore:
'And as I watched the line Of light
that plays
A. Along the smooth wave tow'rd the
burning West,
I long to tread that golden path Of
SSA, rays
And think it would lead to some
H.. bright isle OF rest"
d .sr Yes, they did tread those burning
H rays to seek an alienation Of their
sorrow. The records Of the port OF
Philadelphia for the year 1879. show
US that year 1856 Irish immigrants as
/ sgainst about 500 English and Scotch
Il Taking that as basis of calculation
what a Celtic aspect must not the
! early population of this country have
assumed!
We have heard it dinned into our
ears. especially in recent years-the
Wonderful influence Of the Anglo Sax
Il on race on this country. We have
heard 1t from the puplit and the press.
the military and religious spirit which
accompanied the Pilgrim Fathers and
how we should ever hail them as the
sEloneers of civilization and rspubli-
Can government! Does history war
II rant these differences? I preach no
rice hatred. no race prejudice: I do
not believe In making any people par
Il amount to another. The true Arperi-
Isscsn is truly cosmopolitan. No narrow
views warp the good judgment Of
sSa HIM who loves to seek goodness in all
4 men without reference to creed or to
sc;ass, race or color but the Boosting
tpirit of the Saxon has raised this de-
SsAknt question and it demands a de.