Omaha daily bee., 1916-03-17

wealth that It has been able to blaze way
prominence. but the Of the admiration Of the
Irish flag lies in the fact that It synboiises 90 eK-
actly the national characteristics Of its people
The color suggests the constant verdure Of the Is
land tho outdoor habits Of the rural folk and the
sunshine OF life which is reflected in each Irish
heart. Times may be hard and dark clouds Of pow
erty lower, but the Irish always the silver Innings
which foretell better days. The people talk. laugh
and act in music each singing his cong from the
cradle 70 the grave. Some glad and
some are sad. but hope s never abandoned.
In choosing the harp their national emblem tho
sons OF Ern the symbol OF their very being into
each Irish nag. Ths harp represents their early
religious worship both pagan and christian their
national recreation, the medium through which the
deeds Of their heroes taught TO the people and
the book from which every child early times
learned the lessons Of patriotism and country
From historical accounts Il that this musical
instrument is old Irish civilization but
history is anedated by the legend Of the first harp
Of ireland.
The old story Of Dagda the pagan god tells that
once when the hero walking by of the beau
tifu lakes OF his country he behed a pretty damseL
IL was love at first sight the chiefs part. for
Dagda sought the maiden. in the hope of gaining her
hand in marriage. Probably the girl not
favorably impressed with her wooer She ran into
the forest 20 hide from him. but Dagda pursued close
by. At length upon coming TO a rounding beach the
maidens attention ABSORBED by strange sounds
Such musici The dried skin Of whale stretched
over the skeleton OF the formed a harp for
the mournfu wind TO whistle through. The girl
enchanted When Dagda saw that such sounds fascin-
ated her. he improvised wooden instrument pat
termed from the whale harp BY pluckins the strings
with his strong finger. he played such sweet music
70 the maiden that he finally her heart
The success Of this gave the incentive
TO other lovers fashion similar harps until u was
not long before the "old story was set TO music
whenever a young chief went wooIng Harpers all
over the country accompanied their stories OF love
Nutah trnN~
neyed from place 10 place with their harps singing
OF the deeds OF wonder which their brave chiefs had
accomplished. As all this happened long before the
day Of printers ink, II was the only way in which
the people OF the land could learn Of the conflicts
and victories Of their heroes. The harpers were
always welcome and given the best in the house
Even kings were 30 ssddened by their presence that
the coming of one OF these bards meant a banquet
In the hall the table seated more than
hundred II story teller present he shared
honors with the harpst for these two entertainers
furnished the merrimsnt for the aIl-niEht feast
For nobiemsn 20 be without such a synbol OF
rank Usually meant that his position had been for
feted AS time went the growing popularity Of
the harp and the genius Of the poor people in per-
forming upon the instrument made Il possible for all
freemen to possess harps. This ownership was one
OF tho three things distinguishing freeman from
slave How much those in bondage suffered from
the restriction that slaves should not even touch
these Instruments cannot be easily ma gined Grad
ually the harp becsme more and more common In
Drn's Isle until in the NTH century there wa.
scarcely peasants hut wthout ONE. T5arners he
came 80 numeTous that there we're not places enough
Tor them In the homes OF the arstocrats whsrs many
found permanent borths. Numbers Of bards who
SANG the stories Of the old roamed from Macs
to place. spending day week wherever food ana
shelter were provided
Religion, romance ana yaIor were st,i IN ,h.
music. but after while sonss Of everyday life crept
into the soul OF the harp The breezes OF summer
the chirpins Of birds. the whirr OF the spinning
n nfNnNm - A..
OF the baby were all echoed by the barda
During the eighteenth century the ravages Ct
smallpox through ireland left hundreds OF the ma
uVes oIind. Little children into manhood and
womanhood sightiens. To while away the lonesome
hours. or more often prepare themselves for sair
ms livelihood these unfortunate people ttred their
attention to the aarD. II reckoned that ak on.
or every ten herpists were without siRht Danr,.
hempson. the noted bard. who stil performed ~
Belfast at the age Of w. had been blind all but three
years OF his life To have been such a6cop,p,,sh,
players a. many OF the sghtlsss bards were GER
tainiy denoted musical genius The we'll knoun
oeminisn once played vivaldfs fifth ooncer,o a. ~,
violin before Turiosh ocaroIan, whom he asked ~
repeat on the harp To his surprise the rrsh n. "a
not only complied with HE request. but composed
concerto OF his own the impulse Of the roor,sn,
This last real Irish bard lived about 800 yearr sro
VI all hArp tunes none more famous than
A.aeen Aroon' Tor Handel declared that he would
rather have been the author Of Il than 10 have ,,,t
the pest OF his own compositions 'arhe Fta,n Tg.s
Once Through TarAs Hail" has had manv trs,. M.
stii remains lreAnd's national air Each yesr ths
ancient harp Of thirty strings which beIonS.N -
Brian boru. an old warrior ofeioil a prtr,6 -
Dublin. '" o0hese'
Few persons realize when looking At Ireana,. a..
tnet the same musical emblem was suggested as nsrt
OF our national seal On the Fourth OF Julv S.h..
tne Declaration OF Independence announced tb., th
.nir'een American colonies had formed thep,ssiv..
INTO new nation. congress sew the pec.s.,,v -.
national seal On that day John IIancock .nno,-..
Ut frankin. John Adams and Thomas Jefssrso :.
committee to prepare a suitable deslsn for -.
sea- of the new nation. About month later Ihoro.s
seiierson submitted design for each alds =, ~
seAL rhe plan for one side diaplayed a nh,.ts .,,
ported ny the Goddess OF Liberty holding ...,
and cap and BY an American rlneman A.. -,
the sl-eens eye Of Providence ana below IN. .e,,.
| ~ Fi1rooA Unum' The shield. which was ths A..
asn OF Da simiters West Indian Frsnchmar ,h.
friend OF Adams and jefferson gave r.oosn,t,or "a
public NV nv" ~
In the ak quarters OF the shield were the roa. OF
ENGLAND the thistle for Scotland the harp for ireland
| nowsr de luce OF France. the imperial ease az
Germany ana the Belsie lion OF Holland AI,hourh
this seal was not adopted. II showed the high