Conradh na Gaeilge

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Conradh na Gaeilge, Dublin.

Conradh na Gaeilge (IPA pronunciation: ['kʌnɹæ næ 'gweɪlgæ]) (commonly known in English as the Gaelic League in earlier times) is an organization "for the purpose of keeping the Irish language spoken in Ireland." The league was founded in Dublin on July 31, 1893 by Douglas Hyde, a Protestant from Frenchpark, County Roscommon with the aid of Eugene O'Growney, Eoin MacNeill, Luke K. Walsh and others. The league developed from the earlier Gaelic Union and became the leading institution promoting the Gaelic Revival. The league's first newspaper was An Claidheamh Soluis ("The Sword of Light") and its most noted editor was Patrick Pearse.

Though apolitical, the league attracted many Irish nationalists of different persuasions, much like the Gaelic Athletic Association before it. It was through the league that many future political leaders and rebels first met, laying the foundation for groups such as the Irish Volunteers. Most of the signatories of the Easter Proclamation were members.

In recent years the organisation has assumed a quieter role in public life, although the organisation is the principal organisation responsible for co-ordinating the successful campaign to make Irish an official language of the E.U. ^{[citation needed]}

Most recently, the organisation has become embroiled in a dispute with Irish political party Fine Gael over the party's policy to end Irish's status as a required subject for the Leaving Certificate. Conradh na Gaeilge have responded by asking voters in the next general election to only vote for candidates who are in favour of Irish's required position remaining.^[1]

The organisation is strong in many parts of Northern Ireland, but only have active branches in several areas in the south of Ireland.