The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-11-07
CONTINUED from Page ~
THE GAELIC EXHIBITION.

interesting loan collection of objects
of antiquarian and historical interest
some of them dating from pre-Chris-
tian times. Taken together, the eX-
hibits may be regarded as mere tokens
or symbols of the re-awakened ma
tional SOUL The artistic and industrial
products show the old Irish skill, the
old loving concentration of effort, the
austere resolve to achieve consummate
hands find to do. One thing strikes
every attentive observer of the work
of the modern Irish artists and crafts
men, and it is the utter unconscious
ness of the existence of an Anglo
Saxon public to be flattered or pro,
pitiated. These artists and craftsmen
are devoted to their work and when
it is done they trust it to win recog-
milton on it's own merits. But if you
ask them for whom they work, they
will all answer in the spirit of the
words of Lady Ferguson: Il would
rather write a little song, which an
Irish peasant girl would love to sing,
than to win the applause of the whole
British Empire" They are very far
away indeed from the standpoint of
the old days, when the Irish were told
to be glad that they were allowed to
exist to fulfil their providential des-
tiny OF digging drains and providing
amusement for their Anglo-Saxon mas
ters. And the same inspiration shows
itself in the exquisite drawings and
etchings of the Irish artists of which
the exhibition contains some speci-
mems Of rare beauty, as is manifested
i'll the Volunteers who are ready to
prove their faith by the supreme test.
The pictures which Miss O'Brien
has to show are worthy of more than
passing notice. They are obviously
the work of artists who love their art
and who love Ireland, too. Only the
most intimate native sympathy could
lead the artists to the standpoint from
which these startlingly characteristic
pictures were made. And only the fin
ished perfection of technique could
transfer those visions SO faithfully to
the canvas. They are essays, poems,
revelations of many aspects of the
charm of Irish scenery and character.
The sympathetic student, with the
very minimum of artistic training,
will learn from them something about
! Ireland and the Irish which he did not
know before. On the very surface he
will read this lesson, that artistic gen.
ius and culture have found once more
in Ireland and among the plain Irish
folk themselves home and supreme
inspiration.
The section devoted to history and
antiquities will doubtless appeal to a
large number as being of peculiar in
terest. Not the least interesting is the
collection of ancient flags and armo-
crowns of Munster and the Red Hand
of Ulster, the Hand and Dagger and
the Eagle of the O'Connors side by
side with the flags and notices of the
O'Briens, MacCarthys, O'Kelleys and
| O'Sullivans. To tell their story is to
tell the story of Ireland. In another
corner you see a beautifully carved
crucifiX, made by some forgotten Con
nacht artist for the priest to set on his
improvised altar on the hillside or in
the glen, during the penal days, when
the wolf and the priest were hunted
with equal zeal and with equal praise
| by the eyangelists of English ''cul-
ture." Further on, you see the beauti-
full Irish dress materials of poplin, etc.
| Then there is collection of song
| bOoks-not the trash of the dismal
time when the Irish language was be-
| ing Wrung out of the people and they
were painfully trying to learn the ele-
giant speech of the Cockney, but beau
tiful and beautifully simple and direct
| poetry by poets like Stephens, Colin,
O'Higgins, ETC., whose fame has tray
eled far beyond the borders of Erin.
| To mention all the interesting things
that are to be seen at the exhibition
would be to transcribe the catalogue
in full. And seeing is not the whole
of it. Miss O'Brien, Mr.. MacCollum
and their helpers have a great many
interesting things to say in explana-
ton of their exhibition, and of the
aims and achievements of the move
ment which it represents. To persons
of Irish origin or sympathies, their
tale of noble work well done, of un-
| tagging perseverance in face of all
difficulties, of quiet persistency and
strenuous labor which makes the
things that will endure, and of the spirit
of single-minded and unselfish devo-
ton to a national ideal that daily wins
to its service the best and truest ele-
ments of Irish life, this cheering story
will help TO make memorable the visit
of the Gaelic ENJOYS to St. Paul.
In the knights of Columbus Hall
on Wednesday. November 4, Miss
O'Brien summed up the story in
her lecture, given under the auspices
of the st. Paul Institute, on 'HThe
Gaelic League; It's Work and It's OBJ.
jects." The musical side of the move
ment was illustrated by a concert of
Irish music, song and dance in the
same hall on Friday, November 6, at
which Mr.. Robert Gehan assisted the
Irish artists by his fine rendering of
Mangan's great Dark Rosaleen
The exhibition will close on Satur.
day afternoon, November Z, after
which it will go to Duluth.
There are mighty few people who