The Great Famine occurred in Ireland between 1845 and 1850.
What were the consequences of this famine?
One important consequence of the Famine was the decrease in the population of Ireland. It went from 8 million to 4 million people. Over 1 million died and 2 million emigrated to other countries to escape the hunger and poverty.
The Famine led to the number of people who spoke Irish. People who planned to emigrate felt it was more important to speak English rather than Irish if they wanted to find work in England, USA or Australia. Those who wished to work in Ireland and work for the government needed to be able to speak English.
What subjects do you think children learned in schools?
Children were not allowed learn Irish or History in schools. As a result children had to depend on their parents to teach them Irish. The Irish language and traditional customs became associated with the poorer people of Ireland- people who could not afford to emigrate or who did not have the education to work for the government.
People such as Michael Cusack, Maurice Davin and Dr Douglas Hyde began to take an interest in everything Irish. They were determined to make people proud of their culture, their language, games, pastimes, music, dance, writing and storytelling. They wanted to start a Gaelic Revival.
The GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association)
Michael Cusack from Co. Clare decided to set up a new organisation to encourage people to become involved in athletics and play hurling, Gaelic footbal, rounders and handball. Cusack was a teacher in Dublin at the time and he was amazed at how few children had any interest in their native games.
Cusack contacted Maurice Davin one of Irelands greatest athletes at the time. He had just retired from athletics and he and his brother Pat held records for the long jump, high jump, hammer throwing and shot putt. Cusack and Davin arranged a meeting where people could discuss a strategy to encourage Irish atletic culture. On the 1st of November 1884 a meeting took place in Hayes Hotel in Thurles, Co. Tipperary. At that meeting the GAA was established.
By 1886 clubs had been set up in almost every parish in Ireland. Competitions between clubs were organised and inter county competitions were introduced.
The Gaelic League
In 1893, 9 years after the GAA was established, the Gaelic League was established. Douglas Hyde, Eoin MacNeill and 5 other men met in Dublin . They all had a love for the Irish language and had a common wish to prevent it from becoming extinct.. Douglas Hyde was elected the 1st president of the Gaelic League.
The Gaelic League started by encouraging people to speak Irish even if they only had a few words. The Gaelic League set up branches throughout the country. Many were embarrassed to speak it as they had not been taught it in school. By 1897, 4 years after the organisation was set up ony 36 branches of the organisation existed throughout the country.
The Gaelic League set up classes in Irish and published books and this proved to be a popular idea.
The Gaelic League also organised classes in Irish dancing, playing the pipes, playing the fiddle and playing poetry
