July 8th, 1918:A PROCLAMATION by the lord lieutenant, Viscount French, in July 1918 declared several organisations to be "dangerous" because they were "a grave menace to and are designed to terrorise the peaceful and law-abiding subjects of His Majesty in Ireland". The organisations were Sinn Féin, the Irish Volunteers, Cumann na mBan and the Gaelic League: they were not banned outright, but the lord lieutenant had power to prohibit their activities.
In the case of the Gaelic League, this meant feiseanna in some areas were banned – like one in Skibbereen – while in others – like in a village near Youghal – they were allowed to proceed as long as no one spoke Irish. (At the latter event the organisers invited anyone who could speak other languages to take part after police threatened to move in when the opening speaker began in Irish: “A professional gentleman then ascended the platform and sang two French songs,” the newspaper reported.)
In its reaction, the Gaelic League seemed more bemused than angered by its inclusion in the list:
A statement which has been unanimously adopted by the executive committee of the Gaelic League, at a meeting specially convened in reference to the proclamation of the league as a dangerous organisation, says that after the record of disinterested and fruitful endeavour for a quarter of a century, the imputation to the Gaelic League of crime, incitement to violence, and intimidation, undue interference with the administration of the law, and designs to terrorise peaceful and law-abiding subjects is so bewildering that every unbiased mind in Ireland must see in it a deliberate and reckless attempt on the part of hidden enemies of national reconciliation to mislead and prejudice Field-Marshal French and the military authorities at an exceptionally critical juncture.
Since its inception, the Gaelic League, by the principal clause in its constitution, has been non-political and non-sectarian; for more than 20 years it has had a Protestant president; Protestant as well as Catholic clergymen, and Catholic equally with Protestant Members of Parliament have been on its governing body; Protestants, further, have been on its organising and editorial staffs, and at the present moment three members of the executive are Protestants, whose political opinions have never been questioned or inquired into by their colleagues.
From its inception, the proud boast of the Gaelic League has been that it is a platform broad enough to embrace all Ireland.
What, then, is the crime against it, unless the mysterious advisers of the government, anxious to restore the autocratic atmosphere of the 14th century, deem it a crime to speak the national language, appear in national costume, or help in the de-Anglicisation of our country and the preservation of all the attributes that mark our distinct nationality?
The oireachtas, or annual festival, . . . has been fixed for Killarney, commencing August 4th. It will open with athletic and band contests, followed by a band promenade in the grounds of the diocesan seminary, the only part of its proceedings to be held out of doors. As heretofore, nothing whatever will appear on its programme that could in the remotest way lead to the disturbance of public order.
The local promoters of the festival are therefore counselled to proceed with their arrangements, as are promoters of lesser functions elsewhere, in the spirit of order, dignity and conciliation which has always characterised the proceedings of the Gaelic League.