The Irish Language in Co. Roscommon [Gen-022]
[Editor, 2025: The entry in the Table of Contents is as the title above, but the heading on the page is actually Some miscellaneous items]
The following cutting from the "Irish Times" is interesting in that it shows that Irish was spoken in County Roscommon as late as 1874.
A MEMORIAL to Dr Douglas Hyde, first president of the State, was dedicated at a ceremony in St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin, yesterday by Dr George Simms, former Primate of Ireland.
The ceremony was attended by members of late President’s family - two grandsons and a grand-daughter and by four great grand-children; the Fianna Fail leader, Mr Haughey; and Mr Michael O Murchú, president of Conradh na Gaeilge, of which Dr Hyde was the first president. President Hillery was represented by Commandant Arthur Cronhelm, officer commanding the 11th Field Engineer Corps. Mr Declan Brennan, secretary of the Department of Education, represented the Minister, Mrs Hussey.
The plaque takes its place among the many memorials on the . walls of St. Patrick’s. It is the work of the sculptor, Professor Domhnall O Murchadha, and consists of a carving in Irish limestone with the inscription:
"Dubhglas de h-Íde, An Craoibhín Aoibhínn, 1860-1949, Céad Uachtarán na h-Eireann, 1938-1946.”
The service, in Irish and English, was led by Dean Victor Griffin.
In an address, Mr Douglas Sealy, grandson of the late President, said his writings showed that he had hardly spoken a word of Irish until he was 14. He then began to pick it up from the people around him in Co. Roscommon.
Percy French (1854 - 1920), the songwriter, was one of the Frenches of Cloonyquin House. At one stage these Frenches were the owners of the lands farmed by the Toolans of Cloonyquin. Maysie Toolan was an acquaintance of Percy French.
Ballina, Co. Mayo. One of the main shopping streets in the town is named "Sráid ó Tuathaláin - Tolin Street".
Editor's addition, 2025
Both Google Maps and OpenStreetMap (accessed 11-08-2024) show the street name as Tolan Street. logainm.ie, as a source of Irish place names, shows no Irish translation.
Editor's addition, 2025
A more generic search on logainm.ie (accessed 11-08-2024) results in an entry for the townland of Ballyhohan in Co. Mayo, with the Irish name of Baile Uí Thuathaláin. Clicking into the detail for this item, gives a list of historical references to this place.
