Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 29, 1918.djvu/295

 Folklore and History in Ireland. 285

retained their significance, the reason for their use is generally known, and they are the memento of an event rather than a selected symbol for an ideal.

To some extent her geographical position and its con- sequences were doubtless the reason why Ireland, though she had a plethora of saints — with a few of more than local importance — produced no great national leaders, at least none of more than local importance. Even Lecky seems to have found no clue, at least he suggests none, to the problem why Ireland with her higher culture never de- veloped a Clovis or an Alfred. Yet she had more centuries to achieve this than France or England took in the doing. With conditions primarily more favourable she achieved less. It would seem as though the Irish were themselves cognisant of this failure, or was jealousy the only reason why they turned so often to others than those of their own blood for leadership, and offered the kingdom to an Edward Bruce, a Philip of Spain, or a Louis of France } Yet that Irishmen make unrivalled leaders the British Empire has cause to know. I yield to none in admiration of my countrymen. Where would the British Empire be to-day had we not had a WelHngton and a Roberts }

But lacking the leaven of organisation bequeathed by Imperial Rome to her conquered territories, the Irish social system was largely deficient in those elements that make for consolidation. The bond of kindred only was not sufficient to withstand the onslaughts of the Danish pirates. In Anglo-Saxon England it gave way to institu- tions making better for general unity of purpose and pro- tection. In Gaelic Ireland this was not the case, which probably explains why Ireland suffered more lasting damage at the hands of the sea rovers.^

the Irish social structure given by Joyce in his Social History of Ireland.
 * It may make my arguments clearer if I summarise briefly the account of

The country was divided into five provinces, each comprised a number of tribes subdivided into clans, and these were again divided into families. Joyce