EFFECTS OF THE GAELIC LEAGUE

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EFFECTS OF THE GAELIC LEAGUE

There has been discussion and problems in Ireland over the Irish language, culture, and Ireland’s economic development. Language and culture are among the most important elements of Irish heritage. One contribution that helped solve some of those problems was The Gaelic League. The Gaelic League had many effects in Ireland including reviving the Irish language, improving schools, making the social life of Ireland better and having less discrimination among other countries.

The Gaelic League was a grassroots movement that has played a central part in Ireland’s national building. The League was founded by political leader and Irish scholar, Douglas Hyde and Eoin MacNeill in 1893 around the time of the rise of Christian Europe after the fall of Rome. (Hutchinson 491). With the Great Potato famine hitting the Irish-speaking areas badly and the Irish language being seen as a backwards language, Hyde wanted to revive the declining Irish language. "It is contended that English literature and habits of thought are debased and debasing, whilst the Irish language and literature are superior and elevating. These arguments have always appeared to me rather faulty" (Moran 3). The League’s hopes were demoralizing English culture and to recreate their Irish language and literature civilization.

One of the most important effects of The Gaelic League was the improved education and renovation of the Irish national school system. Before the League, the youth in the Irish educated society was geared toward English cultural and political standards and held the Gaelic heritage in contempt. There was a lot of pressure from the Gaelic League on the National Board of Education, which was largely responsible for the ...

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