The Washington times., 1922-05-07

and Ulster. occasioned by the re-
fusal TO lend the "Dun Cow" to
the Queen Of Connaught, who had
sent to borrow II. One Of the
earliest trans,ations Of this work
was made by DR.. Joseph Dunn, an
accomplished Gaelic scholar, Of
Catholic University in Washing
ton.
Tho Book of Kells. Douglas
Hyde calls the ''unapproachable
glory Of illumination" Even Eng
lish scholars as well have praised
Irish manuscripts and poetry.
Matthew Arnold's admiration was
aroused by tho "Domhnach Air
gid" a copy of the four Gospels.
which Saint Patrick was believed
to have brought to Ireland.
This work was given to Saint
Carthainn when he was told by
Patrick tho Apostle, with the
shrewd wisdom which In later days
touched Matthew Arnold's sense
of humor. to build himself a church
that should not be too near to
himself for familiarity nor too far
from himself for intercourse. This
rare manuscript considered from
a photographic point Of view one
of the most precious, dates from
the fifth century.
THE OLD IRISH WORLD"
In her book, The Old Irish
World" Mrs. Alice Stopford Green.
the daughter of an English clergy
man resident in Ireland, informs
us. History was the early study
Of the Irish; and in the lowliest
cabin the songs of Irish poets
lived on for hundreds OF years.
ard dying fathers left to sons as
their chief inheritance the story OF
their race. When war, poverty.
the oppression OF the stranger.
hindercd the printing OF Irish
records. there was not a territory
in all Ireland that did not give
men to make copies OF them: hun
dreds OF thousands OF pages. over
and over again. finely written after
the manner of their fathers.
This through centuries OF suffer
ing, and Burke recoros the people
were generally so poor that they
could not afford TO burn a candle.
No relics in Ireland are
more touching than these volumes.
and none should be more reverent-
ly collected and preserved. They
form a singular treasure such as
no country in western Europe
possesses.
In another way, too, Ireland Is
the richest country in Europe, al
though the fact seems to be not
very generally known. In Par
kyn's volume on prehistoric Art"
he illustrates a wide variety Of ar
Genealogical remains found in Ire.
land. many OF them made Of gold
and very beautiful. He asserts that
more OF these gold torques and
other mysterious art objects in the
same metal were discovered in Ire
land than in any other part OF
Europe except possibly in Scandi-
navia. There the old remains
showed such a striking resemblance
to those OF Ireland that It leads
scholars to believe there had been
some closer chronological or geo.
graphic bond than was previously
known.
ANCIENT GOLD FOUND.
Another important observation
Is the claim of modern research
that there Is a relationship re-
tween Ireland and Persia, Iran and
Erin. The poetic temperament Of
the two types is not unlike. and
Ireland does not suffer by the
comparison.
New opportunities for study In
Ireland will undoubtedly present
important additional data, and ex.
change scholarships with the uni.
versities OF the little Green Isle"
will lead to better mutual under.
standing. Meanwhile the native
soil Of Tom Moore, oliver Gold.
smith. Clarence Mansan. Oscar
Wilde. and q host Of others whose
memory 10 enshrined with Dark
Rosaleen." will continue to intrigue
our imagination by its bewitching
spell.
"Beannsot 10 Dia hutr' Ths
blessing OF God with you'll
6rNwimU q Old RrAmUS