Douglas Hyde’s speech, “The Necessity for De-Anglicizing the Irish Nation,” was not intended as a protest against trying to imitate the best of the English people; that would be absurd; rather, it was intended to demonstrate the folly of neglecting what is Irish and rushing to adopt everything that is English pell-mell and without consideration for the implications of the change. The final decades of the 19th century were marked by the beginning of a cultural and nationalistic renaissance in Ireland, which did not reach its full potential until the 1920s. This rebirth was supported by the translations and retellings of Irish poetry, folklore, and legends, such as S. Ferguson’s Lays of the Western Gael in 1865 and Douglas Hyde’s Love songs of Connacht in 1893. There was also a resurgence of interest in the literary tradition of Ireland’s Gaelic language at the same time as the revival. In 1899, William Butler Yeats and a number of other individuals established the Abbey Theatre. Thus, Hyde’s actions significantly influenced the Irish revival by restoring the Irish literature. This paper will analyze the connection between political nationalism in Ireland and blooming of Irish literary talent.
The Gaelic revival, which retold ancient heroic traditions in books, inspired the revolution’s nationalistic fervor. ‘History of Ireland,’ by Douglas Hyde, was one of several literary works in which the author served as an inspiration. These pieces by Douglas made it clear that society had to stop copying everything that looked good in English. He tried to make it seem like it would be a mistake to ignore what is Irish while embracing everything that is English just because it is English. The literature did not attempt to stoke a movement against emulating what the English thought was the finest. On the contrary, the literature tried to educate the public on the absurdity of ignoring what was Irish and rushing to absorb everything that was English. During this period, people in Ireland appeared to have lost their sense of self or belonging. One of Europe’s most culturally and academically advanced islands began to lose its identity.
Douglas and others developed literature materials that aimed to elicit empathy to encourage a resurrection of their culture. The country had devolved into one of the world’s least educated and least literate. There was a shift in the culture, from Irish to English. It was equated to not recognizing the Irish as a distinct nationality in the eyes of the rest of the world. It was a wake-up call for the Irish resurgence because of Douglas’s writings in 1880; Douglas became a member of the Irish language preservation society early. Because he was first motivated to study the Irish language at an early age, he now had the opportunity to impact society by being a member of the community positively. Hyde published at least one hundred pieces of Irish verse between 1879 and 1884. There was a massive following for this movement. Indicators of the society’s progressive resurrection of the Irish might be seen in this way: Hyde played a crucial role in igniting the resurgence with his contributions.
A manifesto titled ‘The Necessity for de-anglicizing the Irish nation’ was written by Hyde in 1892, when he helped start a Gaelic periodical. In his speech, Hyde called for the building up of “an Irish nation on Irish lines” (Hyde 140). It was said in the manifesto that Ireland should consider revising its literary, clothing, and linguistic heritage. Folktales and folklore made up a significant portion of a Gaelic periodical journal’s content. Since its inception, in which Douglas Hyde played a key role, the newspaper has belonged to the Gaelic League of America. During Hyde’s time as the league’s founder, he delivered an inspiring speech. While speaking, Hyde outlined his goals and hopes for preserving the Irish language, which he believes he can accomplish.
The Love Sons of Connacht (1893) and A Literary History of Ireland (1915) were two of the most influential academic publications (1899). Folklorist LeabharS geulaigheachta was released in 1989, while Beside the Fire and the love songs of Connacht were published in 1992. These pioneering works served as a model for other writers such as Gregory, Yeats, and Synge. The subsequent writers directly inspired by Hyde became quite spectacular in the battles for the Irish rebirth. These writers, combined with Hyde, helped the league achieve its primary objective of recovering the disappearing culture and traditions. According to Castle, ideas about revival similar to Hyde’s appeared in Padraig O Cıobhain’s Desiderius a Do (190). Their literary works sparked a tremendous interest in Irish studies among the general public. Furthermore, during his trip to the US, Hyde met with influential figures, such as President Theodore Roosevelt, senators, and church and university officials, and conducted public lectures to benefit the Gaelic League (Mc Mahon 6). In light of this, it is no surprise that the league was able to effectively advocate for the inclusion of Irish in secondary school curricula.
In conclusion, Douglas Hyde’s impact on the Irish revival was considerable, and it was primarily responsible for ensuring that the culture and language of Ireland gained the importance they deserve. This was necessary to preserve Ireland’s status as a singular nation within Ireland’s borders. Hyde was able to do what appeared to be somewhat difficult due to his desire. It is evident that Hyde’s efforts, more than those of any other person, helped preserve the Irish language from extinction and initiated its rebirth, which eventually became a matter of state policy later on in the 1920s. Hyde’s efforts were more influential than those of any other person. There is no question that Hyde is the most significant revolutionary figure of his generation in Ireland.
Works Cited
Castle, Gregory. “Revivalism and Modern Irish Literature: The Anxiety of Transmission and the Dynamics of Renewal by Fionntan de Brun.” English: Journal of the English Association, vol. 69, no. 265, 2020, pp. 189–191.
Mc Mahon, Timothy. “Reintroducing Douglas Hyde.” Irish Literary Supplement, vol. 40, no. 2, 2021, pp. 5-6.
Hyde, Douglas. “The Necessity for De-Anglicizing Ireland.” An Irish Literature Reader: Poetry, Prose, Drama, edited by James MacKillop and Maureen O’Rourke Murphy. 2nd ed., Syracuse University Press, 2015, pp. 139-148.
