The Gaelic Colleges

This great expansion in the teaching of Irish was seriously hampered both in the schools and in the League classes by the lack of an adequate supply of qualified teachers. The official educational bodies did nothing to remedy this defect, and it was left to voluntary effort to take the necessary action. This was done by establishing the ” Colaisti Gaedhealacha ” or ” Gaelic Colleges ” for the training of teachers of Irish. The first of these was founded at Ballingeary, Co. Cork, in 1905 : others were immediately established in Connacht, Ulster, and Leinster, and soon there were twelve in operation. A statement issued in 1915 showed that there were in that year nineteen centres at work attended by nearly 2,000 students.

Most of these were working in the Irish-speaking districts during the summer months, the students generally residing with the neighbouring families ; others were situated in cities like Dublin and Belfast, and were carried on from autumn till early summer. Primarily intended for training teachers, the ” Colaisti ” are attended by other students of the language from many countries. The movement had called for the earnest study of methods of language-teaching, and the fruits of this were found in the ” Colaisti,” so that Irish soon had a greater number of specially, trained teachers than had any other subject of education.