The Irish standard., 1913-11-01
FATHER MULLEN.

Irish language the end OF the Irish
nation. His verses on the "Celtic
Tongue" were the most fervent appeal
made between Davis's time and the
advent of the Gaelic League to the
people to preserve the language:-
IT'S fading, oh, tits fading! like leaves
upon the trees!
In murmuring tone tits dying, like the
wall upon the breeze!
IT'S swiftly disappearing, as footprints
on the shore .-..,
Where the Barrow, and the Erne, and
Loch Swilly's waters roar
Where the parting sunbeam kisses
Loeb Corrib in the West,
And Ocean, like a mother, clasps the
Shannon to her breast!
The language of old Erin, Of her his
tory and name
OF her monarchs and her herOes-her
glory and her fame
The sacred shrine where rested, thro'
sunshine and thro' gloom,
The spirit of her martyrs, as their
bodies in the tomb.
mur'd, mid centuries of wrong,
and in song
1t slowly, surely sinking, into silent
death at last,
To live but in the memories OF those
who love the Past.
The olden tongue is sinking like
patriarch to rest,
Whose youth beheld the Tyrian on
our Irish coasts a guest;
tn thn NNys-
man or the Dane,
Had first set foot in Britian, DER tram
pied heaps of slain;
Whose manhood saw the Druid rite
at forest-tree and rock.
And savage tribes of Britain round the
Shrines of Zernebock;
And for generations witnessed all the
glories of the Gael,
Since our Celtic sires sung war-songs
round the sacred fires of Baal;
The tongues that saw its infancy are
ranked among the dead,
And from their graves have risen
those now spoken in their stead.
The glories of old Erin, with their
liberty have gone,
Yet their halo linger'd round her.
while the Gaelic speech lied on;
Vi - 1llU LuO ,uN60EC OL uoI WOCs u
manument more vast
Than all her pillar-towers, it stood
that old Tongue Of the Past!
that gave 1t birth,
shall ne'er be heard on earth,
! Ger the island dimly fading, as cir
Gle Ger the wave.
D~o - HoN %ha
language Of the slave,
And with 1t too seem fading al sum
set into night .a1 !
The scattered rays Of liberty that
fingered in its light. I
For ah! tho long, with filial love, 1t
chung to motherland,
And Irishmen were Irish still, In Ian
guage, heart and hand;
T'instal its Saxon Rival, prescribed 1t
soon became,
And Irishmen are Irish now in nothing
but In name:
The Saxon chain our rights and
tongues alike doth hold in thrall,
Save where amid the Connaught wilda
and hills of Donegal
And by the shores of Munste--. :-.se the
broad Atlantic blast, 49,.
The olden language fingers yet, and
binds us to the Past.
Thro' cold neglect It's dying now; a
stranger on our shore!
No Tara's hall re-echoes to its music
as of yore-
No Lawrence fires the Celtic clans
round leaguered Athaclee-
No Shannon watts from Limerick's
towers their war-song to the sea.
All! magic Tongue, that round US
wove its spells so soft and dear!
All! pleasant Tongue, whose murmurs
were as music to the ear.
All! glorious Tongue, whose accents
could each Celtic heart enthral!
All! rushing Tongue, that sounded like
the swollen torrents fall!
The tongue that in the Senate was
lightning flashing bright
Whose echo in the battle was the
thunder in its might!
ThatTongue. which once in chieftan's
hall poured loud the minstrel lay,
AS chieftan, serf, or minstrel old Is
silent there today!
Thattongue whose shout damaged the
foe at Kong and Mullaghmast.
Like those who nobly perished there
is numbered with the Past!
The Celtic Tongue Is passing, and we
stand coldly by.
Without, a pang within the heart, a
fear within the eye
Without one pulse for Freedom
stirred, one effort made to save
The Language of our Fathers from
dark oblivion's grave!
Oh, Erin! vain your efforts-your
prayers for Freedoms crown.
Nj Y1~1y- L.
foe that Glove it down;
Be sure that tyrants ever with an art
from darkness sprung.
Would make the conquered nation
slaves alike in limb and tongue;
Russia's great Gear ne'er stood secure
DER Poland's shatter'd frame,
Until he trampled from her heart the
tongue that bore her name.
| Oh, Irishmen, be Irish still! stand for
the dear old tongue
Which, as Ivy to ruin, to your native
land has clung!
Oh. snatch this relic from the wreck!