Analysis: The multilingual skills of the revolutionary generation helped them to amplify Ireland's cause on the world stage
By Síobhra Aiken, Queen's University Belfast; Claire Dubois, University of Lille and Mark O'Rawe, Queen's University Belfast
Irish citizens are less likely to know a foreign language than their European counterparts, but this was not always the case. In the 19th and early 20th century, Ireland was at the forefront of modern language education and the multilingual skills of Ireland's revolutionary generation were key to securing international support for the revolutionary movement.
French, in particular, has long enjoyed popularity in Ireland and remains the most widely chosen foreign language for students taking the Leaving Certificate examinations (though French has recently been surpassed by Spanish as the preferred language among students in Northern Ireland). The Irish interest in the French language likely stemmed from several sources, including the Hiberno-Norman legacy, the pragmatic demands of trade and diplomacy, and the paradoxical appeal of French culture to Irish nationalists who were drawn to both its intellectual Catholic tradition and its revolutionary republican ideals.
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From RTÉ Radio 1's History Show, Phyllis Gaffney talks about how Ireland became a leader in modern language education in the 19th century
This French connection is apparent from the decision by the First Dáil, in January 1919, to issue its 'Message to the Free Nations of the World' seeking support for Irish independence in French, Irish, and English. Following the ratification of the Anglo-Irish Treaty at the end of 1921, Irish nationalists also hosted an Irish Race Convention in Paris to discuss Ireland’s emerging status as an independent state. But just how competent were Irish revolutionaries in the French language and how did this aid them in fostering revolutionary connections and spreading their message?
Countess Constance Markievicz was one of a number of Irish revolutionaries who studied in Paris. The attraction of France among the aspirational middle and upper classes reflected limited education opportunities at home (particularly for women) and also hints at the view that fluency in French was a marker of a 'finished' education. Constance took private French lessons with the Irish portrait artist Sarah Purser, before taking up her place to study art at the Académie Julian in Paris in 1898.
As the revolution progressed, Markievicz's French connections facilitated her prominence in the French press. In May 1916, she featured on the frontpage of Le Miroir newspaper following the commutation of her death sentence for participation in the Rising. She was also interviewed by French journalist Joseph Kessel for La Liberté in 1920, where she stressed the importance of women to the Irish struggle and lamented that radical socialism was not as developed in Ireland as on the continent. Kessel was impressed by Markievicz’s excellent level of French and was intrigued to see a copy of La Fontaine’s Fables – a classic of French literature – alongside republican propaganda in the safe house where she was residing.
Éamon de Valera also drew on his background in French to advance Irish interests. He studied French first at the Christian Brothers' School in Charleville before attending Blackrock College which he proudly referred to as the 'French College'. Indeed, when Blackrock College was first established in 1860, the majority of the staff were French and the school promoted French as the language of instruction.
De Valera’s acquaintance with French language and history played out in an interview he gave to the celebrated French journalist Maurice Dekobra in Albany, New York in December 1920. When asked to justify Irish nationalists’ opposition to conscription during World War One, de Valera responded that the French would be of the same view if they had been defeated in 1870 and incorporated into the German empire against their will. Dev maintained a close connection with France throughout his life and enjoyed a warm relationship with General Charles de Gaulle.
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From RTÉ Archives, RTÉ coverage of French president Charles de Gaulle meeting Éamon de Valera in Dublin in June 1969 (footage is silent)
Mary MacSwiney's competency in French was also an important aspect of her advocacy on behalf of her brother, Terence, who died on hunger strike in Brixton prison in 1920. In fact, MacSwiney’s hungerstrike was perhaps the most extensively discussed event of the Irish revolution in France.
Her study of languages began in St. Angela's Convent School, Cork and she spent some time as a governess/teacher in Bordeaux. In 1916, she established a school for girls, Scoil Íte, that was modelled on Patrick Pearse's St Enda’s school. Though the school placed a particular emphasis on the Irish language, pupils were also known to perform plays in French and German, including under the instruction of Madame Germaine Stockley (née Kolb), who was of French and German heritage.
The linguistic dedication of the revolutionary generation was a strategic tool for amplifying Ireland's cause on the world stage
MacSwiney’s impact in French press is suggested by Joseph Kessel’s choice to write a novella, Mary de Cork (1925), believed to be based on MacSwiney. Archival letters also demonstrate MacSwiney’s impressive command of the French language. This is particularly evident in her correspondence with author Étiennette Beuque, who spent several years working on a French biography of Terence MacSwiney (which never ultimately materialised).
The linguistic dedication of the revolutionary generation was not a mere academic pursuit but a strategic tool for amplifying Ireland's cause on the world stage. While proficiency in foreign languages is now a challenge for contemporary Irish society, it was once viewed as central for promoting Ireland’s diplomatic and revolutionary aims.
A new digital exhibition traces the history of visual representations of the Irish revolution in France by bringing together over 200 photos taken in Ireland and France during the period 1914 to 1922 held at the Bibliothèque Nationale de France.
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Dr Síobhra Aiken is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Arts, English and Languages at Queen's University Belfast. She is a former Research Ireland awardee. Dr Claire Dubois is a senior lecturer in Irish Studies at the University of Lille. Dr Mark O'Rawe is a teaching assistant in the French Department in the School of Modern Languages Queen's University Belfast
The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent or reflect the views of RTÉ
