Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-16
BY REV. COLUMBANUS DIVER,
n G =

So well kIlONU W lIlC WOIlO, JCI
| it is remarkable that no national and
religious celebration is so widely held
as hers. And not alone among the
| Gaelic race, but by vast numbers of va
riouS Municipalities and creeds. Where
ever the son of st. Patrick makes his
homeland that is about everywhere
| he celebrates the day and is generally
| Joined by others.
Those Of us who have passed middle
age can well remember the old saying
! that 'if the North Pole is ever diScov-
cred an Irishman will be found there"
This brings to mind the words of Peary
when writing of the North Pole trip.
He tells us that Lincoln's and Wash
ington's birthday anniversaries were
celebrated on his successful trip and.
as st. Patricks day came after these
/ festivals, it was the last one celebrated
and the nearest to the North Pole. So
Peary and his men became Irishmen
for that day, probably to prove the
veracity of the old saying.
AS usual, many things will be said
about Ireland and her story on this
st. Patrick's day and it is to be regret
ted that many of the speakers win not
be likely to bring to our attention the
many things that the general public
would like to know about the old his
toric land. 1t is true, indeed, that so
much that Is interesting In Irish his
tory Is so little known. Hence a few
words on such line may be Of value.
Ruled by Spanish Descendants.
People would like to know what kind
OF country Ireland was when the saints
| were alive, as well as some items of
former ages in Ireland that might give
us some idea of what st. Patrick saw
| there.
Physically the country has changed
much since that time on account Of
| the disappearance Of the vast forests
which were so characteristic of Ireland,
but the magnificent coast line, as seen
today, must not have altered much, If
any, for 1t Is so rock-ribbed that the
sea could not have succeeded in chang
ing 1t to any appreciable extent since
! then.
It is admitted by impartial investi-
gators that the country was ruled many
centuries before Christ by the sons of
Mllesius cthe hero King of Spain")
and their descendants up to the time
OF the Norman-W Welsh invasion in ITO.
Hence the Irish are called Milesians.
The country was divided into five prov
inceS-Leinster, Munster, Ulster, Con-
nacht and Meath. The latter province
was the property of the head king. or
ard-rtgh Cree). It was necessary for
ITO manACchduCS, dS ne naQ TO sup
port large army comprising thousands
OF men. The Kings of Ireland enter
tanned with truly royal magnificence
ana lived IN palaces which at the time
were, to say the least, the equal of the
domiciles of similar dignitaries In Eu-
rope north of the Alps
Tara was the residence of the ma
tional monarch, and as its site is seen
today one sees what an inspiring situ-
alton it presents. It would take con-
siderable space to describe the magnifi-
cence Of the royal residence at Tara
(Where the National Assemblies were
! nelo) as given us by Prof. Eugene
O'Curry in his most valuable lectures
before the Catholic University of Ire
land about the middle Of the last
century.
Blush Purple National Color.
Suf1ce it to say that the national
monarch of Ireland at that time and
MS general surroundings were far diff
!erent from misrepresentation so wide
~ spread in modern times, and very
oIten so spread by those who should
have known better. For instance, I
nave seen illustrations of st. Patrick
before the court of Leoghaire Oeary),
the national monarch, in which the
King Is represented dressed like a bar
barian, and the sword he holds looks
more like rude club than a sword.
Inc fact Is that all the proofs are at
nand to show that the King wore gar
ments OF the richest kind, his mantle
always being a bluish-purple, and it
was from this fact that the ancient ma
tional color was purple.
correct idea of the court of King
Leogna1re may be garnered from the
st. Patrick window of the new Boston
college, Boston. In that we find the
gorgeous dress Of the King as we And
1t from authentic documents so well
analysed by O'Curry. The work was
done by Thomas Murphy, who engaged
specialist In Irish archaeology to direct
IL. There is no guesswork nor artistic
incense OF account to be found. O'Curry
is simply followed.
Magnificent Costumes Worn.
AS pictures of ancient Irish life are
often presented by Irish American peri-
odicals, it is lamentable to find that
Ine artists know absolutely nothing by
which to guide their illustrations. Sin |
quarry enough, it takes persons who |
are not Irish to present the proper pic |
lures. For instance, have seen a pic |
lure OF the national hero of Ireland |
Cunullaln, representing him as a wild |
oarpar1an-thiS in an Irish-American |
paper by an Irish artiSt-while an ac- |
curate painting of the same hero was |
painted by the late Darius Cobb of New |
ton, Mass, for Boston College It shows |
Cle nero In the dress and position de- |
scrloed In the ancient manuscripts.
In the Century Magazine of some
years ago (January, 1000, there Is also |
70 De seen an Illustration of Cuhullain |
and Queen Mabh. The drawings are |
from DR.. Leyendecker and the article |
furnished in connection is from the pen |
OF President Roosevelt The costumes |
are magnificent in both illustrations. |
chances In their work.
Such remarks will give lis an idea |
OF the court into which st. Patrick |
was ushered when he first encountered |
King Leoghaire.
Provincial Rulers Wore Red.
The provincial rulers or kings wore
garments very similar, but they did |
not wear the purple. We have the de- |
scription of the King of Ulster in the |
first century, given US by O'Curry from |
the ancient manuscripts. The descrip- |
ton takes about go lines In "The Man |
ners and Customs of the Ancient Irish. =" |
The provincial king, Conaire Nor,
wears red mantle bespangled with |
and a sword which, however, is not |
according to the correct outlines. He |
wears the Irish crown of gold.
This form OF crown Is acknowledged |
in heraldry as the Irish crown. He |
wears his hair long and falling over
his shoulders like all the ancient Ceits.
He wears the moustache so peculiar to |
the race from time immemoriaI The |
hair is golden, while the eyebrows are |
dark. So are the pupils Of his ewes. |
making strikingly beautiful picture |
which Is not eXcelled in anv of the
works Of Homer The Complete de-