Partly Personal

Readers of AN CLAIDHEAMH SOLUIS are, perhaps, entitled to some explanation of recent events connected with the editorship of their paper. Three months ago the Editor of AN CLAIDHEAMH [ed: Pádraig Pearse] decided, in conjunction with some friends, to carry into execution a plan which he had long been maturing in his mind — the establishment of a bilingual Secondary School for boys in Dublin.

In order to leave himself free to pioneer the scheme and undertake the Head Mastership of the new institution, he sent in his resignation of the editorship of AN CLAIDHEAMH. The Coiste Gnotha very generously invited him to reconsider this resignation. He replied to the effect that, loath as he was to leave the service of the League, he did not see that he could possibly do the work of the two posts together, and that he had determined to devote the next few years of his life to the task of pioneering St. Enda's School.

Matters stood thus when the Ard-Fheis met and the old Coiste Gnotha went out of office. At the first meeting of the new Coiste, a resolution was adopted, based on a suggestion made by the President of the League in a letter addressed to the old Coiste, requesting the Editor to retain the responsible direction of AN CLAIDHEAMH but authorising him to secure such additional editorial assistance as would leave him free to give adequate attention to the affairs of Sgoil Eanna. To this suggestion the Editor has assented, as a temporary arrangement : the whole matter to come under review in six months' time.

Since his original letter of resignation, the time and attention of the Editor of AN CLAIDHEAMH have been entirely absorbed by his work in connection with Sgoil Eanna. The direction of AN CLAIDHEAMH has been in the hands of Seaghan MachEinrigh, for whose self-sacrifice in coming up to Dublin to undertake, almost without notice, a task so difficult and so thankless, the whole organisation should he grateful. With the present issue the Editor of AN CLAIDHEAMH resumes responsible control of the paper, Seaghan Mac hEinrigh remaining on for the present as his assistant.

Meantime Sgoil Eanna is an accomplished fact. In Cullenswood House, at the present moment, just seventy young Gaels are being educated on Irish lines. Of these, forty are boys between the ages of nine and sixteen and are pupils of Sgoil Eanna proper. The remaining thirty or so are girls and little boys who are attending the Preparatory School that has been established in connection with St. Enda's. All these children are being taught Irish on the Direct Method ; all, except the very youngest, are also being taught English, French. and Latin, in each case (even, to a certain extent, with regard to Latin) on the Direct Method.

Greek is being taught in the senior division, and classes in German and Spanish will shortly be inaugurated. Apart from languages, all the subjects on the school curriculum—including Christian Doctrine, History, Geography, Nature-study, Physical Science, Mathematics, Handwriting, Book-keeping, Shorthand, Typewriting, Drawing, Music, Singing, Dancing, and Physical Drill — are being taught bilingually. The working staff of Sgoil Eanna proper now consists of three Resident Masters (Padraic Mac Piarais, Tomas Mac Donnchadha, and Tomas Mac Domhnaill), and six visiting Professors, — in addition there are of course, the Extern Lecturers; while in the Preparatory School there are two mistresses and one visiting Professor.  

The founders of the School may well congratulate themselves on so auspicious a start. Sanguine as we were, we must frankly confess that we never ventured even to dream that we should, within four weeks of our opening, have seventy—or even half seventy—young Gaels gathered together under our charge. Even more encouraging than the number of the pupils is their intellectual quality. More than half of the boys in the School are the sons or near relatives of men and women whose names are household words in Irish Ireland, men and women whose work in literature, art, politics, education, organisation is today building up the fabric of an Irish nation.

There are three sons and a nephew of Eoin Mac Neill's ; a son of Stiophan Mac Fhinn's ; two sons of Peadar Mac Fhionnlaoich's ; a son of Domhnall O Fearachair's (of Dun Gharbhain), a son of Domhnall O Buachalla's (of Magh Nuadhat) ; a son of An Dr. Seaghan O Tuathaigh's ; a son of An Dr. Conn Mac Murchadha's ; a son of Uilliam O Riain's of the Peasant ; a son of Buifin's (" Che Buono ") of the Southern Cross ; and (in the Preparatory School) a little daughter of Daithi O Modhrain's of the Leader.

Amongst other well-known Gaels who have young relatives in the School are Una Ni Fhaircheallaigh, Make Ni Aodain, Stiophan Bairead, and Padraic Mac Coluim.

It is obvious that such children and lads as these are splendid material in the hands of a sympathetic teacher, and that to work with and for them is a perennial delight. The Gaedhealtacht, by the way, is well represented amongst the resident pupils : in particular there are five lads from Connemara and three from the Deise, Donegal, Galway, and Deise Irish predominate in the dining-hall and play-room. Of the boarders two-thirds are Irish speakers, and it is rarely necessary for a master to use a word of English in giving directions.

An interesting point is that, during the four weeks we have been at work, there have been practically speaking, no absentees—a full muster roll every day ; and some of our day-pupils come from places as far from Cullenswood as Celbridge and Lucan. All this, however, savours too much of advertisement. AN CLAIDHEAMH must remain the organ of the Gaelic League,— tempting as it might be to us personally to make it the organ of Sgoil Eanna. Readers who desire to know more of what we are doing and planning must come to see us. Beidh failte 'gus fiche rompa!