Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1940-03-14
Tell Ye,

Continued from Page One
ital of Ireland, for the purpose of
electing new chieftain as king.
Feeling that he could convert the
people to Christianity if he
reached the convention, he set
out to attend the gathering. The
chiefs were forewarned of his
coming and sought to thwart his
efforts, so on the night of Druid
ceremonies on nearby hill, St.
Patrick built huge fire in the
valley of the River Leith. When
the Druid chief ordered the fire
extinguished by his followers,
legend has it that an angel from
heaven intervened and kept the
fire burning.
With the people in awe, st.
Patrick stood upon Laefaile, the
Irish Stone !, of Destiny, and
preached to the masses. The peo-
pie listened, but the chiefs de-
manded proof of the tangible ev-
licences of the God of whom he
spoke. st. Patrick chided them
then, and STOPPING to the ground,
he plucked a shamrock. "God,
the Father; God, the Son; and
God, the Holy Ghost" he denot-
ed, lingering the three petals,
and the Irish were converted;
and the shamrock became the ma
tional emblem of the country.
Later ST. Patrick converted
the entire island and as a re-
suit was titled Bishop Patrick,
Primate of all Ireland, by the
Pope. He died at the age of 1O6
at which time his disciples, st.
Brigid and St. Dennis, contin-
ued his work for Christianity.
And that, according to Rob-
ert Michael, is the story of st.
Patrick; and when questioned
about the legend of the snakes,
he blasted another bit of your re-
porter's lore.
The story of the snakes which
St. Patrick drove from the is
land is allegorical, the snakes
representing the heather faiths
which the young missionary bat
tied. Here again, though, leg
end has it that st. Patrick went
to the top of Mt. Coulmbkille
and started to beat upon drum,
planning to beat until all snakes
were driven from their holes and
drowned in the sea. For three
days and nights he pounded un-
til the drum was broken and St.
Patrick despaired, but an angel
came from heaven to mend it,
and he continued until he had
won his purpose. Today, Irish
men point out in support of the
story, there are no snakes on the
Emerald Isle.
Mcdaniel, who was graduated
from Newark high school in
1888, was educated in the Gaelic
tongue by his parents and by
Father Francis j. O'Donnell,
who has since returned to Ire
land. The Gaelic tongue, he ex-
planned, is a mixture of English,
French, Spanish, German, Dan
ish, and Norwegian. Early Irish
historians traced their descent
from the Milesians who conquer
ed the country, according to the
Bardic tradition about 1700 B.
C. The Milesians originated in
Scythia, but migrated to Egypt,
and thence to Spain, where they
became rulers of the country.
They are named after Miled, the
head of the clan who went to
Ireland. Of his eight sons, Ere
mon became king of all Ireland.
Later, however, the country
was deciminated by plague, and
was overrun by invaders from
the continent. AS the descend
ents of these people came togeth-
er they gradually developed
new tongue. Today, in modern
Ireland Gaelic has been restor-
ed as the official language of
the government. Books are pub
lished in it and the Dublin OBJ
server" is issued both in English
and Gaelic. 1t is spoken, Rob-
ert Michael said, with rapidity
by people from the north of Ire
land, more slowly by those from
the south.
And Robert Michael should
know. He can speak it either
way.