AMONG the surprises in the papers released yesterday were files which were the private property of the State's first President, Dr Douglas Hyde.
They include a previously undisclosed letter from Tom Clarke, the first signatory of the 1916 Proclamation. Also included are original letters from Lady Gregory, from the German Celtic scholar Kuno Meyer, and from the vice president of the Gaelic, League in the early years of this century, Dr Michael O'Hickey of Maynooth College. In 1909 Father O'Hickey was dismissed from the chair of Irish at Maynooth after a row with the bishops about promoting the language.
In a note, dated October 7th, 1942, and which accompanies the files, Dr Hyde's secretary, Mr Michael McDunphy, wrote that "the President's present view" was that they might be presented to the State, but Dr Hyde thought "any of them which might lead to bitterness should not be published for the present." On that matter, however, "he would be disposed to trust to the judgment of the government of the day.
Tom Clarke's letter is an angry one. It is sent from "77 Amiens St, Dublin" and dated July 4th, 1913. It reads:
Dear Dr Hyde,
I have read in this morning's papers with surprise and regret some of the things you have said in your statement last night at the meeting of the Ard Craobh.
I have been speaking today with a number of Gaelic Leaguers concerning your indictment of that section of the league (sic) which you make answerable for the wrong doing in the League. The general opinion is that your references in this connection were directed to the "advanced nationalist" party. Is that opinion correct?
I take the liberty of asking the question for the reason that I would like to be in a position to state definitely whether or not you mean that party.
In asking the question I only speak for myself for lest you might think me presumptuous in thus addressing you I may mention that I have been an advanced nationalist all my life and interested in the Gaelic League for many years(;) - (I) was a member of the Newport Committee that worked up your American tour (in 1906)(;) - (I was) in touch with Mr John Quinn while you were there as well as before and after(;) - (I) was present at your first meeting in Newport and also present at an informal meeting one the following morning which resulted in John Devoy writing to you advising you to consent to delete from the printed report of your speech on the previous night certain criticisms of Thomas Davis which had they been allowed to appear in the newspaper report would have ruined your tour.
Incidentally I was present and one of the Clan na Gael deputation which presented the $5,000 to you in the Irish American Athletic Club for the Gaelic League.
I am no less interested in the Gaelic League, now that I am at home in Ireland, than when in America, and certainly just as staunch an adherent to the bed rock (sic) principles of Irish Nationalism - hence my interest in the matter.
With fond wishes
Yours very truly
Thos J Clarke.
IN a handwritten note on the back of this letter from "Glandore, Co Cork", President Hyde wrote "This is, all a mistake of Clarkes (sic). I never spoke a word against Thomas Davis.
He signed the note DH, and dated it October 9th, 1942.
What is significant about Tom Clarke's letter, apart from the fact that little correspondence from him exists, is that it indicates the anger felt by the "advanced nationalists" against Hyde at the time. This anger grew, and ink 1915 Hyde was forced out by them as president of the Gaelic League, a position he had held since he helped found the movement in 1893. He was replaced by Padraig Pearse.
What remains unclear, however, is why Clarke's letter was not released for publication until over 83 years after the event, and over 54 after it was passed to the State by Dr Hyde.
*The letters from Kuno Meyer, Father O'Hickey and Lady Gregory give a detailed insight into the attempts being made at the beginning of the century to have Irish taught in schools and universities here, as well as having it included on the Intermediate Certificates curriculum.
Lady Gregory's letters are lengthy, discursive, undated, and, often difficult to decipher. However, they contain many references to W.B. Yeats, Horace Plunkett (founder of the co operative movement), Edward Martyn, (a founder of the Abbey Theatre), the writer AE (George Russell), and other prominent personalities, of the period. Kuno Meyer's letters tend to be more literary and, academic, often concerned with career politics.
Father O'Hickey's letters contain accounts of the intrigue which involved the league in those years. One, dated July 27th, 1901, contains an interesting post script also. It reads: "I wrote to Pierse (sic) about Father Forde pamphlet."
Father Forde was another Gaelic League priest.
