The San Francisco call., 1910-08-15
irish VICTORY
FOR LANGUAGE
IS CELEBRATED
Restoration of Gaelic Tongue
Occasions Rejoicing Among
Hibernians
Father p. c. Yorke Reviews the
Movement to Revive Rich
Native Literature

The history OF the Gaelic movement
and the progress of education in Ire
land were the subjects of an address
by Father P. c. Yorke yesterday after
noon in the Van Ness theater The
auditorium was well filled. The lec-
ture was held under the auspices of the
Gaelic league Of California, Joseph S
Tobin presiding.
In the program that preceded the ad-
dress of the day, Gaelic features were
introduced. John Brennan gave q
Gaelic recitation. NJ. J. Lawless sang
Gaelic solo, Alfred Roncovieri a
trombone solo. Charles E. Mack
played bagpipe selections and the
St Cecilia choral society of Mission
Dolores church concluded the entertain
ment with pleasing renditions. In this
John Hayden and owen Fogarty. boys
from ST. Peters boys school, sang Irish
songs, receiving generous applause.
IRISH TONGUE PRESERVED
Father Yorke was cordially greeted.
He said in part:
first spoke on the necessity Of
preserving the Irish national
tongue TO ireland in this city 10
years ago upon returning from
ireland. l was full of the subject
and believed il would be interest
ing. / remember how little inter-
est was manifested at that time.
The general public gave me lots of
ha
lieve there was much judgment in
reviving Gaelic.
Subsequently the Gaelic league
became active and Doctor Hyde
and other educators visited US and
told OF the work and objects of the
league. The movement gained
support until now the west is thor
oughly alive and awake. This
state gave more TO Doctor Hyde
than came from the rest Of the
United States.
The object of the Gaelic lea que
Is TO restore Gaelic to its former
place in Ireland the mother
tongue Of the Irish; TO establish.
il in the schools Of Ireland and
bring 10 life the wealth of Irish
literature nearly forgotten since
the enforcement Of England's penal
laws in Ireland.
The league has been gIoriously
successful and in its le years of
activity in Ireland has revolution
formerly apathetic on the disuse
of Irish, now are standing to-
gether for its restoration. 1t has
been introduced into the schools
and has been made a requisite to
entrance in the National univer-
sity, making this seat of learning
a distinctly Irish institution.
II means that students of the
future Irish schools must know
the national language if they ex-
pect TO be teachers in Ireland or if
they intend to enter the univer-
sity- II will be taught in the
schools as a foundation to univer
Sity training and the student will
be taught IL whether he enters
the higher training or not
In rejoicing over this victory we
must bear in mind that we are not
dealing with a normal country
like the United States or England
ireland is an abnormal country,
and this is not because il has not
an independent government. but
because the whole nation and ma
tional character got complete
twist on account of the enactment
of the penal laws by England.
ENGLISH MOTIVES QUESTIONED
The main object of England
since the beginning, now nearly
four centuries ago, has been to
make ireland Protestant coun-
try She adopted every expedient
to accomplish this. She began by
taking the children of the wealthy
people TO England and rearing
way was 10 start plantations of
Scotch and Irish colonies in Ire
land, taking the lands of native
Irish. But they never succeeded
in making Englishmen out of
lrlshmen- The Irish were treated
precisely. as the red Indian was
treated in America; the English
took everything and did not re-
spect their rights.
The penal laws began follow
Ing the treaty of Limerick, when
all the Irish soldiers went to for
eign lands, and the laws were the
fruit of English security and not
OF English peace or war These
laws took from Catholics the right
TO own property The schools did
not teach Gaelic and the school
doors were shut to Catholics.
Catholics were not allowed to
study nor to worship. England
tried to crush the Catholics from
We have a score more of years
before we can celebrate the CEN
tenary of Catholic freedom Be-
fore that was won England used
the ingenuity Of the devil TO bring
the irish down to the level of the
beast, and she failed.
The school systems introduced
by England accomplished the
practical destruction of Gaelic.
queens colleges. The bishops of
Ireland did not accept these. They
were English institutions The
I.sllure I.e,l or these INDUCED the Eng
sity, which was equally unsuccess-
ful, as it failed to eliminate OBJ
jectiona bic English features
About this time Gaelic activity
manifested itself and the Irish
colleges were established. These
are remarkable institutions and
they hold summer sessions when
teachers and instructors can at
tend and study the national
tongue In these schools English
Is taught as a foreign language
and the entire work OF the school
IS done with Irish as the speaking
tongue.
REFORMS FAVOR GAELIC
When the government saw the
success of the whole system If
dnriTad "a