About
Douglas Hyde, born on 17 January 1860 in County Roscommon, was a central figure in the Irish cultural revival. Son of a Church of Ireland clergyman, he studied at Trinity College Dublin, where he learned ancient Gaelic. In 1893, he co-founded the Gaelic League (Conradh na Gaeilge) and served as its first president, working to revitalize the Irish language. He was Professor of Modern Irish at University College Dublin from 1909 to 1932. He published major works such as 'Love Songs of Connacht' (1893) and 'A Literary History of Ireland' (1899). Under the pen name 'An Craoibhín Aoibhinn', he wrote poems and plays. He was a senator of the Irish Free State from 1925, then became the first President of Ireland in 1938, serving until 1945.
* 1860-01-17 — † 1949-07-12
Major works
- Amhráin Grádh Chúige Connacht (Love Songs of Connacht) (1893)song collection
- A Literary History of Ireland (1899)literary history
- The Bursting of the Bubble and Other Irish Plays (1905)plays
- Legends of Saints and Sinners (1915)collection of legends
Key milestones
- 1893Co-founded the Gaelic League (Conradh na Gaeilge) and became its first president.
- 1938Inaugurated as the first President of Ireland on 26 June.
- 1949Died in Dublin on 12 July, with a state funeral.
Themes
Irish languageNational identityFolkloreCultural revivalNationalism
Sources: president.ie · britannica.com · catalogue.nli.ie