Douglas Hyde became Ireland’s first president in 1937, having already founded the Gaelic League in an attempt to unite the country.
More on Douglas Hyde
Founder of the Gaelic League
His was fiercely proud of Irish tradition and determined not to let it fade away. His intelligence and wit helped him achieve great success both personally, and for the country as a whole. Here is a selection of some of his best quotes.
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I do not share the wish to see my language dead and decently buried.
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In order to de-Anglicize ourselves, we must at once arrest the decay of the language. We must teach ourselves not to be ashamed of ourselves.
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We are above and beyond all politics, all parties and all factions; offending nobody – except the anti-Irishman.
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What we want in Ireland is a National University which will bring students together and educate them upon national lines.
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The literary activity of even the eighteenth century among the Gaels was very great. What we want in Ireland is a National University which will bring students together and educate them upon national lines.
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Now if we allow our living language to die out, it is almost a certainty that we condemn our literary records to remain in obscurity.
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We must put pressure upon our politicians not to snuff out (our living language) by their tacit discouragement merely because they do not happen to understand it.
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More on Douglas Hyde
Founder of the Gaelic League
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