Tomorrow marks the Centenary of the funeral of Fenian Jeremiah O’Donovan Rossa, whose funeral was one of the biggest of its age. Republicans traveled to Dublin to follow the cortege from City Hall to Glasnevin Cemetery. The event attracted an Achill contingent too.
Here is a short film courtesy of independent filmmaker Marcus Howard that fusses beautifully the original event with a present day re-enactment.
Their hard work paid off! After the first Scoil Acla wrapped up in September An Cliamheadh Soluis contained the following report:
Scoil Acla Banner
Achill Summer School
The Achill Summer School has been closed for this year. It was small but in every way a remarkable success. Its promoters claim that it has accomplished all that they had hoped from its institution. it has turned the tide of Anglicisation. it has been a pure well of Gaelic spirit and enthusiasm in an arid and neglected district. It has refreshed and renewed all who have had the happiness to visit it. Its good work has made itself felt all over the country side. Next year it will open with a reputation already made.
In March 1911 Emily wrote the following letter to An Clidheamh Soluis, Scoil Acla was only a pipe dream at the time. She made an excellent case for proposed summer school. It was a very brave step for the founding members to take, but they took it all the same. It paid off!
Minaun Cliffs. Achill
March 4th 1911
OILEAN ACLA
A Chara
A few weeks ago you published an article by Fergus Mac Roigh dealing with the faithful little garrisons in the Gaelteacht. We have just a beleaguered fortress here in Achill always hard press by the enemy, but over which the Gaelic flag has flown for years. Sometimes it barely flutters, but it still has been kept there.Last summer we were in a sad plight. Never was a place so sorely pressed. Assaulted from without with indifferent defenders within, and well-nigh forgotten, abandoned by the head-quarter staff, the cause was nearly lost when tow young men form the South came to our assistance. They came in all the finery of Gaelic dress with nodding feathers and the swirl of the war-pipes and with song and dance. They walked over the land playing warlike music till our hearts took fire again and the spirit that was well-nigh dead within us found new life.
Following up their success the Gaelic League very wisely sent us down a man who kept alive the flame they revived in our hearts and in our midst. Gaelic classes, Gaelic dances concerts and plays are following each other, and now we are building a Gaelic Hall. There is limit to our ambition. Nothing will satisfy us now but an Irish summer school of our own, not a college. We have faithfully promised Partry and Spiddal that they may exist at least another summer. A hedge school will satisfy us. The country is full of Irish, the scenery is glorious, the accommodation is ample; Teacht Gaedhilge will be finished; one of the best teachers in the Gaelic League will be available, our own muinteoir will help him if necessary. We will be able to offer our visitors lectures on old and middle Irish as well. If twenty students are forthcoming the thing can be done May I call on the friends of Gaelic to come down and help us to over run the land. Pipers, fiddlers, dancers, singers will of course, be very welcome, but we want above all the earnest students of Irish, the enthusiasts to come to our assistance.
One word more, I must add it refers to the training colleges. we do not wish to draw students from them, and therefore do not propose to train for certificates. We wish rather to attract the students who, at present go in ones and two to the Irish speaking districts. I would ask them for next summer to concentrate themselves on Achill. Their presence would benefit the Island much, and we can promise them in return a delightful holiday and great stores of Gaelic.
Is mise do chara
Bean Uí Uadall
Pairc na Carraig
An Caol
Acail
The original Scoil Acla was over a month in duration, very different from the week long festival it is nowadays. It was a complete summer school in itself, closer to how school children might spend a month in the Gaeltacht improving their Irish today. Below is the Cliamheadh Soluis article advertising it it from 1911.
A Scoil Acla advert from An Cliamheadh Soluis
Scoil Ghaedhilge Acla
the Achill Summer School will be open from August 7th to September 9th. The fees will be 10s for half session and £1 for the month.
PRINCIPAL – Tomas O’Raghallaigh
ASSISTANTS – Colm O’Gearaigh and Seaghan Seoighe.Mrs M Huttten will possibly visit Achill during August and give a few lectures.
IRISH IN CHURCH SERVICES- The Rosary is always repeated in Irish at services in RC Churches in Achill. It is hoped to arrange for Irish sermons as well.
An tAithair B O Criothai will, it is hoped, visit Achill for August. for Protestant the Coise hope to arrange for special- All Irish Services every second Sunday during August. They will be conducted by the Rev. Mr. O’Connor, Sch. in Irish, T.C.D., and members of the Branch of the Five Provinces.
LODGINGS – Cheap and clean, near classrooms. Food good and well-cooked. Particulars on application to secretary.
An early Oireachtas addressed by Douglas Hyde. By kind permission of Aidan Heavey Library
With the success of the Gaelic League and on Achill coupled with the widely attended St Partrick’s Day celebrations and Feis Acla, it was only a matter of time before Emily Weddall and the other Achill Gaelic League members were to expand their endeavors to a bigger and far reaching cultural event. At that time there was a growing number of Irish Language festivals, classes and schools throughout the country. The Gaelic League head an annual event called the Oireachtais, where members from the four corners of Ireland could attend.
The event enabled native speakers and learners of Irish to meet and interact in a social, festive environment, resulting in many long standing friendships and even the occasional romance!
http://www.antoireachtas.ie/history.php
Oireachtas Prizes from 1914. Achill Knitwear sponsored a prize
Emily possibly attended the Oireachtais from 1908 onwards. Taking inspiration from it, she and the other Gaelic League members got ideas for their own festivals. The seed of the idea for Scoil Acla evolved from there.
The exact date of the first Scoil Acla is unclear. The Centenery was celebrated in 2010, rounding it up a little, but it may have been 1911 that the first officially named Scoil Acla took place. The seeds of the first summer school were sown as far back as 1910, where an auspicious event took place on Achill. There was a big breakthrough when Irish, as a subject was to be introduced at university level in Ireland. This was a monumental achievement for the Gaelic League at the time. Emily’s letter to the Claidheamh Soluis certainly expresses her elation at the news. She and a small group including two young Gaels form Munster, Giallabride O’Caithain, and Cormac O’Cadhlaigh, who were staying in her house in Keel, had celebrated in their unique way!
How the News Came to Achill
On the evening of Sunday, June 26th they insisted in carrying the great news to the top of Croughan Mountain. There on the highest summit we planted the official announcement of the victory while the skirl of O’Cathain’s pipes we built an air over it and before coming down we lit a beacon light that could be seen away in Galway or northward in Donegal…
She wrote this letter in June of 1910, by March 1911 the Hall, which would hold the original Scoil Acla summer school and was underway. The building would be finished just in time for the Feis Acla of 1911, a few months later. In the letter she alluded to the future Scoil Acla;
…Now we are building a Gaelic Hall. There is no limit to our ambition. Nothing will satisfy us now but an Irish summer school of our own, not a college. We have faithfully promised Partry and Spiddal that they may exist at least another summer. A hedge school will satisfy us. The country is full of Irish, the scenery is glorious, the accommodation is ample; Teacht Gaedhilge will be finished; one of the best teachers in the Gaelic League will be available, our own muinteoir will help him if necessary. We will be able to offer our visitors lectures on old and middle Irish as well. If twenty students are forthcoming the thing can be done. May I call on the friends of Gaelic to come down and help us to over run the land. Pipers, fiddlers, dancers, singers will of course, be very welcome, but we want above all the earnest students of Irish, the enthusiasts to come to our assistance.
Croughan Mountain (with Corrymore House) where Emily and friends may have had the idea for Scoil Acla
