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10 Stephen Dunford: The Journey of The IrIsh
we are able to absorb the spirit of existence, ‘the Freedom Spirit,’ not in a dry, matter-of- fact way, but with insight, warmth, integrity, and the generosity of the sublime vigour that constantly animates our race, alike through the bright ages and the dark. Why is this? Well the answer is simple, the aforementioned Romans. Because, thankfully, the Romans, those merciless conquerors of France,Spain, and most of Britain, except that is for the areas around Argyll and Kintyre, for some reason left our little island largely unvisited, thereby preserving, albeit unintentionally, many of our ancient ways.
It is well documented that wherever the Romans successfully invaded, in the aftermath, practically all traces of the indigenous inhabitants disappeared, as both native civilization and native savagery alike were stridently swept aside before the conquering advance of the ruthlessly efficient military machine of Roman Government.
As a result of our never having been colonised by the Romans or “civilised” by Roman influence, as it were, and despite several later attempts at subjugation, we are able to drink from our own river of knowledge. In other words, we Irish still possess the priceless boon that is our ancient language, our literature, our history, our learning, our culture, and our time-worn esoteric practices-and we should value them as such.
In the remote past the entire northern part of the continent of Europe, including Ire- land, was covered with ice and snow. In the course of time a rise in temperature and the warm rain which accompanied this rise, melted the snow and ice, and soon afterwards veg- etation appeared. Then came man.
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