Douglas Hyde resigns from the Gaelic League
Dundalk, 30 July 1915 - Douglas Hyde has resigned as President of the Gaelic League.
The shock resignation was announced at the Gaelic League’s Ard Fheis in Dundalk, Co. Louth yesterday.
A letter from Dr. Hyde said that he could not allow his name to be entered into the presidential election, due to ill-health and the amount of work which the position required.
Dr. Hyde noted that when he looked back on the work that had been done over the last forty years it almost looked to him a miracle. He said that he had done his best for the organisation and that it was a cause of great sorrow to him that he had decided against remaining as president.
Minutes for the preliminary meeting of the Gaelic League, held on 13 July 1893, at which Douglas Hyde was in the chair. Click to enlarge. (Image: National Library of Ireland, MS 10,895)
Dr. Hyde said that he left his best wishes to the delegates and that his heart would remain in the work as much as it was on the first day and that he would continue to support the cause of the Gaelic League.
The sense that the Gaelic League is becoming increasingly politicised was confirmed with the election to its Coisde Gnotha (Governing Body) of John McDermott and John Hegarty.
Mr. McDermott is a well-known figure in advanced nationalist circles who is currently in prison as a result of charges brought under the Defence of the Realm Act, while Mr. Hegarty was recently in court charged with the possession of guns and explosives in Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford.
Dr. Hyde had previously spoken out against this apparent polticisation of the Gaelic League and it is believed that this was a contributary factor in his decision to step down as president.
[Editor's note: This is an article from Century Ireland, a fortnightly online newspaper, written from the perspective of a journalist 100 years ago, based on news reports of the time.]
