Summary: Language Revival
Key dates:
In the 1890s a group of educated men came together to form a new organisation aimed at promoting the Irish language. The two leaders were Douglas Hyde who grew up in Co. Roscommon and Eoin MacNeill who came from the Glens of Antrim. These men were afraid that the language would disappear altogether and they founded the Gaelic League in 1893 to encourage people to learn Irish. The League ran language classes which attracted young men and women who had some education and were looking for something to fill their evenings. Weekend trips to the west of Ireland provided direct contact with native Irish speakers and were popular with those who could afford the expense.
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