duty. No doubt, this is but a sample of many simila cases. In Cork, Dr. Hyde expressed himself delighted beyond measure with the work of the Gaelic League. Father O’Leary, P.P., of Castlelyons, who visited Cork at the same time, was also much struck by the excellent work that is going on there.
It was with the greatest pleasure that we learned just before going to press last month, that in future an Irish column is to appear every week in the Donegal Vindicator. Donegal has produced some of the best men in the Irish language movement, and the census figures show that the language is holding its own more stoutly there than in any other part of Ireland. Nevertheless, there has been a dearth of educational knowledge of Irish in the county hitherto, as compared with some other districts. The piece of news alluded to above, and the increase in the number of National Teachers who teach Irish, show that Tyrconnell is not going to be behindhand in the final and most hopeful effort yet made so save the language of our forefathers. It is to be hoped that the example of the Vindicator will be followed by many other provincial weeklies.
Mr. Michael Timoney, National Teacher, Garrafrauns, Dunmore, Tuam, is one of the score or so of teachers who secured certificates in Irish last year. He has now a class of thirty pupils in Irish. Mr. Timoney writes a splendid Gaelic hand. The National Teachers who aid in preserving and cultivating the National language deserve not to be forgotten, and the Gaelic Journal will gladly receive and place on record the particulars of their work.
It is proposed to compile a new English-Irish Dictionary for practical use. Materials once collected, there will be no difficulty in getting the work published. The collection of materials will require the co-operation of a number of heads and hands. It is intended that this dictionary should be chiefly based on the actual usage of to-day. Those familiar with the Irish of various districts are invited to come forward and aid in completing this national work. The work will be divided into sections, and each section submitted in turn to authorities on present-day Irish in different parts of the country. The English vocabulary to be translated will be supplied to each person, so that the actual labour of compilation will be extremely simple. It is not intended to give specially coined terms not perfectly intelligible to the ordinary speaker of Irish; nor will fanciful terms be given, such as “Bicycle, gearrán iarainn;” “Telegraph, sgeul i mbarr bata”—terms which are rather nicknames than correct equivalents. It is probable that technical words which have no Gaelic equivalent would be either omitted or simply transliterated into Gaelic orthography.
Those who are willing to give any assistance in this work should kindly send their names to the Editor, G. J., or to Dr. Douglas Hyde, Ratra, Frenchpark, Co. Roscommon. If sufficient offers of help are forthcoming, definite regulations for carrying out the work will be drawn up and published in the Gaelic Journal.
The Very Rev. Dr. Shahan, of the Catholic University, Washington, has addressed a strikingly able and eloquent letter to the Ancient Order of Hibernians, showing with original power and with great cogency the claims of the Gaelic tongue on every person of Gaelic descent. We very much regret that, with the limited space at our disposal, we cannot now reproduce for our readers this important document.
Father O’Growney in America.
Father O’Growney has received a real Irish welcome in America. The first to grasp his hand at the landing-place was Rev. Martin L. Murphy, who came from Springfield, Ohio, a journey of nearly 1,000 miles, to meet him. Mr. M. J. Henehan, on behalf of the flourishing Irish Language Society of Providence, R.I.; Hon. Denis Burns and Captain Thomas D. Norris, from the New York Philoceltic Society, and Messrs. Henry Magee and Patrick Reynolds, of the New York Gaelic Society, attended to welcome the visitor, and escorted him to the Metropolitan Hotel.
On the Saturday following, the Gaelic Society gave a reception to Father O’Growney at the Broadway Central Hotel. Chief Justice Daly presided, and later in the evening the chair was taken by Mr. E. T. McCrystal, President of the Society. An address in Irish, printed below, was presented to the guest, who replied in Irish. Other Gaelic speeches and Gaelic songs and recitations followed. On Sunday evening, Father O’Growney was the guest of the Philoceltic Society. The Hon. Denis Burns presided, and speeches in Irish and a concert of Irish music and songs occupied the evening.
In writing home, Father O’Growney has expressed great delight at the spirit and earnestness manifested by the friends of the Gaelic tongue in America. He says that those working in the same cause at home should take increased courage from the attitude of their American fellow-workers, who are watching eagerly the progress of the movement in the old land.
DILEAGRA
CUMAINN NA GAEDHILGE I NUAIDH-EABHRAC
DO’N ATHAIR URRAMACH EOGHAN
O GRAMHNA.
A Shaoi Urramaiģ Dhílis:
Ar son ball Cumainn na Gaeḋilge de Nuaḋ-Eaḃrac, cuirimíd fáilte ⁊ míle fáilte róṁat. Tá lúṫģáir ṁór orainn go dtugaḋ an ocáid seo ḋúinn le n-ár n-áird-ṁeas ort d’ḟoillsiuġaḋ ḋuit, ⁊ le n-ár mbuiḋeaċas do ráḋ leaṫ i dtaoiḃ na hoibre duṫraċ- taiġe tíorṫaṁla atáir ag deunaṁ ar son sean-tean- gad na hÉireann. Beagán bliaḋan ó ṡoin, go deiṁin, ḃí stáid na teangaḋ sin íseal ⁊ dona go leor; aċt má sgiobaḋ í beag naċ ó ’n mbás, ⁊ má tógaḋ í ċum áite níos áirde ⁊ nios uaisle i measg ár ndaoineaḋ féin, is leat-sa aṁáin an ċuid is mó d’onóir an aṫarraiģ luaċṁair sin.
Giḋ go bfuilmid-ne ’n-ár ndíbirtiḋiḃ trí míle míle ar siuḃal ó oileán ár ndúṫċais, fós támuid ċoṁ cúramaċ ⁊ ċoṁ coiméadaċ ar gaċ níḋ a ḃaineas le cúis na tíre sin a’s tá a clann nár ḟág a tráġa riaṁ. Sgapṫa mar támuid i measg cineaḋ eile na hEorpa
