LANGUAGE, RELIGION AND CULTURE 1922-1949 Leaving Cert History

LANGUAGE, RELIGION LANGUAGE, RELIGION AND CULTURE 1922-AND CULTURE 1922-

19491949Leaving Cert HistoryLeaving Cert History

Building a Gaelic StateBuilding a Gaelic State

Revival of Irish seen by both big Revival of Irish seen by both big parties as essential to real parties as essential to real independence.independence.

As soon as the British left some As soon as the British left some place names were changed.place names were changed.

Irish became compulsory in both Irish became compulsory in both primary and secondary schools primary and secondary schools in the 1920s.in the 1920s.

Extra grants given to Gael Extra grants given to Gael scoileanna. scoileanna.

Extra marks given to exams Extra marks given to exams done in Irishdone in Irish

Building a Gaelic StateBuilding a Gaelic State

Admission to teacher-Admission to teacher-training colleges favoured training colleges favoured students from the students from the Gaeltacht.Gaeltacht.

An Irish test had to be An Irish test had to be passed by those entering passed by those entering civil service, Guards, Army civil service, Guards, Army and teaching.and teaching.

Radio Eireann had to do Radio Eireann had to do several hours of Irish several hours of Irish programmes.programmes.

1937 Constitution made 1937 Constitution made Irish the ‘first official Irish the ‘first official language’.language’.

Success or FailureSuccess or Failure

Did not stop the decline Did not stop the decline because:because:

Still needed for emigrationStill needed for emigration English remained the English remained the

language the language of language the language of business and employmentbusiness and employment

English remained the English remained the language of entertainment language of entertainment (books, film, radio)(books, film, radio)

Compulsion created Compulsion created resentmentresentment

Irish and Catholic?Irish and Catholic?

After partition 93% were After partition 93% were Catholic.Catholic.

Protestants Abandoned by Protestants Abandoned by Craig and North.Craig and North.

Some killed during War of Some killed during War of Independence and many Independence and many great houses burned.great houses burned.

They did have wealth and They did have wealth and had many big jobs in had many big jobs in banks and business.banks and business.

Treatment of Protestants by the Treatment of Protestants by the New StateNew State

Cosgrave appointed Cosgrave appointed 24 to the Senate24 to the Senate

Proportional Proportional Representation.Representation.

Legally they were Legally they were treated equally.treated equally.

First president Douglas First president Douglas Hyde was ProtestantHyde was Protestant

Why did Numbers Decline?Why did Numbers Decline?

Children of mixed marriages had to be Children of mixed marriages had to be Catholic.Catholic.

Poor economyPoor economy Became increasingly difficult to be ‘British’ Became increasingly difficult to be ‘British’

as time went onas time went on Growing power of the Catholic Church and Growing power of the Catholic Church and

interference in education, health and sexual interference in education, health and sexual moralitymorality

Concern about MoralityConcern about Morality

Imported magazines, films, Imported magazines, films, radio.radio.

Women had more Women had more economic and political economic and political freedom.freedom.

Conservative groups were Conservative groups were worried that traditional worried that traditional values would disappear. values would disappear.

The most conservative The most conservative group were the clergy and group were the clergy and they had enormous power they had enormous power and support.and support.

Laws were introduced whichLaws were introduced which::

Censored filmCensored film Banned ‘indecent’ literature. Banned ‘indecent’ literature.

Really strict and not relaxed Really strict and not relaxed until the 1960s.until the 1960s.

Cut the number of pubs by half Cut the number of pubs by half and reduced opening hoursand reduced opening hours

Banned contraceptionBanned contraception Regulated dance halls.Regulated dance halls. By the 1930s Ireland prided By the 1930s Ireland prided

itself as a Catholic state and this itself as a Catholic state and this was reflected in the Eucharistic was reflected in the Eucharistic Congress of 1932Congress of 1932

BANN

ED

The Eucharistic Congress June The Eucharistic Congress June 1932 (Case Study)1932 (Case Study)

Held every 3 years in a Held every 3 years in a different city to celebrate different city to celebrate the Eucharist.the Eucharist.

Cosgrave’s government Cosgrave’s government persuaded the Vatican but persuaded the Vatican but Dev was in power.Dev was in power.

Garda Commissioner O Garda Commissioner O Duffy was the organiser.Duffy was the organiser.

Flags and bunting Flags and bunting everywhere.everywhere.

Pilgrims and clergy from Pilgrims and clergy from abroad.abroad.


Floating hotels in Dublin bay.Floating hotels in Dublin bay. Monday 20th June Cardinal Monday 20th June Cardinal

Lauri arrived in Dun Laoghaire. Lauri arrived in Dun Laoghaire. It lasted a week. Weather was It lasted a week. Weather was good.good.

Garden party in Blackrock Garden party in Blackrock College and a different mass in College and a different mass in the Park for men, women and the Park for men, women and children.children.

Sunday was the big mass in the Sunday was the big mass in the Park. Latest in loudspeakers to Park. Latest in loudspeakers to be used and broadcast on radio.be used and broadcast on radio.

Huge altar.Huge altar.


Saint Patrick’s bell Saint Patrick’s bell used in the Mass.used in the Mass.

John McCormack sang John McCormack sang Panis AngelicusPanis Angelicus

Pope’s voice Pope’s voice broadcast from Rome.broadcast from Rome.

After the mass, a big After the mass, a big procession to O procession to O Connell street for Connell street for Benediction Benediction

ImportanceImportance

Showed we could hold a Showed we could hold a big international event.big international event.

Showed strength of Showed strength of Catholic church and Catholic church and increased the power of increased the power of hierarchy.hierarchy.

Made government more Made government more ready to legislate against ready to legislate against contraception and divorce contraception and divorce and may have influenced and may have influenced the Constitution.the Constitution.

Important for Fianna Fail Important for Fianna Fail as many had been as many had been excommunicated.excommunicated.

Artists and Writers in the New Artists and Writers in the New IrelandIreland

At the start of the century painters and writers reflected the At the start of the century painters and writers reflected the nationalist, romantic view of rural western Ireland as nationalist, romantic view of rural western Ireland as espoused by the GL and Anglo-Irish Literary movement.espoused by the GL and Anglo-Irish Literary movement.

This continued after independence with Paul Henry and the This continued after independence with Paul Henry and the early Jack B.Yeats.early Jack B.Yeats.

Younger painters like Sean Keating continued this tradition Younger painters like Sean Keating continued this tradition (Shannon Scheme)(Shannon Scheme)

Mainie Jellet and Evie Hone brought cubism and Mainie Jellet and Evie Hone brought cubism and abstraction to Ireland from France but these were not abstraction to Ireland from France but these were not popular in conservative Ireland.popular in conservative Ireland.

Hone was deeply religious and switched to stained glass Hone was deeply religious and switched to stained glass


The Abbey was controlled by W.B Yeats and Lady The Abbey was controlled by W.B Yeats and Lady Gregory and in the 1920s they discovered O Gregory and in the 1920s they discovered O Casey. After showing The Shadow of a Gunman, Casey. After showing The Shadow of a Gunman, Juno and the Plough they rejected ‘The Silver Juno and the Plough they rejected ‘The Silver Tassie’ as it was too experimental. O Casey went Tassie’ as it was too experimental. O Casey went to England.to England.

Ernest Blythe who had, as Minister for Finance, Ernest Blythe who had, as Minister for Finance, subsidised the Abbey took it over and there was subsidised the Abbey took it over and there was no room for experimentation after that until the no room for experimentation after that until the 1960s.1960s.


New writers like Frank O New writers like Frank O Connor, Liam O Flaherty Connor, Liam O Flaherty and Sean O Faolain and Sean O Faolain challenged the romantic challenged the romantic view of Ireland and the view of Ireland and the struggle for independence. struggle for independence.

However, strict censorship However, strict censorship discouraged writers and discouraged writers and drove very good ones drove very good ones (Joyce) away.(Joyce) away.

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LANGUAGE, RELIGION AND CULTURE 1922-1949 Leaving Cert History