Collection G44 - Language Freedom Movement

172 items

The Language Freedom Movement was established in 1965 when, in a letter in the daily newspapers, 35 year old architect Christopher Morris invited those who were unhappy with the government's language policy to write to him if they were interested in formi
The papers were offered to the Library through contact with Hugh Rowland, a PhD student of Dr. John Walsh, Department of Irish, and Mr. Christopher Morris, the President of the Language Freedom Movement.

This collection spans the activities of the Language Freedom Movement from soon after its inception in 1966, until 1974 when its activities drew to a close. It consists of files of press releases, speeches, correspondence, ephemera, and press cuttings, which document the work of the LFM in opposing the policy of Irish language revival through methods of compulsion. Press releases and texts of speeches address the education system, political agendas on language policy, as well as more philosophical issues such as civil liberties and nationalism. There are files of correspondence that took place among members and sympathisers, dialogue with supporters of Irish language restoration, and correspondence with representatives of public bodies. Working documents such as drafts for publications and notes for speeches are included, as well as ephemera, for example leaflets that were handed out during the 1968 by-elections, the LFM's statement of policy, and guidelines on forming a branch of the LFM. Press cuttings, some organised in scrapbooks, and some retained loosely, cover themes such as government policy, education, civil rights, and negative and positive coverage of the LFM.

The collection taken as a whole offers an insight into the passions and frustrations that were felt strongly on both sides of the Irish language debate, and provides a fascinating view into an exciting decade of social change in Ireland.

The physical condition of the collection is good.

Arrangement has mostly been imposed, with the exception of the scrapbooks of press cuttings which were previously compiled. The arrangement is a division into five series, each representing a document t

The material is accessible to all bone fide researchers, and subject to the conditions of access governing the consultation of archival material at the James Hardiman Library. For the full statement of these conditions, see: http://www.library.nuigalway.
Open

Researchers must seek the written permission of the Archivist before publication of material from the archival holdings, and the source must be acknowledged.

Good physical condition

196

The Proinsias Mac an Bheatha collection (G40), and Pádraig Ó'Mathúna (G26) collections. Both were engaged on the other side of the debate.

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G48
11/04
Catalog

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25-03-2013
23-03-2017