Fás an Chraoibhín

Abstract

Dubhghlas de hÍde was part of the Protestant minority in Ireland during his youth. Despite this he decided to master Irish, a language typically associated with Irish Catholics of the lower classes. He was not brought up with Irish but went on to spend his life promoting the language - what led him to this? Through analysis of his diaries in the earlier part of his life an understanding can be gained of the reasons for this. De hÍde was born in 1860 and he began writing his diary in 1874, aged 14. The article will discuss this early period of his life which he spent in Frenchpark in County Roscommon - the pre-'Craoibhín' period you could call it! The title refers to his self-appointed pen-name 'An Craoibhín Aoibhinn' (The Delightful Little Branch) and contains a pun on the meaning of this name.