54 



zst February^ it 



Professor J. D. Everett, F.R.S., President, in the Chair. 



THE EISTEDDFOD AND THE FEIS CEOIL. 



By Edith Oldham, A.R.C.M. 



(Abstract.) 



Mr. W. B. Yeats, the distinguished Irish poet, said recently 

 in connection with a movement for the bettering of agricultural 

 conditions in Ireland, " The end of all government, the end of 

 all politics, the end of all movements, is the making of 

 character." 



The interdependence of national genius and character is a 

 subject on which might be written volumes. The building up 

 of national character is the preliminary step to any full revela- 

 tion of national genius. The means of doing this are manifold, 

 and the claim which the Feis Ceoil makes for support from the 

 enlightened people of Ireland rests on these two reasons — first, 

 the revelation of national character, and, secondly, the revela- 

 tion of national genius. 



That Ireland was great in song and music is a fact of the 

 past. That her position at present in music is not a great one 

 is a fact of the present. How far the disastrous history of 

 Ireland accounts for the decadence is a matter of opinion. We 

 can, however, say with absolute accuracy, that for many years 

 conditions have been unfavourable to the development of the 

 musical genius of Irish people. It is the ardent hope of many 

 members of the Feis Ceoil, that disabilities being removed, and 

 encouragement given to the Irish people in this direction, 



