One who has a knowledge of Irish can easily get evidence of its quickening power on the Irish mind.
Travel in an Irish-speaking district and hail one of its old people in English, and you get in response a dull "Good-day, Sir." Salute him in Irish and you touch a secret spring.

The dull eyes light up, the face is all animation, the body alert, and for a dull "good-day," you get warm benedictions, lively sallies, and after you, as you pass on your road, a flood of rich and racy Irish comes pouring down the wind.

That is the secret power of the language.

It makes the old men proud of their youth and gives to the young quickened faculties, an awakened imagination and a world to conquer.

This is no exaggeration.