The San Francisco call., 1909-03-18
ORATORY AND WIT
MARK BANQUET OF
IRISH AT FAIRMONT

a wealth of Oratory fervent impas-
stoned. sarcastic, witty and throughout
emlnently Irish. marked the annual
banquet Of the knights Of St Patrick
at the Fairm0nt hotel last night. Time
aad again the room resOunded with
shouts Of laughter at some we'll directed
tlrust from Prof. Charles Mills Gayley,
IL. D., OF the University Of California,
with The cheers for the pOetical out
bursts from James p. Coleman or the
EatrlOtic utterances Of Robert Devlin,
United States district attorney.
Professor Gayley. speaking on The
irish influence on Civilization, delvsd
into Irish history, busted the cobwebs
from forgotten glOries, brought up the
names Of poets. priests. soldiers. states
men and dramatists long dead. who
have given TO ireland the fame of their
genius and accomplishments He con-
cluced In a Whirlwind OF applause when
he declared that he was hoping TO
send 10 Ireland young Californian
who was to there study Gaelic with the
intention OF returning TO the University
~ California and teaching II here. Ed
ward Fitzgerald. he said he thought
was the greatest Irish poet. and in
response 70 some laughter at The men
fion OF Bernard Shaw. said:
POOR BERNARD SHAW
we all chuckie when we think of
him. we all smile-but still we love
him. have of late come to think
he is not the jest We have been led TO
believe him to be. He has a philosophy
"a deep hilOsOphy-which he is pro-
mitigating in ais own, peculiar Irish
way"
Professor Gayley created a deep i'm
preston when he spoke OF the lack of
Irish literature IN the University of
California. and pleaded with the Irish
rocfetfes and Irishmen TO take immediate
steps to remedy this defect, so that the
Irish Of California might have the ad-
Nantage Of giving to their children the
= ealth OF know ledge, poetry and art
which Ireland las produced.
Letters SHOWING the condition of Ire
land at the present time from the lead
ers Of the Irish party, John +. Red
nOnd and Justin Mccarthy. were read.
hese letters IRE given in fun on
page g.
James p Coleman, the opening
speaker, declared that the Irish sang
we chant rather" said he. the
Dsean OF victory. the song that viii
never ole. Today the past is glorified
again. We take an account Of the ac-
,omplishments IF the past, buoy our
selves with the promise of the fu-
turc. Destiny is today keeping the
lrishman in Ireland, destiny is working
out the wonderful dream OF our faith
ers-Ireiand for the Irish
SOMETHING NEW GAINED
1t is day serious and dignifed.
Zach year sees something new, some
thing gained Sometimes il is a halt,
but il is a halt in the forward march,
and If it serves 10 point out a mistake,
then it has served its, purpose. Now. as
we gather again around the Irish ban
quet board TO solemnly pledge ourselves
for the renewal OF the struggle the at
tainment Of the ultimate end, we see
the vast army Of Irish. scattered to the
FOUR points Of the globe. strengthened.
greater ia unity.
Absentee landI Ordism is q thing of
tne past The signs Of the times point
Tot 10 alien landlord and Irish tenant,
out 10 patriot tenant and patriot land
ord. When ireland was robbed of its
soil ii was robbed Of its strength. The
ish1nan owning his soil is a creator.
i1e sowed, and his heart was lightened
IS ne watched the products Of his