The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-01-02
IRISH ALL.
, IOwland or Highland, the Scotch Not
scotch 10 1nIs student.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN---Sir: Re
gardng the much talked OF Plantation OF
Ulster, when settlers from Britain In the
seventeenth century became possessed OF
the estates and wealth Of the old Irish
families whose banners had fallen in war.
DR.. Sigerson of London had this to say
the other day:
II 10 . common error to suppose that the
new settlers were alien In race. They were
mostly Scots. and mostly Gaeis. their an
cestors having gone to Alba or Caledonia
from Erin as conauerors Of the old time.
As ireland vas IN the Middle Ages known
a. Scotia and the Irish as Scott or Scots.
Alba was then called Scotia Minor Lesser
irelsnd) and afterward Scotland. Hence
when the term Scotch Irish is used you
should remember that It means Irish Irish.
q fact generally forgotten or unknown.
There are many facts forgotten or UNI
known by those readiest to talk about
ireland and Scotland In this country. one
Of these facts Is that just as there was II
Norman conquest of England 50 there
was an Irish and earlier conquest of Scot
land. Nor was there ever conquest more
complete Scotland became as much an
Irish province as Munster. and the Irish
language prevailed both In the Lowlands
and In the Highlands. Nor was It mere
lust Of conquest that inspired the Irish
the Normans. who for centuries treated
the Saxon English ms dirt under their feet.
the Irish conquerors took hold OF the saw
age Scotchman. civilized and Christianized
him to some degree. planted In his land
the famous school Of Iona, which never
had other than Irish professors during the
thousand years OF It's existence. and
taught him some OF the arts OF life Irish
civilization reigned In the land henceforth.
so that Irish or Erse still fiourishes in the
Highlands. and nine out OF every ten
Scotchmen still bear Irish names.
Nor are the Lowlands one whit less
Irish than the Highlands. There never
was n Saxon settlement made In Scotland
at any time. the stream OF migration be-
ing always from north to south Tho
Fergusons. Allisons, Andersons, Patter-
sons and Pattisons are OF the family OF
MacFergus. MacAllistair. MacAndrais,
MacPatrick and MacFadden. the change
of name following or preceding the change
of language and religion. These facts are
so patent to a student OF Irish history and
genealogy that he wonders at the faulty
that can controvert them.
A fair minded man treading his way In
Irish history for the first time will find
many things to surprise and even startle
him. He will FIRST marvel at the many
glorious and even momentous facts g-
nored by the general historian. He will
be impressed by the tremendous partisan
use that has been made OF trifies. lie
will be astonisned to find light where he
had been taught to think there was saw
age darkness. He will be interested to
| learn that great. familiar medieval fig
urcs. long incorporating as Celtic" or
British" or Scotch" were magnifcently
| Irish. He will wonder at the dignity and
| restraint of the Annals OF the Four Mas
| ters' and like Irish works. rs compared
with the furious partlsansh!p OF "grea,
| English historians" And he will realize
| that as Irish history is being rewritten
much OF European and American history
| will have to be rewritten after II.
! IRISH STUDENT.
New YORK January