The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1916-09-30


of TRANSACTIONS from foreign texts which
are especially valuable for their criti-
cism Of the early forms of many
themes widely spread in the literature
of medieval Europe. For the scholar
who wishes to do original work in a
field in which he has few competitors,
old Irish studies offer the greatest at
traction. In this country, where the
Irish race is SO strong, it is strange
that SO little should have been done
in this department. A glance through
photography of Irish philology fails
to show, among the German, French,
Austrian, Scandinavian, Dutch, Scotch
and other names, the name Of even
one American. 1t is intended that, in
the new Celtic library at st. Thomas,
all the printed books on this subject
will be gathered together, and an at
tempt will also be made to collect all
the material scattered through a null
titude of periodicals in France, Ger.
many, Austria, Ireland, etc.
Modern Gaelic Literature.
From the labors of the above-men.
toned scholars sprang the movement
to restore Gaelic as the spoken lam
guage of the Irish people-a movement
which took definite shape when, in
1898, the Gaelic League was founded
by DR.. Douglas Hyde, John MacNeill,
Rev. Eugene O'Growney and Rev. Dig.
by Cleaver. Within a few years, mag
azines, pamphlets. newspapers, trans
lations from foreign languages, and
original works of fiction, poetry, ETC.,
were being written in Irish. Not alone
the language, but the song, music, GUS
toms, and home manufactures of the
people were being revived. Gaelic
schools and colleges were opened
throughout the disappearing districts,
and the students of these colleges were
taught to collect from the old native
speakers all the stories, folklore, quaint
Irish sayings, proverbs, Irish songs
and Irish prayers that still existed in
the tradition of the people. These
were all published in magazines found
ed for the purpose. Meanwhile, a long
list of writer's, among whom may be
mentioned Canon O'Leary, Padraic
O'Shea, Thomas Hayes, Eamonn
O'Neill, Father Dinneen, Patrick
Pierse, Henry Morris, James Craig,
Seaghan O'Neachtain, and Padraic
O'Conaire have been editing texts, COL
lecting folk tales, preparing grammars,
writing Irish plays, stories, poems and
essays, and translating the worlds
classics into Gaelic. So great has been
the output of purely Gaelic literature
during the last fifteen years, that the
first instalment of the Hibernian
grant could easily be exhausted in this
department alone.
Irish History.
The study of Irish history derives
its Importance from many sources.
The Celts, at one time, ruled over more
than one-third of Europe, and are, at
present, the oldest race existing in
that continent. Nothing contributes
more to make a nation worthy of study
than hoariness of age, and derivation
from definite primitive stock. Sec.
ondly. the Irish nation, having escaped
entirely from the sway and influence
of the Roman Empire, was the only
one Of the primitive European nations
to preserve intact its national institu.
tions. Thirdly, in all the other Euro.
pean nations, the advent of Christian.
ity brought with it a struggle between
the vernacular and the Latin tongue
for the rank Of literary language, with
the result that, until the end of the
eleventh century they had no vernacu
lar literature. Ireland, on the other
hand, while 1t acknowledged the re-
ligious supremacy of Rome, was far
removed from Latin influence, with
the result that, during the sixth and
seventh centuries, furnishing Chris
tian literature arose in the vernacular
For the same reason, ecclesiastical
customs and practices, which, at the
fall of the Roman Empire, had died out
in Europe, were still in Ireland at the
close of the tenth century. Fourthly
at the fall Of the Roman Empire, Ire
land became the heiress, not only OF
the classical, but also of the philo.
sophical and theological learning OF
the old Western Empire, and, during
the sixth century, she drew upon her.
self the eyes of the world, and became
the great haven of Christian and classi.
cal learning. Her children carried
Christianity to practically all the ma.
tions of Europe, became heads of uni
versities and counsellors of kings, and
for two centuries, before they fell be-
fore the Roman system, Celtic ideals
impaired new life to a decadent civ
ilization. And lastly, during the last
thousand years, Ireland has main.
tanned constant struggles against
three powerful enemies-the Dane, the
Norman, and the Saxon, and has sue
cessfully withstood them all.
An incomplete photography pub
lished some years ago, of Irish his
torical matter, contained a list. of