of the Four Masters.” besides essays on “Mediæval Irish Tales,” “Finn and the Solar Myth Theory,” “Irish Surnames,” “Irish Dictionaries,” “Dialects of Irish,” &c. The book will be brought out by a London firm, and may be expected early in December.
Father O’Growney’s Simple Lessons in Irish, Part I., is having an unprecedented sale. Though not three months issued, the third thousand is already pretty well disposed of. This speaks well not only for the simplicity and excellent method of the book, but for the rapid spread of the study of Irish. The second part will soon be ready for publication, and we learn from many quarters that it is eagerly awaited.
GAELIC NOTES.
The Session of 1894-5 of the Irish Literary Society, London, was inaugurated on the 31st of October by a lecture, delivered by Dr. Douglas Hyde, on “The Last Three Centuries of Gaelic Literature.” Lord Russell of Killowen, Lord Chief Justice of England, presided. Dr. Hyde’s lecture was a masterly and original review of the state of Ireland's native language and literature during the last three centuries. His closing remarks ought to reach every Irishman. “Now the Gaelic race in Ireland is making its last stand for its native language. If something be not done, and done quickly, and done with a large momentum of national enthusiasm behind it, our noble, ancient, flexible, cultivated, musical speech, the speech of our fathers, and of our great men, and our scholars and martyrs, priests and patriots, must soon be as extinct as Cornish. The Gaels are now engaged upon the last effort that can ever be made to keep alive our language, with all its vast antique heritage of the accumulated wisdom of ages, doubling and trebling—as all who have any knowledge of the West well know—the mental range and capacity of the men who speak it. Let it be well understood that if this effort fail none other will be possible. We shall be driven to hear the awful words, ‘Too late!’ For if we neglect to preserve now for the Ireland of the future the most interesting and valuable portion of our race’s heritage, generations yet to come shall curse our supineness. But I believe the old Irish race have yet enough of common sense, of patriotism, of firmness, to see to it that our half-million of Irish speakers shall never grow less, but shall continue to band down for the delight of multitudes in a free and prosperous Ireland of the future, the speech and accents of a great and a historic past!”
A branch of the Gaelic League has been formed within the Irish literary Society, London. Dr. Hyde, president of the League, has also been chosen president of this branch. Mr. Tomàs O’Flannaoile, who has done so much for Irish in connexion with the Irish Literary Society, is vice-president. The honorary treasurer and secretary are respectively Mr. Patrick Ryan, M.D , and Mr. Francis Fahy. Meetings are held on alternate Thursdays, the December meetings being on the 13th and 27th.
The first branch of the Gaelic League, outside of the large towns, has been established in the Beara district, West Cork, principally through the energy of Mr. Patrick O’Leary, National Teacher, Eyries, and of Mr. James Cogan. of the Central Branch, who specially visited the locality. Rev. Father Larkin, C C., is president of the branch, and Mr. O’Leary is treasurer and secretary. The work has so far been attended with great success and enthusiasm, the people of the district being really devoted to their mother-tongue. Another branch is promised for the same neighbourhood.
Mr. Patrick O’Brien has ready a new edition of St. Patrick’s Prayer Book, by Father Nolan. This edition has been brought out at the expense of the Rev. Euseby D. Cleaver. A thousand copies of the issue are to be distributed free among the National Schools, Christian Brothers’ Schools and convents in Irish-Speaking districts. Mr. O’Brien has also printed a limited issue of the book for ordinary circulation. He has now on hands a quantity of Gaelic Journals for April, June, and succeeding months.
Mr. James Craigie, of the Public Library, Brechin, and his brother, besides being thoroughly versed in the Gaelic of their native country, are earnest students of Irish Gaelic. One of these gentlemen, during a recent visit to Copenhagen, made a transcript of an Irish MS. in the Royal Library there, and kindly sent a long extract therefrom to Father O’Growney. He has also contributed an essay on the Irish “Bruidhean Tales” to a Scottish periodical. We may mention, in this connexion, that Scottish Gaelic is made a special study by a number of our Irish readers. Father O’Growney speaks the Scottish dialect fluently.
Before going to press, the sad news has just reached us of the death of Mr. Cleaver. While he hourly awaited death, he was still thinking and working for the old tongue. We can say no more now, but we hope to give net month some account of the life and work of this true friend of the Gaelic tongue.
The Donegal Vindicator, Ballyshannon, has started an Irish column, which we hope will be well supported by our readers.
THE CLEAVER PRIZES.
If any of the Teachers who should have received copies of the Irish Prayer-book from the late Mr. Cleaver have not yet received them, they should at once communicate with the printer, Mr. Patrick O’Brien.
THE GAELIC PAPERS.
The Gaodhal—247 Kosciusko-street, New York (60 cents a month).
The Celtic Monthly—17 Dundas-street, Kingston, Glasgow (4/- a year).
MacTalla—Sydney, Cape Breton, Canada (one dollar a year).
Publications containing an Irish column—Tuam News, Weekly Freeman, United Ireland, Cork Archæeological Society’s Journal; in America—Irish-American, San Francisco Monitor, Chicago Citizen; in Scotland—Oban Times, Inverness Northern Chronicle.
The Donegal Vindicator, Ballyshannon—weekly.
Printed by Dollard, Printinghouse, Dublin, where the Journal can be had, price Sixpence for single copy. All remittances to be addressed to the Manager, Dollard’s, Printinghouse, Dublin, payable to Joseph Dollard. Editor also requests that he will be communicated with in case of delay in getting Journal, receipt, &c. The Journal can also be had from the Booksellers in Dublin, Cork, Belfast, &c. Applications for Agencies for sale of the Journal invited.
Printed by Dollard, Printinghouse, Dublin.
