The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1909-10-23
NATIONAL UNIVERSITY.

AN<A A~AN<1A OlNx v Ik\AOx
What Jesuit Priest Says Of the Irish
institution.
The following letter from Rev.
Michael ,Earls, j., appears in Amer
lea" of Oct. Is:
Will you kindly allow me to notice
very remarkable fact? It is this: the
deep interest of Catholic editors
throughout the world in the develop
ment of the Catholic university of Ire
land. Here in the United States. for
instance, we have almost countless
agitations in the planning of new or
enlarged Catholic colleges; vet no
single college, with it's most magni-
fcent expectations, and so near home.
too, seems to be of such national in
terest, at least to our editors, as the
upbuilding of Ireland's university.
Racial spirit may account for a good
portion of that kindly concern in Irish
educational matters; but there are
other; causes. The world cannot forget
what leaven for good through in
digent centuries were the early Irish
schools, where, as in some magical at
mosphere, learning had it's fourishing
life. And in ,,the distressful centuries
close upon our times, the vigorous
spirit of happier days lived on; laws
and 70 ;,~l,%
stroy the external abodes Of learning;
they could not a-lnihilate the undaunt-
ed spirit that loved the pursuit of let
tiers as the bright sunshine and glad
air of the hills. Ireland had many
ruined acropolis, but it did not lose
heart as Greece did after the Mace
letters could be taught from the in
scriptions on the tombstones in the
graveyards, as Douglas Hyde says so
forcibly. And again,
stretched upon the mountain side or
crouched meath sheltering fern,
The teacher and his pupil met
feloniously to learn"
|. 1t is this history, then, that inspires,
in great part, the worldwide interest
in the Irish university. The hedge
school has passed; the world wants
Ireland to revive the glories of Clonard
and Clonmacnoise.
And as bright beacon to those who
are looking steadfastly towards the
advancement Of the university, they
may often recall remarkable prophecy
of Cardinal Newman. We may leave
to others the consideration of New
mans ability as a Latinist and as a
theologian, and the extent of his re-
gard for Irish nationality; this. at
least, will all his critics concede-
he was thoroughly read in the history
Of university education, and his pen
was always sincere. And this is his
prophecy-the sincere utterance Of a
man who knew universities from
Athens to his own Oxford:
II look towards a land both old and
young; old in it's Christianity, young
in the promise of its future; nation,
which received grace before the Saxon
came to Brittany: and which has never
quenched it; Church, which compre-
hends in its history the rise and fail
Of Canterbury and York which Angus
the and Paulinus found, and Pole AMI
Fisher left behind them. I contem-
plate a people which has had a long
night, and will have an inevitable day.
am turning my, eyes toward hum
dred years to come, and dimly see
the island I am gazing on become the
road of passage and union between two
hemispheres, and the centre Of the
world. I see its inhabitants rival Bel
GUM in populousness, France in vigor,
and Spain in enthusiasm; and l see
England taught by advancing years to
exercise in its behalf that good sense
which is her characteristic towards ev-
cry one else. The capital of that pros
Porous and hopeful land is situate in
9 beautiful bay and near romantic
region: and in it I see flourishing
university which for while had to
struggle with fortune, but which, when
its first founders and servants were
dead and gone had successes far CT