GAELIC NOTES.
The best news of the past month is the establishment of an active branch of the Gaelic League in Derry. The members meet in St. Columb’s Hall, and the classes are conducted by Mr. Neville, who has quite recently received a certificate for teaching Irish. A ladies’ class is about to be started. The Derry branch has also furthered the circulation of the Gaelic Journal, up to forty copies having been taken in the district. We need hardly add, that much of the impetus given to Irish studies in Derry is due to the warm support and encouragement of the Derry Journal.
The National Teachers of Donegal, in their meeting at Stranorlar on March 10th, passed a resolution pledging themselves to use every effort towards the revival and extension of the study of Irish. In speaking to the resolution, Mr. Deeny, of Carradoan, said, with truth, that it is not the fault of the National Teachers that Irish is not taught in schools. Teachers are hampered and restricted in their manifold duties by a system little known to outsiders, and all their efforts will not amount to much, if they are not assisted in other quarters, from which they have a right to expect encouragement and assistance. The speaker went on to say:—“I do not know whether or not it is generally known, but, nevertheless, it is a fact, that in a college which sends out a very large number of trained teachers year after year, there is not a Professor of Irish, nor is the subject taught. I refer to St. Patrick’s Training College, Drumcondra. I believe the same remark, too, applies to the other training colleges. I do not know if the Marlborough-street College is an exception. I speak from experience when I say that many teachers are anxious while in training to study the Irish language, if the opportunity were afforded. I knew teachers at training—first-class candidates—who would have selected Irish in preference to either heat or electricity if permitted by the authorities of the college to do so; and I am confident that many of the two years’ students would also present themselves for certificates if the subject were taught. But, paradoxical as it may appear, though there is a Professor of Latin and a Professor of French, there is no Professor of Irish, unless recently appointed. I am still speaking of St. Patrick’s Training College, which was the one I attended, but I believe the same remarks apply equally to all the Dublin training colleges, with the exception, perhaps, of the Marlborough-street College. I am aware that the authorities of St. Patrick’s Training College have recently been approached with a view to the appointment of a Professor in Irish, but with what success I have not heard. Why there should be any hesitation in the case why the subject was not taught long ago in preference to either Latin or French, is to me a mystery. I say if the Irish language is not preserved, the colleges will be more to blame than the teachers. (Hear, hear.) But apart altogether from the training colleges, the teachers, I admit, can do much by studying for certificates. Many possess certificates already, and their number is yearly increasing. There are some people who seem to imagine, however, that the teachers have only to acquire certificates in order to commence the teaching of the subject at once in their schools. It may be as well, perhaps, to dispel this illusion. Why is it that in an Irish National School pupils are prohibited from learning Irish inside of ordinary school hours, unless they have passed once in the sixth class? Yet this is a fact. Why is it again that “no pupil may be presented for examination in Irish who has not at least reached the fifth class?” Yet this also is a fact. Thus restricted, is it any wonder that the Irish language has been making slow progress? (Hear, hear.) How many of the pupils attending Irish National Schools reach the fifth class? A small percentage verily out of the total number enrolled—certainly not more than one out of every five. How many remain until they have passed once in the sixth class, and thus qualify for instruction inside of ordinary school hours, provided none of the other subjects of our cram results’ system is neglected? A smaller percentage still. But is this the fault of the teachers? No; it is the fault of the system under which he teaches. The system is an English system, not an Irish system. Either the Irish language should be preserved, or it should not. If [ 9 ]it should not, then it has made sufficient progress; but if it should—and all unprejudiced persons must agree that it should—then let it be preserved. Whether we be successful or not, one thing is certain, and it is, that the National Teachers will do their utmost to insure its success.” (Loud applause.)
Another cheering fact is the number of teachers in all parts of the country that are studying the Irish lessons in the Weekly Freeman. We would ask all those to work up local public opinion through the local papers, and through any persons of influence whom they may meet.
A Congress will be held in the Mansion House, Dublin, of those who are interested in the preservation of Irish as a spoken language, and who (knowing that all other efforts are futile as long as Irish is practically excluded from the schools) are anxious to see the teachers in the Training Schools afforded an opportunity of learning Irish. The Annual Meeting of the National Teachers of Ireland will also deal with the subject.
The fourth volume published by the Irish Literary Society is a collection of the addresses of Sir Gavan Duffy, Dr. Sigerson, and Dr. Douglas Hyde, on Irish literature and kindred subjects. The volume is the most interesting yet published. Dr. Hyde is engaged on a sketch of the history of Irish literature, to be published as a volume in the same series.
The Irish Echo of February contains some of the poems of Donnċad mór O’Dálaiġ, Abbot of Boyle, and a reprint of the first pages of Coney’s Irish Dictionary. It also has a photograph and some articles by the late Father Keegan. The Gaodhal of the same month prints the continuation of a fine Gaelic letter, which we would wish to see translated, with notes. We are glad to see that the Gaodhal is doing well financially. The Irish American has always its large Gaelic column. We have also received the Providence Visitor, and the Irish Republic, with sympathetic articles.
In Scotland, the Celtic Monthly (threepence) is improving with every issue. The Oban Times and Inverness Chronicle gave encouraging notices of our last number. Mac Talla is still the best of the Gaelic papers.
Mr. David Comyn’s papers on Irish Illustrations to Shakespeare, which attracted so much attention as they appeared in the Weekly Freeman, are now collected in pamphlet form—price sixpence. Mr. Comyn, as our readers know, was the first editor of the Gaelic Journal.