THE CONNRADH NA GAEILGE OIREACHTAS AND ARD-FHEIS HELD IN THE TOWN HALL 1913. (05 12 13)

The Galway branch of the League was founded in February 1894 and proved to be a dynamic body in its first ten years, successfully lobbying for the erection of bilingual street names and the appointment of bilingual Poor Law Union Doctors. On February 19th, 1906 a meeting was held in the League rooms in Dominick Street to consider establishing a Coiste Conndae with Fr. Considine presiding. It was decided to establish this Coiste with two representatives from each branch in the County.

The first Oireachtas was held in 1897 and was modelled on the Eisteddfod in Wales and the Scottish Mod, soon became the cultural highlight of the year. The first occasion that it was held outside Dublin was in July 1913 when it came to Galway “A city that brings us, as no city can, into touch with the history and traditions of our native land” as Douglas Hyde described it. By this time the fervour within the League had somewhat dissipated, and the leaders sought to use the Oireachtas as a means of invigorating the revivalist campaign in the Irish speaking districts in the west.

The mass influx of moneyed Gaels to the city via a fleet of special trains provided a welcome boost to local business, who, in order to maximise the dividends of these visitors, scheduled the Galway races and the Citizen’s Bazaar to take place immediately after the Oireachtas. The city was festooned with Gaelic Streamers.

The official opening was on the 26th of July and took place in the grounds of UCG with an Aeriocht.

There was conflict within the organisation in the lead up to this Oireachtas as some members wanted to use the Irish language for political purposes. The league had attracted many nationalists, and indeed it was through the league that many future rebels and political leaders first met. Douglas Hyde and his group wanted to place the Irish Language above all other considerations, but a number of slanderous articles about him began to appear in various newspapers.

About this time, in an important speech Pádraic Pearse said “The work of the Gaelic League is finished, it was the prophet, but not the Messiah. The Messiah is yet to come”. In early July, Hyde resigned the Presidency, and this left the organisation in a state of consternation. After much coaxing, he agreed to attend the convention, and throughout the week, his presence was met with rapturous applause. At the inauguration of the Ard Fheis in the rooms of the Mercy Convent on July 29th the delegated passed a resolution to invite Hyde to retake his position, which he did, and thus defused much of the tension. But some of it was still there with the Hyde camp being led by Dr. Seán P. Mac Enri and the republican opposition captained by Pádraic Ó Máille. Colm Ó Gaora wrote “That Oireachtas was a rallying point for many of the Nationalists who later led the rebellion of Easter Week, 1916”. Seán Mac Diarmada swore Colm and others into the IRB at the Oireachtas.

Pádraic Ó Coanire was appointed co-ordinator for the various drama productions, there were outdoor public meetings in Eyre Square and Salthill with speakers like Pádraic Pearse, Eamonn Ceannt, Thomas Ashe, Prof. Tomás Ó Máille and Úna Ni Fhaircheallaigh. Cathal Brugha organised an exhibition of arts, crafts and other manufactured goods in the Temperance Hall which was off Lombard Street.

Our photograph today shows the delegates to the Oireachtas taken outside the Town Hall one hundred years ago. The numbers relate to the key. We have been able to identify the following; 3, Holger Pederson 6, Emily Weddall 7, Fr. Considine 8, Una Farrelly 10, Pádraic Ó’Conaire 11, Kate Ryan 12, Seán T. O’Kelly 13, Nell Ryan 15, Colm Ó’Gaora 18, William Gibson, Lord Ashbourne 19, Nelly Ni Bhriain 20, Douglas Hyde 21, Eoin McNeill 22, Claud Chevasse 23, James Ennis 24, Thomas Ashe [25, Seamus O'Brennan] 26, Eamonn Ceannt 27, George Nicholls 28, Peadar Ó’hAnnracháin 29, Nora Ashe? 42, Michael O’Hanrahan 43, James Carter 46, George Noble, Count Plunkett 47, Josephine Cranny, Countess Plunkett 48, Stiofán Bairead 49, Piaras Beaslai 51, Nora Ni Fhoghludha 52, Seán McDermott 53, Micheál Ó’Foghludha 55, Padraic Ó’Máille 56, AE, George Russell 57, Stiofán Mac Enna 58, Bulmer Hobson 60, Máire Ni Chinneide 61, Ada English 62, John Sweetman 64, Frank Gallagher 65, Fr. Matt Maguire 66, Mrs. Kathleen Clarke 68, Risteard Ó’Foghludha 69, Pádraig Ó’Dálaigh 70, Valentine Steinberger? 71, Seán Ó’Foghludha 76, Diarmuid Ó’Cruadhlaoich 40, Bishop Gilmartin? [89, Eamon De Valera] 94, Diarmuid Lynch 96, Fr. Michael O’Flanagan 98, Desmond Fitzgerald 102, Fionnán Lynch 104, Pádraic Pearse 105, Professor Mary Hayden 106, James Casey 107, The O’Rahilly 112, Eibhlin Ni Dhonnadháin 113, Eleanor Knott? 117, Denis McCullough 121, An t-Athair Peadar Ó Laoghaire 123, Pádraic Ó’Siochfhradha (An Seabhach) 134, Ben Parsons 135, Peadar Kearney 139, J.J. O’Kelly (Sceilg) 140, Cathal Brugha 141, Risteard Mulcahy 142, Willie Pearse 145, Seán Moylan 144, Michael Mulvihill [146, Padraic Ó Droighneáin, Moycullen] [147, Pádraic Ó'Cadhain, Moycullen] 151, Shán Ó Cuiv 153, Diarmuid Ó hEigeartaigh? [156, Richard McDonnell] [158, P.T. McGinley (Cu Uladh)] 164, Constance Markievicz [166, Miceál Ó'Droighnean]. NB - corrections and additions made after the original publishing date are indicated in parentheses: [thus].

If you can identify any further names, we would love to hear from you. Some of the unnamed delegates who attended from the west were Tomás Mac Toireadheabhuigh, Seán Seoighe O Malrae, Peadar Ó Gráinne, Sile Nic Fhloinn, Peadara Mac Brádaigh, Tomás Ó Máille, Caitlin Ni Ghabhann, Tomás Ó Conchannain. From other parts of the country came Sadhbh and Deora Trinseach (Kerry), Michael Ó Ruiseal from Liscannor, Nora Aghas from Charleville, Enri S. Ó hAnluain from Blackrock in Dublin, etc.

This photograph was discovered in a box about three years ago by the Curran family in Dublin. It had been kept there by their mother who was a daughter of Micheál Ó Foghludha, who was later to become president of the Keating Branch of the Gaelic League. They began to research the names of those involved, and in an act of true generosity, they are presenting an enlarged copy of the photograph to the Town Hall tomorrow at 3pm, where it will be on permanent display. It is a wonderful gift to the city, and all are welcome to attend. It is rare to find a photograph with so many of the political, military and cultural elite of the period, and I am sure it will become a major source of debate and discussion in the Town Hall.

Our sincere thanks to the Curran family and to Dara Folan, Jacki Ni Chionna and Deirdre Ni Chonghaile for their help in compiling this article.