Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-16
THE GAELIC LANGUAGE.
By Frederic ]. Haskin.

which the Irish nation will ever nave
upon the hearts Of its people Is the al
lection with which they cling to the Ola
Gaelic tongue with all OF its ancient
traditions. Notwithstanding the fact
that English supremacy made that IAN
guage official upon the Emerald Isle,
there have been few families who have
not in their own circle lapsed frequently
into the use of some old Gaelic express
sions The number Of native Gaelic
speakers in Ireland, according to the last
census, was $4,000, or about one-seventh
of the population. Many OF these never
have learned to speak English and those
who have still use the older tongue upon
every possible occasion.
It Is estimated that there are now IN
Great Britain and Ireland at least MIL
lion people who claim Gaelic as their
native language and speak it in prefer
ence to any other. This includes the
Irish who have settled in England and
Scotland, as we'll as the native scotch
Highlanders who also speak Gaelic.
Because an Irishman is Irish wherever
he goes, the interest in Gaelic Is not con-
fined to the
Love of Language British ISLANDS.
The love of the
Carried With Irish. mother tongue
has gone with him in all his journeyines
and wherever there has been an Irish
colony of long standing there Is apt to
be at least a few who are able to speak
the ancient Gaelic.
In every large American city NUMBERS
of people will be found who are continu-
ally striving to preserve the language IN
all it's purity. In the early seventles'
some patriotic Irish Americans began 10
devise means for the study of this Ian
guage in America and the interest mas
Increased continuously. Largely through
the influence of Timothy FREDERICK Hal
vey of Philadelphia, who Is wldey KmoMn
in Irish American circles as the founder
of Robert Emmett day March ~, the nlst
Gaelic schools were established IN new
York, Chicago, Philadelphia and Bunaio
From these schools have developed IN
nortant city it is easy for an Interested
student to receive instruction IN the
Gaelic language.
Mr.. Halvey worked in cooperation
with the Gaelic League, whlcn mas ars
headquarters in Dublin. with branch or
ganizations in all parts of the Woria.
one of the league activities consisted IN
Sending a number OF Gaenc -speaAns
Irish lace makers to the United states
to demonstrate their work. Mrs. Harvey.
who was one of the woman managers OF
the worlds fair in Chicago IN 1888, ar.
ranged for these young Gaelic girls "
make their lace as a part OF the
hibit of Irish industries at the iaar. AZ
erward they went to different cities, Gre
ating a demand for the beautiful irish
lace which Is still so popular. From the
time of the worlds fair in chicago there
has been an increased interest IN the
GtA4
Gaelic language MANIFESTED upon ILLS
continent
The Gaelic language is taught In
number of the leading American univer-
stiles. At Har-
Gaelic Is Taught ward Prof.
in Big Universities. Of the recog-
nized philologists Of the world. conducts
Gaelic classes and is an enthusiastic
Gaelic scholar. A special course in Gaelic
is provided in the University OF Califor-
MIA by Prof. OHegerty, q native OF
Donegal, who was brought over from Ire
land to take that position. Prof. O'Heg-
erty also conducts Gaelic classes In San
Francisco. In the Catholic University
of Washington, D. c., Gaelic is taught
unQer the uITSCtlOIl VI III. SOSSPAA 49,
Dunn who not only speaks 1t huently,
but gives a large amount Of his time to
the translation of ancient Irish literature
DR.. Dunn also lectures at Yale upon the
Gaelic language and has now In press a
metrical translation of the ancient Gaelic
saga, Tain DO Crialgne."
There is flourishing Gaelic society IN
the National Capital, which has num-
Der of corresponding members In dfner-
ent states. The object is to increase the
knowledge and interest in this ancient
vernacular. It's programs consist OF lee
lures and TRANSACTIONS interspersed with
old Irish melodies. Although organized
only in 1907, this society has been In
strumental in calling national attention to
the wealth of literary achievement IN
the Gaelic language which has been un-
known to most of the world.
In his work upon Gaelic literature
Matthew Arnold deals extensively with
the pathological value Of the Gaelic. which
is one of the two great divisions OF the
Celtic language. The other division. the
Cymric, which is the ancient language OF
wales, is older and more analytic than
the Gaelic, but both give the philologist
many useful hints and derivatives. In
1853 Prof. J. c. Zeuss, a distinguished
German philologist. published Gram
matica Celtica,' which may be said to
mark the beginning of general study or
the Celtic languages and OF Gaelic IN
particular.
MANY DISTINGUISHED French, German