The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1913-09-27

grouped together and were surround.
ed usually for purposes of defense
with q clay wall thrown up from a
deep circular trench which was filed
with water as an additional protection
when possible. The house consisted
Of one large room usually, for the
men, at least, and around the sides
Of the room were sleeping couches.
This room was used for sleeping, eat
ing and lounging. Seats were pro-
vided and the incest and most exact
etiquette was observed in seating the
inmates; the rights Of precedence be-
ing very rigidly enforced. Separate
rooms for the women were had fire.
Quently in the must sheltered and
sunny part of the abode and some
times separate buildings were erected
for the women alone. The remains
of the old ORGANIZATIONS exist to-
day, but the wooden houses have, OF
curse, decayed. Oftentimes, too.
carefully constructed subterranean
vaults, lined with stone, have been
unearthed in these Duns, which were
probably storehouses, used while the
place was besieged.
1.-THE army was prominent activi-
ty with the early Irish. The troops
were of two sorts-heavy-armed
Gallowglasses and light-armed Kerns
"a division found also among the
Greeks, as every school boy reader Of
Xenephon knows. The former were
mighty men, encased in armor some
times, though not always, for the old
chroniclers tell us the Irish used to
deem 1t more honorable to fight in a
saffron colored linen jerkin than en-
cased in bronze. Their special wea-
pom was the battle axe, which they
welded with one hand, guiding the
stroke with the finger extended along
the handle and in later times no steel
armor could resist the stroke of the
Gallowglasses' axe. A thigh fully en-
cased in steel armor has been sheered
of by single blow from those dread
weapons and the severed thigh fell
on one side and the lifeless body on
the other side of the horse, which it
bestrode. The Kerns had short swords
and javelins. That the early Irish
had bows and arrows and could use
nem with skill we know, for we have
in our museums flint arrow heads and
bronze arrow heads, but very little
mention, If any. is made of them In
the early manuscript
"The early Irish had no cavalry d.
vision of their army, though the chiefs
were mounted and were very discrlm-
mating in horse-fesh. The chariot,
however. was well known in early
Irish warfare, sometimes scythe.bear-
ing, sometimes not. The chief was
attended by his charioteer when he
went to battle and the general use of
the chariot in warfare as well as in
peaceful pursuits acquaints us with
the fact that all over ireland there
were good roads; OF course, for the
times. The Irish soldier In pagan
times, as today. was Of the highest
valor and address. = The, political ar
rangement Of the country, however,
robbed him of much of the fruits of
his valor. The clan and tribe sys-
tenn of the Celt kept the country in
a constant turmoil and the internecine
strife that was continued for centur-
les robbed Irish valor Of its dearest
right, a fatherland safe from invasion,
and although oceans Of the best and
bravest blood were poured out it was
for the aggrandisement of some am
bilious. restless princeling, rather than
the permanent advancement of the
nation. Hostile critics, however, are
as one in bearing testimony to the
valor and address of the Irish soldiers,
and had Erin boosted Philip Of Ma.
cedon, an Alexander the great, or a
Caesar as an ard ri and organizer, the
exploits of Brennus or Brennan the
Celt, who captured and sacked homes
with his unmatched soldiery, might
have had permanent results. The old
chroniclers give us description of an
Irish king at a feis of Tara and when
We recall that there were $50 such
with their retinue or tails We may
easily conclude that the sight Of the
Irish army assembled In union and
concord was sight for gods and
men.
"The land question was always q
crux for Ireland and even in pagan
times the system Of land tenure kept
Ireland back from the development
she should have reached. The land
was held in common, for the most
part by the tribe, although certain
private grants were made to individ-