Douglas Hyde Papers : Memoir and Postcards

Páipéir Dhúbhglais de hÍde : Cuimhní Cinn agus Cártaí poist

Date

1893/1938

Genre

memoir Postcards

Extent

94 items

Type of resource

text still image

Repository

National Folklore Collection UCD

Repository reference

c0130

Language

English ; Irish

Biographical/historical information

Douglas Hyde (An Craoibhín Aoibhinn), President of the Gaelic League (1893-1915), Professor of Modern Irish, UCD (1909-1932), President of Ireland (1938-1945): Douglas Hyde was born in Castlerea, County Roscommon on 17 January 1860, where his mother, Elizabeth Oldfield was on a short visit. His father, Arthur Hyde, was Church of Ireland rector in Kilmactranny, County Sligo, until 1867, when he was appointed rector of Tibohine near Frenchpark (Dungar), Co. Roscommon. Hyde was schooled at home, and came to know the older neighbours, some of whom were Irish-speaking. He became particularly friendly with Seamus Hart, Lord French's gamekeeper, John Lavin and Mrs William Connolly, all of whom taught him Irish.

Hyde started keeping a diary in Irish in 1874 when he was fourteen and continued to do so until 1912. A visit to a meeting of the Society for the Preservation of the Irish Language in Dublin in 1877 and acquaintance with Thomas O'Neill Russell prompted him to think of the language in a national context. Already publishing his own poems in Irish in newspapers such as 'The Irishman and The Shamrock', which circulated in Ireland and America, under the pseudonym 'An Craoibhín Aoibhinn' ('The Pleasant Little Branch'), he had a distinguished career as a student at Trinity College Dublin in the 1880s. However, he decided against becoming a Church of Ireland minister like his father. He spent a year as a professor of Modern Languages in the University of New Brunswick 1890-91.

Hyde delivered his celebrated lecture 'The Necessity for De-Anglicising Ireland' to the National Literary Society in Dublin in 1892. In this he argued that the Irish should be true to their own language, literature and culture, rather than copy English values and fashions. This lecture was one of the catalysts which led to Eoin MacNeill and Hyde founding the Gaelic League in Dublin in July 1893. In the same year Hyde also published his ground-breaking 'Abhráin Grádh Chúige Connacht' or 'Love Songs of Connacht' and married an Englishwoman Lucy Cometina Kurtz. They had two daughters Nuala and Úna.

The Gaelic League pursued a vigorous programme of cultural activism and public agitation, especially in the area of education where Hyde spectacularly faced down the Trinity Professors Mahaffy and Atkinson at public hearings in 1899, thus ensuring a continuing role for Irish in intermediate education. The League was also successful in having a bilingual programme of instruction introduced into national schools in Irish-speaking districts in the early 1900s. At the turn of the century Hyde also forged alliances with Lady Gregory, W. B. Yeats and Edward Martyn, the leading lights of the Anglo-Irish literary revival. The Gaelic League also made common cause with Horace Plunkett's agricultural reform programme and spear-headed efforts to promote domestic Irish industries, e.g. by organizing the annual language cum industrial processions in Dublin. Specific language campaigns centred on agitation to ensure that the Post Office would deliver parcels addressed in Irish and that the authorities would acknowledge the right for names on carts to be in Irish.

One of the highpoints of Hyde's career as President of the Gaelic League was his extremely successful fundraising tour of the United States in 1905-06, when he spoke in some fifty cities and twelve leading universities, and collected $64,000. This tour was organised by John Quinn, a prominent Irish-American lawyer, who was attracted by the non-political and non-clerical nature of the language movement. Tomás Bán Ua Concheanainn, the League's chief organizer, who had spent many years in America, acted as Hyde's advance agent. The money collected in America was largely used to finance the League's successful campaign to have Irish recognised as an essential requirement for matriculation in the new National University of Ireland (1909). This achievement was heralded as a major success in John Devoy's 'Gaelic American', and is often regarded as the Gaelic League's greatest achievement and the climax of its activism.

With upwards of 800 branches, the League was at its highest point about 1908. However, Hyde became increasingly uncomfortable at the growing politicisation of the movement and resigned the presidency at the 1915 Ard-Fheis in Dundalk. He subsequently concentrated on his work in University College Dublin, where he had been appointed Professor of Modern Irish in 1909. He edited 'Lia Fáil', an academic journal on the Irish language for the National University of Ireland, 1925-32. Hyde became President of Ireland, 1938-45, under the 1937 Constitution. He died on 12 July 1949.

Liam de Róiste (1882-1959): Liam de Róiste joined the Cork branch of the Gaelic League in 1899, becoming an active member. He served as Secretary of Coláiste na Mhumhan, the Irish College in Béal Átha an Ghaorthaidh (Ballingeary), Co. Cork, from 1904 to 1936. He was elected an M.P. for Sinn Féin in 1918 and subsequently a T.D. in Dáil Éireann until 1923.

Beathaisnéis/stair

Dúbhglas de hÍde (An Craoibhín Aoibhinn), Uachtarán Chonradh na Gaeilge (1893-1915), Ollamh le Nua-Ghaeilge, UCD (1909-1932), Uachtarán na hÉireann (1938-1945): Saolaíodh Dúbhglas de hÍde sa Chaisleán Riabhach, Co. Ros Comáin ar 17 Eanáir 1860, fad is a bhí a mháthair Elizabeth Oldfield ar cuairt ghairid ann. Bhí a athair, Arthur Hyde, ina reachtaire eaglasta de chuid Eaglais na hÉireann i gCill Mhic Treana go dtí 1867 nuair a ceapadh é ina reachtaire ar Thigh Baoithín, lámh le Dún Gar, Co. Ros Comáin. Fuair de hÍde oiliúint sa bhaile, áit ar chuir sé aithne ar na comharsana aosta, ar chainteoirí dúchais cuid acu. Bhí sé an-mhór le Seamus Hart, maor seilge an Tiarna French, le John Lavin agus le Mrs William Connolly a mhúin Gaeilge dó.

Sa bhliain 1874 chrom de hÍde ar dhialann a scríobh i nGaeilge agus lean sé den nós seo go dtí 1912. Thug sé cuairt ar an Society for the Preservation of the Irish Language i mBaile Átha Cliath in 1877, áit ar chas sé le Tomás Ó Néill Ruiseál. Tuigeadh dó ansin go raibh comhthéacs náisiúnta ag ceist na teanga. Bhain sé gradam amach mar mhac léinn i gColáiste na Tríonóide sna 1880idí. Bhí a chuid dánta Gaeilge á bhfoilsiú aige cheana féin i nuachtáin ar nós 'The Irishman agus The Shamrock' a bhí ar fáil in Éirinn agus i Meiriceá, faoin ainm cleite 'An Craoibhín Aoibhinn'. Shocraigh sé gan dul le slí bheatha a athar in Eaglais na hÉireann, áfach, agus chaith tréimhse ina ollamh le Nua-Theangacha in Ollscoil New Brunswick, 1890-91.

Thug sé uaidh an léacht iomráiteach 'The Necessity for De-Anglicising Ireland' don National Literary Society i mBaile Átha Cliath sa bhliain 1892. D’áitigh sé ann gur cheart do na hÉireannaigh bheith dílis dá dteanga, dá litríocht agus dá gcultúr dúchais, in áit aithris a dhéanamh ar luachanna agus ar fhaisin Shasana. Thug an léacht seo spreagadh dó féin agus d’Eoin Mac Néill Conradh na Gaeilge a bhunú in 1893. An bhliain chéanna d’fhoilsigh de hÍde an saothar ceannródaíoch 'Abhráin Grádh Chúige Connacht' or 'Love Songs of Connacht' agus phós sé Lucy Cometina Kurtz ó Shasana. Bhí beirt clainne acu, Nuala agus Úna.

Thug Conradh na Gaeilge faoi ghníomhaíochas tréan cultúrtha agus faoi chorraíl phoiblí, go háirithe i leith cúrsaí oideachais, áit a bhfuair de hÍde an lámh in uachtar ar Mahaffy agus Atkinson, Ollúna i gColáiste na Tríonóide, ag díospóireachtaí poiblí sa bhliain 1899. De thoradh a chuid iarrachtaí, dearbhaíodh stádas na Gaeilge san oideachas idirmheánach. D’éirigh leis an gConradh teagasc dátheangach a thabhairt isteach i scoileanna náisiúnta na Gaeltachta go luath san fhichiú haois chomh maith. Taca an ama seo chuaigh de hÍde i bpáirt le Lady Gregory, W. B. Yeats agus Edward Martyn, ceannródaithe athbheochan na litríochta Angla-Éireannaí. Thug Conradh na Gaeilge tacaíocht do ghluaiseacht athchóiriú talmhaíochta Horace Plunkett chomh maith, agus bhí an Conradh chun tosaigh maidir le forbairt tionscail dhúchasaigh, mar shampla, lena mhórshiúl bliantúil teanga agus tionsclaíochta i mBaile Átha Cliath. Bhí feachtais áirithe teanga dírithe ar agóidí ar nós brú a chur ar Oifig an Phoist glacadh le pacáistí agus seoladh Gaeilge orthu, agus cearta a bhaint amach chun ainm Gaeilge a fhógairt ar charranna.

Ar na gníomhaíochtaí móra a chuir sé i gcrích mar Uachtarán ar Chonradh na Gaeilge tá an turas a thug sé go Meiriceá i 1905-06 ag tiomsú airgid don Chonradh. Thug sé léacht i gcaoga éigin cathair agus i ndosaen príomh-ollscoileanna, agus bhailigh sé $64,000. Ba é John Quinn, dlíodóir mór le rá de bhunadh na hÉireann, a d’eagraigh an turas, toisc gur thaitin sé leis go raibh gluaiseacht na Gaeilge saor ó pholaitíocht agus ó reiligiún. Réitigh Tomás Bán Ua Concheanainn, Ard-Timire an Chonartha, fear a chaith blianta fada i Meiriceá, an bealach do de hÍde mar fhear ceannródaíochta. Chuaigh formhór an airgid a bailíodh i Meiriceá i dtreo fheachtas rathúil an Chonartha chun go mbeadh an Ghaeilge riachtanach do scrúdú máithreánach Ollscoil na hÉireann nuabhunaithe (1909). Dar le 'Gaelic American' John Devoy, ba ghaisce mór é an feachtas seo. Tá go leor daoine den tuairim gurbh é seo buaicphointe ghníomhaíochas an Chonartha.

Bhí os cionn 800 craobh ag an gConradh agus é i mbarr a réime tuairim na bliana 1908. Ina ainneoin sin bhí de hÍde ag éirí buartha faoin tslí a raibh an ghluaiseacht á polaitiú, agus d'éirigh sé as an uachtaránacht ag Ard-Fheis an Chonartha i nDún Dealgan i 1915. Dhírigh sé ansin ar a chuid cúraimí sa Choláiste Ollscoile, Baile Átha Cliath, áit ar ceapadh é ina Ollamh le Nua-Ghaeilge sa bhliain 1909. Chuir sé eagar ar 'Lia Fáil', iris acadúil ag plé le Gaeilge, a d’fhoilsigh Ollscoil na hÉireann ó 1925 go 1932. Ceapadh de hÍde ina Uachtarán ar Éireann, 1938-45, faoi Bhunreacht 1937. D'éag sé ar 12 Iúil 1949.

Liam de Róiste (1882-1959): Chuaigh Liam de Róiste isteach i gcraobh Chorcaí de Chonradh na Gaeilge sa bhliain 1899, áit a raibh sé gníomhach. Bhí sé ina rúnaí ar Choláiste na Mumhan, Béal Átha an Ghaorthaidh ó 1904 go dtí 1936. Toghadh é ina Theachta Parlaiminte do Shinn Féin i 1918 agus ina dhiaidh sin ina Theachta Dála i nDáil Éireann go dtí 1923.

Scope and content

The manuscript of the memoir is in four parts. It was composed by Douglas Hyde in 1918 and 1919, mainly while he was ill and confined to bed. The memoir forms the greater part of file 4 in box 2 of three boxes of material relating to Douglas Hyde held in the National Folklore Collection. Other items in the Collection include manuscripts of folklore collected by Hyde himself, handwritten and typescript copies of articles and portions of books written by him, letters sent to him, offprints, proofs, newspaper cuttings and pamphlets. As regards date, the material covers the period from 1878 to 1949.

The three boxes of material are believed to have been retrieved for safe-keeping at the request of local officials of Conradh na Gaeilge (The Gaelic League), by Seán Ó Súilleabháin, Archivist, Coimisiún Béaloideasa Éireann, from Ratra House, Hyde's residence near Frenchpark, Co. Roscommon in 1954. Ratra House was then in the care of Conradh na Gaeilge, but rapidly falling into disrepair at the time. The memoir is hand-written in pencil and is in four parts. It extends to 93 pages.

A collection of illustrated postcards together with a few other items of correspondence and some miscellaneous items. It is in two sections: 1) Douglas Hyde: This contains some 60 items, mainly of correspondence, mostly illustrated postcards, dated mainly 1895-1938, together with a few earlier notes from the 1880s. The majority of items were sent to Hyde by scholars (incl. Carl Marstrander from Norway, Joseph Loth and Yann Goblet from France), students (e.g. Séamus Ó Caomhánaigh), Irish language activists (e.g. Neilí Ní Bhriain), colleagues (e.g. Úna Ní Fhaircheallaigh) and friends in Ireland, the UK, US and continental Europe. It also includes two illustrated postcards sent by Hyde to Mrs Ethel Chance, Birmingham, a family friend, from San Francisco in February 1906, during his fundraising tour of the United States, 1905-06. The material covers a range of cultural, linguistic and personal family matters. The postcards are written in a variety of languages including English, Irish, Scottish Gaelic, French and German.

2) Liam de Róiste: Some 30 postcards received by de Róiste from prospective students and, in a few instances, from prospective teachers. These relate to the period 1909-14, but are mainly dated 1911-12. They include enquiries relating to his work as Secretary of Coláiste na Mumhan, the Irish College in Béal Átha an Ghaorthaidh (Ballingeary), Co. Cork. Among correspondents are Máire Ní Chinnéide and Liam S. Gógan. Also included are some five items from Shán Ó Cuív written in the 'Letiriú Shímplí' or Simplified Spelling based on the Irish dialect of Muskerry, Co. Cork.

The postcards and related items were presented to the National Folklore Collection by Pádraig Ó Mathúna, pharmacist and well-known silversmith from Cashel, Co. Tipperary, who died in Dún Chaoin in the Co. Kerry Gaeltacht in January 2019.

Scóip & ábhar

Tá cuimhní cinn de hÍde roinnte i gceithre chuid, a cumadh ag tréimhsí éagsúla, 1918-19, ach go háirithe fad is a bhí sé tinn nuair ab éigean dó fanacht sa leaba. Is ionann na cuimhní cinn agus tromlach an ábhair i gcomhad 4, bosca 2, ceann de thrí bhosca ábhair de chuid de hÍde atá i dtaisce ag Cnuasach Bhéaloideas Éireann. Ar an ábhar eile atá ann tá scéalta béaloidis a bhailigh sé féin, altanna agus caibidlí leabhair leis (idir lámhscríofa agus chlóscríofa), comhfhreagras ó dhaoine éagsúla, seach-chlónna, profaí, gearrtháin nuachtáin agus paimfléid. Baineann an t-ábhar uile leis an tréimhse 1878-1949.

Is cosúil gur shábháil Seán Ó Súilleabháin, Cartlannaí Choimisiún Bhéaloideas Éireann, an t-ábhar seo ó Theach Ráth an tSratha, teach cónaithe de hÍde i nDún Gar ar iarratas ó bhaill áitiúla Chonradh na Gaeilge sa bhliain 1954. Bhí Teach Ráth an tSratha faoi chúram an Chonartha ag an am, ach bhí drochbhail ag teacht air. Tá na cuimhní cinn scríofa i bpeann luaidhe, i gceithre chuid. Nócha a trí (93) leathanach atá ann san iomlán.

Bailiúchán cártaí poist pictiúr maille le roinnt comhfhreagrais agus míreanna éagsúla. Tá sé in dhá chuid: 1) Dúbhglas de hÍde: Beagnach 60 mír, comhfhreagras den chuid is mó, cártaí poist pictiúr a bhformhór, a bhaineann leis an tréimhse 1895-1938, maille le roinnt nótaí ó na 1880idí. Tháinig an chuid is mó den ábhar chuig de hÍde ó scoláirí (ina measc Carl Marstrander ón Ioruaidh, Joseph Loth agus Yann Goblet na Fraince), mic léinn (m.sh. Séamus Ó Caomhánaigh), lucht athbheochan na Gaeilge (m.sh. Neilí Ní Bhriain), comhghleacaithe (m.sh. Úna Ní Fhaircheallaigh), agus cairde in Éirinn, sa Bhreatain, sna Stáit Aontaithe agus ar an Mór-Roinn. Tá dhá chárta poist pictiúr ann a sheol sé chuig Ethel Chance, Birmingham, cara le muintir de hÍde, ó San Francisco i mí Feabhra 1906 agus é i mbun airgead a thiomsú i Meiriceá do Chonradh na Gaeilge sna blianta 1905-06. Cuimsíonn an t-ábhar réimse nithe cultúrtha is teangeolaíocha chomh maith le cúrsaí clainne. Tá na cártaí scríofa i dteangacha éagsúla – Béarla, Gaeilge, Gàidhlig, Fraincis agus Gearmáinis sna áireamh.

2) Liam de Róiste: c. 30 cárta poist a fuair de Róiste ó mhic léinn ag iarraidh freastal ar an gColáiste, maille le dornán cártaí ó mhúinteoirí ag iarraidh poist. Baineann na cártaí leis an tréimhse 1909-14, agus a bhformhór díobh siúd leis na blianta 1911-12. A chúraimí mar rúnaí ar Choláiste na Mumhan, an coláiste Gaeilge i mBéal Átha an Ghaorthaidh, Co. Chorcaí, atá faoi chaibidil i gcuid díobh. I measc údair na gcártaí tá Máire Ní Chinnéide agus Liam S. Gógan. Chomh maith leis na cártaí tá cúig mhír ó Shán Ó Cuív scríofa sa 'Letiriú Shímplí', litriú simplithe a bunaíodh ar chanúint Ghaeilge Mhúscraí, Co. Chorcaí.

Is é Pádraig Ó Mathúna, poitigéir agus saor airgid cáiliúil ó Chaiseal, Co. Thiobraid Árann, a fuair bás i nGaeltacht Dhún Chaoin, Co. Chiarraí in Eanáir na bliana 2019, a bhronn na cártaí agus na míreanna eile ar Chnuasach Bhéaloideas Éireann.

Subjects

Irish language

Hyde, Douglas, 1860-1949

Gaelic League (Ireland)

Hyde, Douglas, 1860-1949–Correspondence

De Róiste, Liam, 1882-1959–Correspondence

Coláiste na Mumhan (Ballingeary, Ireland)

Suggested credit

"Douglas Hyde Papers," held by National Folklore Collection UCD. Digital content by University College Dublin, published by UCD Library, University College Dublin <https://doi.org/10.7925/drs1.ucdlib_266000>

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Related item

UCD Archives. Papers of Douglas Hyde. Dublin, Ireland : UCD Archives (1860–1949)

Related item

National Library of Ireland. Douglas Hyde Papers. Dublin, Ireland : National Library of Ireland (1842-1939)

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Record source

Descriptions created by staff of UCD Library, University College Dublin, based on information provided by the National Folklore Collection. Additional contextual information provided by Liam Mac Mathúna. Initial EAD derived from MODS record.31 January 2017

Finding aid author

Dillon, Jonny. Lyons, Fiona

1. Memoir = Cuimhní cinn

2. Postcards = Cártaí poist

1.   Memoir = Cuimhní cinn

2.   Postcards = Cártaí poist