Draft:Coláiste na Mumhan

Coláiste na Mumhan was established in the Muskerry Gaeltacht in 1904, as the inaugural Irish language teacher training institution. It also commenced providing summer courses for secondary school students a few years afterwards.^[4] It had done so with the support of the Gaelic League, which had grown to over 550 branches by this time.^[5] The Irish language scholar, Shan O'Cúiv, and an Irish-Australian priest known as Dr. O'Daly, were key figures in establishing the college. It was to serve as the precursor and model for all subsequent institutions dedicated to promoting the Irish language.^[6][7][8] Sir Roger Casement gave money for the establishment of Coláiste na Mumhan.^[9]

The impetus to found the college occurred at a meeting of the Munster Fheis committee of the Gaelic League in 1903, when Shan O'Cúiv submitted a motion requesting that an intitative be made to establish a college "to train Irish speakers as teachers of the Irish language." An tAthair (Father) Peadar O'Laoghaire, who presided over the meeting, strongly supported the motion, and it was subsequently adopted. The following were appointed to an organisation committee for the organisation's foundation: Fr. Padraig O'Mhuirthile, Padraig O'Seaghdha, Fr. Augustine, Fr. Donnchadha O'Drisceoil, Fr. Sean O'Conaill, Micheál O'Mhurchadha, Tadgh O'Scanaill, Liam de Roiste (hon. secretary).^{[citation needed]}

The Cork Examiner claimed in 1954 that "the work of the college proved an immediate and unqualified success, and had a far reaching effect, not only on the language revival movement, but also on the trend of modern Irish history."^[10] It grew and relocated to a larger premises in 1914.^[11] It is based on the eastern side of Ballingeary village.^[12] Part of the Gaelic Revival, it was the first of six Gaelic League Irish language training colleges for teachers.^[13] One of the college's founders was Fr. Augustine, leader of the Gaelic League in the County Cork region.^[14] In 1913, the Dutch scholar A. G. van Hamel attended classes at the college.^[7] The poet and playright, Séamus Ó'hAodha, taught Irish poetry at the college.^[15] Historically, two sessions ran at the college for a month each, in July and August respectively.^[16]

The college significantly contributed to the revival of the Irish language at the onset of the 20th century,^[2] with several historical figures, including Terence MacSwiney, Cathal Brugha (who lectured at the college), Liam de Róiste, Tomás Mac Curtain, Richard Mulcahy, Thomas MacDonagh, Cathal Brugha, George Clancy, Brian O'Higgins, Douglas Hyde and Patrick Pearse, having spent time at the institution to acquire the language. More recent students have included Babs Keating, John Allen, Micheál Martin, Des Cahill and David McWilliams. Piaras Beaslai also taught at the college. It remains as Ireland's oldest Irish-language summer college.^{[2][17][18][10][19][9]}

Reporting on the college's activities during August 1910, the Irish Nation publication opined in an article that "Coláiste na Mumhan at Ballingeary is the Mecca to which all lovers of the teanga have turned during the past two months. Its popularity and success may be gauged from the fact that over two hundred pupils are attending the classes during August."^[20]

In 'Irish Historical Studies,' it's noted that the close relationship between local units of paramilitary organisations, senior revolutionary figures, and Irish-language colleges is clearly illustrated by the case of Coláiste na Mumhan. Piaras Béaslaí, an I.R.B. member who had been teaching at the college since 1910, assumed responsibility for drilling the Ballingeary Volunteer Corps formed in mid-1914. His involvement at Ballingeary was, in fact, even more explicit: together with Terence MacSwiney, he organised an Irish-language class for Volunteers. MacSwiney consistently conducted Volunteer activities - drill, instruction, and organisation - through Irish whenever possible. A retrospective article in the Anglo-Celt in 1920 noted that the class enrolled over one hundred students and operated entirely through Irish, demonstrating the language’s suitability for precise functions such as issuing drill commands. In August 1914, the Cork Examiner reported that students at Coláiste na Mumhan had also formed their own Volunteer corps, with female students likewise taking part in drilling. Although the college committee did not formally establish this corps, its support was evident: in July it stated that it would raise no objection to students forming a Volunteer unit. The opening of the college’s August session that year was, moreover, preceded by a public march by the Volunteers.^[9]

During the War of Independence, Irish colleges and co-operative stores were primary targets for the RIC, and were done so in retaliation towards local communities in response to IRA activities. Irish college authorities had noted the danger that such violent behaviour posed to them, and in 1920 at a meeting of Coláiste na Mumhan's management committee, it was declared "gurb í an Ghaedhilg falla cosanta an náisiúin agus gur cosmhail go dtuigeann Rialtas Shasana an méid sin go maith agus an fogha atá siad a thabhairt fé sna Coláistí Gaedhlacha." Given the reputation of Irish-language colleges as spaces aligned with advanced nationalist sentiment, it is notable that enrolment continued to rise during the War of Independence despite attacks by Crown forces. Newspaper reports at the conclusion of Coláiste na Mumhan’s final session in 1920 declared that the college had never enjoyed such success.^[9]

As reported by the Cork Examiner, at a meeting of the college's management committee in January 1926, it was reported that former Minister for Education, Eoin MacNeill, had visited the July 1925 session of Coláiste na Mumhan in Ballingeary, and that a special winter 1925 session had been hosted by 'Christians,' St. Patrick's Place, Cork City.^[21]

In 1954, Coláiste na Mumhan celebrated its fiftieth anniversary, with the Evening Echo declaring that it "played a significant part in the Gaelic Revival."^[22] In August 1954, the Irish Press remarked that "there is scarcely a name famous in the story of the national revival that has not some association with Coláiste na Mumhan" and that "few places in Ireland could have been a better setting for a work that was to give new life to the language and to our national spirit."^[23] In 1955, Eamon de Valera remarked at a visit to the college that "if we allow the language to die, Ireland may cease to be a Gaelic nation, and consequently not a nation at all."^[24]

The Irish Press reported in 1966 that President Eamon de Valera had unveiled a memorial plaque of "nine patriots who were associated with the college." Among those on the plaque included Roger Casement (who donated money towards the organisation's founding), Terence MacSwiney, Tómas MacCurtain, Tadgh Barry, and Thomas McDonagh.^[25]

Andy Scannell (1905-1958), a prominent figure in the Irish language movement,^[tone] once served as its chairman.^[26] The database of Ainm.ie points to numerous noted Irish scholars who were associated with the summer college.^[27]

In the book A Ploughing People: The Farming Life Celebrated, "the midnight feasts, the Céilí Mór, the Bean an Tí and the 'fine things'" that took place at the summer college are referred to.^[28]

In 2004, Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Eamon O'Cúiv, unveiled a plaque celebrating the organisation's 100th anniversary.^[29] The Corkman newspaper documented that Eamon O'Cúiv's grandfather, Shan O'Cúiv, had been a founder member of the college, and served on its first committee.^[30]