
In a meeting held on Sunday night, the Limerick Gaelic League voiced its concerns about the perceived neglect of the National Board and Training Colleges in equipping teachers for the task of preserving and promoting the Irish language. The Chairman, Mr D. Foley, expressed frustration with what he termed as the “greatest educational scandal of the present day in Ireland.”
Mr Foley highlighted the diminishing presence of the Irish language, attributing it to the alleged inaction of the National Board and Training Colleges. He claimed that despite the evident national desire to preserve and spread the language, these educational institutions were failing to supply qualified Irish teachers to the younger generation.
The Chairman criticized the County Councils of Ireland for raising taxes to support the National University, emphasizing the importance of having Irish as an essential subject. The Limerick Gaelic League itself had reportedly subscribed £300 per year with the goal of promoting the Irish language. Despite these efforts, Mr Foley accused the National Board and Training Colleges of producing only a meagre ten percent of qualified Irish language teachers.
He further asserted that the National Board, allegedly dominated by Trinity College, lacked sympathy for the cause. Mr Foley cited an example where Trinity College, with its substantial revenue of £5,000 per year from forfeited Church lands in County Kerry, refused to provide a site for a National School in Cahirciveen.
While acknowledging that some Training Colleges were more proactive than others, Mr Foley criticized the overall performance, stating that the state of Irish language teacher training in Ireland was unacceptable compared to other countries. He argued that each Training College cost the country over £10,000 per year, questioning the benefits derived from their existence in the context of the Irish language revival.
Concluding his remarks, Mr Foley called upon the public, who footed the bill, to demand accountability and positive action. The chairman urged for a reevaluation of the current state of affairs, emphasizing the need for a more effective approach to Irish language education in the country.
The concerns raised by the Limerick Gaelic League shed light on the challenges faced by advocates of the Irish language revival and prompt a broader conversation about the role of educational institutions in preserving and promoting Ireland’s linguistic heritage.
Dublin Daily Express – Tuesday 10 September 1912