The Irish standard., 1916-03-18

Inc approach OF the IeStlVal OF ST.
Patrick turns the mind Of all Hiber-.
mans to the immortal career of the
kingly apostle whose name is vener-
ated today with deeper fervor than
ever in all the long centuries since he
fret set foot on the island with which
his name has been entwined in man
ner without parallel. Who can think
of Ireland without also creating men,
tai picture of its patron saint? His
personality so impressed the people
that his attributes of character have
ever since been regarded as the per-
feet ideal Of masculine strength for
the doing of duty on this earth and
of noble sacrifice in preparation for
for. the life hereafter.
It is instructive to recall in these
days Of war and rumors of wssr-when
as members of the race of st. Patrick
we look with anxiety toward the an
cestral home, and as American citi-
zens we participate in the prepara.
tion of our country for the unknown
perils Of the future-it is we'll to re-
call the military character of the Irish
nation in ages when every man was q
soldier and patriot.
The most remarkable popularity
which distinguished the Irish people
from the races Of Europe was the d.
vision Of all classes into orders. The
military orders, the literary orders and
the orders Of industry were defined by
law. OF all the ancient orders the
military is the most interesting just
at this time.
It has been claimed that the origin
of military preparedness is plainly evi-
dent in the history of these Irish mill
tary orders. AS our own Ancient Or
der of Hibernians is descended from
them, and modelled upon their sys-
tenn in successive reorganizations, a
short narrative will not be unwelcome.
OF course, it will be remembered that
in those days the primitive system of
society admitted of but few industries,
the chief of which was agriculture.
The ancient Irish military system was,
therefore, imposed upon the farmers
and herders, who provided the rank
and file and created the revenue.
The beginning of the ancient orders
may be briefly told: On the partition
of Ireland between Heber and Here
mon, lands were assigned to the
chiefs and princes on the condition
that each should support stipulated
number of armed troops, to be mar
shaled in time of war. The land thus
disposed of was called "sword land
These troops were divided into le
gions called "catha." Each catha (ol
regiment) contained three thousand
men. Every thousand was command
ed by "fear comhlan mille," or "com
mander of one thousand" who had un
der him ten captains, twenty lieuten
ants and forty sergeants. The captain
was called "fear comhlan caad," OF
@'the commander of one hundred" ant
the other titles are given with great
particularly in the old chronicles. The
commander of the legion was called
4'fioseach an catha," or governor O
the legion" To each legion was ap
pointed proper number of physician!
ond surooonc opd &hooo 1,,oro tho y,,os
eminent of the different universities
and colleges of the kingdom.
"None were admitted into these lie
gions but men of perfect physica
mechanism. It is plain, from all &C
counts, that those of large statur'
were most welcomed, as in the meth
ods Of warfare of those days weigh
and strength were important factors
the sword and battle-axe being tn
common weapons. Indeed, the soldier
were the pick of the people. No dc
formity Of person was permitted il
any accepted recruit. All must b
versed in history and poetry. The
HuSL U0 poI1oCL Ill luc USE Ol dTuls
Each soldier must be able to clear a
once a wall as high as himself, and t
run under branch of a tree as 10,
as his knee without relaxing his pac'
He was pledged singly not to fle
from nine armed men. These legion
were the children of the state, and th
state watched over their training
their discipline and their welfare. Al
other condition of the military cod
was that, before the recruit enrolle
the parents and friends of each sc
dier were to swear not to revenge b
death, II slain, but to leave all revenl
or redress to the general" The for
going is the manner In which Moone
the historian, summarizes the mi
tary constitution of the F1ann, or q
cient Irish militia,
The armed force of the whole kin
dom at this time was $4,000 dghtil