Blair Collection > Deo-gréine

An deo-ghreine.
got from the publisher, Mr. Eneas Mackay,
43 Murray Place, Stirling, at the prices of
6d. each copy in paper covers, and Is. in
boards.
This is not, however, the Comunn's only
venture in the publication of books. In the
early years of its life, it resolved to publish a
primer for school children, with a view to
encourage the reading of Gaelic. The manu-
script for such a book was prepared and
submitted; but, on the advice of certain
school inspectors, who were attached to the
Comunn, the proposal was abandoned in
favour of another put forward by them. This
was the publication of a book dealing with
Gaelic as a specific subject for use in schools.
Gaelic taught on the lines of such a book
would earn grants; the teaching of Gaelic
reading would not, according to the code, at
the time. The grammar was prepared, ac-
cepted and published. It treated Gaelic on
Gaelic principles, and the scholastic profession
not being sufficiently advanced for that, gave
it an indifferent reception. Ten years later,
thr primer was published by the aid of Ceilidh
nan Gaidheal, Glasgow, and is doing good
service now in the way in which it was in-
tended to do it ten years previously. An
immediate increase in the number of readers
of Gaelic is of more advantage than an im-
mediate increase in the number of those who
have a grammatical knowledge of the
language. That was quite as true ten years
ago as it is now ; and it is to be regretted
that the Comunn acted on counsel which ig-
nored that axiom.
Considering the lack of active interest in
Gaelic affairs at the time of the inception of
the Comunn, and contrasting it with that
existing at the present clay, there, is some
reason for congratulation. But, when this
development is contrasted with that of the
same, movement in Erin, which is being
guided in its course by the Gaelic League, it
sinks into insignificance. Nine years ago —
five years later than the institution of An
Comunn Gaidhealach — Gaelic affairs in Erin
were at a very low ebb. A few faithful
plodders kept alive a spark of the fire which
was once — in the centuries past — a bright
and shining light. The "Gaelic Journal"
was that spark. It had reached an al-
most hopeless stage when the late Father
O'Growney became its editor. From that
epoch, owing to a combination of circum-
stances of which Father O'Grovvney's editor-
ship was one, the tide turned towards progress,
until at the present time, Connradh na Gaedh-
ilge — the Gaelic League — is a power, not
only at home but wherever the sons and
daughters of Erin are numerous, which is
doing a good deal to raise the character and
condition of the people.
The cause of Gaelic success in Erin is not
far to seek. Prior to the advent of the Gaelic
League, there was no thousand-and-one
Societies working at cross purposes, to which
Gaelic men were tied by sentimental associa-
tions of a paltry kind such as those which are
prevalent in Alban. When, therefore, the
Gaelic League stepped forward to raise the
Gaelic banner, there were no other Societies
with banners of their own offering counter-
attractions. Another source of strength to the
Gaelic cause in Erin, is that the Gaelic
tradition is of more volume there, in its
original home, than in Alban. The old
literature is practically all in Erin. Numeri-
cally, the Gaelic-speakers of Erin are as three
to one compared with those of Alban. More-
over, the cause is supported with zeal by those
who have gone from Erin to other lands,
whereas most of those who leave Alban take
little practical interest in the language move-
ment at home.
The Gaelic movement in Erin — and this is
perhaps the immediate cause of its success —
has been fortunate in its captains and com-
manders. The president is a fighter, aims
straight and hits hard. He is surrounded by
others not a whit behind him in knowing
what they want and adopting means to get it.
The supplies are ample. The subordinate
officers are well paid and proportionately
zealous. The army is thus able to take the
offensive. The objective is well defined, and
the merest camp-follower is aware of it. On
the other hand, the Comunn Gaidhealach is
fighting a soldiers' battle with sergeants as
commanders; the supplies are meagre, and
the objective is but hazily defined lest, by too
clear a revelation, the utilitarian spirit may
be shocked and estranged. But to everybody
with insight into the movement, it is plain
that the objectives of both movements are the
same, the rehabilitation of the Gaelic language
in the respect of those whose race language
it is.
A great drawback to the work of the
Comunn Gaidhealach is that its friends are
more disposed to be critical than practical.
Some of these speak and write as if the move-
ment were an automaton. You have simply
to turn a handle and off it goes — or rather the
Comunn has only to turn the handle. They —
the critics — when did they offer to turn the
handle ? Others of its friends put forward
suggestions which are analogous to asking a
smack's crew to sink a line-of-battle ship with
pea -shooters. The course which they lay
down for themselves in the transaction is to
look on and be ready to crv, " Silly Geese " if