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{{Short description|Political movement in 1960s Ireland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=March 2017}}
The '''Language Freedom Movement''' ({{langx|ga|Gluaiseacht Saoirse Teanga}}) was a political organisation founded in 1966 that was opposed to some aspects of the state-attempted revival of the [[Irish language]] in the [[Republic of Ireland]]. The organisation had the backing of several notable Irish-speaking writers including [[Séamus Ó Grianna]] ("Máire") and [[John B. Keane]].<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/news/2002/may/31/guardianobituaries.booksobituaries John B Keane], [[The Guardian]], 31 May 2002, retrieved 8 June 2009</ref><ref name="crowley">[https://books.google.com/books?id=nTDqBq367SYC&dq=%22Language+Freedom+Movement%22&pg=RA2-PA179 Wars of Words: The Politics of Language in Ireland 1537–2004], Tony Crowley, [[Oxford University Press]], 2005, {{ISBN|0-19-927343-X}}, 9780199273430</ref>

==Concerns==
===Examinations===
At the time the organisation was formed, if a student failed the Irish paper in their [[Leaving Certificate (Ireland)|Leaving Certificate]], they were deemed to have failed the whole exam.<ref name="doe"/> This requirement was abolished in 1973, although students are still obliged to study Irish as part of the Leaving Certificate programme and a pass is required for Irish students entering almost all [[National University of Ireland|Irish universities]] (but not for foreign students). In 1974, Irish was removed as a requirement for entry to the [[civil service of the Republic of Ireland|civil service]].<ref name="doe"/>

===Textbooks===
Significant changes in the Leaving Certificate maths curriculum were reflected in two new textbooks produced by the [[Congregation of Christian Brothers|Irish Christian Brothers]]. However, material for the new honours (higher-level) syllabus was offered only in a government-subsidised book in Irish while the pass (lower-level) material was published in English. The situation continued for several years until affordable alternative textbooks eventually became available.

==Mansion House meeting==
The organisation held a meeting in the [[Mansion House, Dublin|Mansion House]] in Dublin on 21 September 1966.<ref name="doe"/><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=BYu-tZi0HxsC&dq=%22Language%20Freedom%20Movement%22&pg=PA445 A New History of Ireland], T.W. Moody, F.X. Martin, Francis John Byrne, William E. Vaughan, Art Cosgrove, Dáibhí Ó Crónin, p.445</ref> It was advertised by a poster with a cartoon depicting the "Gaelic language policy" as a well-fed cow sitting atop the educational system.<ref name=di-donal-flying-fists-union-jacks-and-the-launch-of-the-language-freedom-movement/> The meeting was chaired by broadcaster [[Gay Byrne]].<ref name=di-donal-flying-fists-union-jacks-and-the-launch-of-the-language-freedom-movement>{{Cite news|title=Flying Fists, Union Jacks, and the Launch of the Language Freedom Movement|url=https://www.dublininquirer.com/2019/02/06/donal-flying-fists-union-jacks-and-the-launch-of-the-language-freedom-movement|last=Fallon|first=Donal|date=6 February 2019|access-date=15 February 2021|work=Dublin Inquirer}}</ref> About 2000 people turned up, though most of them seemed opposed to the organisation.<ref name="doe">[http://anghaeltacht.net/ctg/altveritas.htm From Language Revival to Survival], [[Donncha Ó hEallaithe]], anghaeltacht.net, originally published in {{cite book |last=Mac Murchaidh |first=Ciarán |date=2004 |title=Who Needs Irish?: Reflections on the Importance of the Irish Language Today |publisher=Veritas Publications |isbn=1-85390-777-4 }}, citing {{cite book |last=Tobin |first=Fergal |date=1984 |title=The best of decades: Ireland in the nineteen sixties |publisher=Gill and Macmillan }}</ref><ref name=di-donal-flying-fists-union-jacks-and-the-launch-of-the-language-freedom-movement/> Opponents taunted the organisers by waving [[Union Jack]]s at them and singing "[[God Save the King|God Save the Queen]]".<ref name="doe"/><ref name=di-donal-flying-fists-union-jacks-and-the-launch-of-the-language-freedom-movement/> As [[John B. Keane]] got up to speak, one man seized an [[Flag of Ireland|Irish Tricolour]] from the table used by the organisation, shouting that the flag should not be displayed at such a meeting.<ref name="doe"/><ref name=di-donal-flying-fists-union-jacks-and-the-launch-of-the-language-freedom-movement/> A fight involving ten men broke out and calm was only restored when the LFM agreed to four of their opponents speaking at the meeting.<ref name="doe"/>

The [[Garda Síochána|Gardaí]] were also present at the meeting. At the request of the organisers, [[Patrick Byrne (Irish politician)|Patrick Byrne]] TD had asked the Garda Commissioner to ensure law and order prevailed.<ref>[http://historical-debates.oireachtas.ie/D/0225/D.0225.196611290042.html Dáil Éireann - Volume 225 – 29 November, 1966] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607133009/http://historical-debates.oireachtas.ie/D/0225/D.0225.196611290042.html |date= 7 June 2011 }}</ref>

Irish language writer [[Máirtín Ó Cadhain]] and Mick Ryan (the [[Irish Republican Army (1922–1969)|IRA]] O/C of Dublin) were involved in the disruption of the meeting.<ref>[http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/exam-success-clever-people-are-not-always-the-intelligent-ones-1085677.html Exam success: clever people are not always the intelligent ones], [[Con Houlihan]], [[Sunday Independent (Ireland)|Sunday Independent]], 23 September 2007, retrieved 1 July 2009</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Johnston |first=Roy |date=2003 |title=Century of Endeavour: A Biographical and Autobiographical View of the 20th Century in Ireland |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=D07FBjetYM0C&q=%22Language%20Freedom%20Movement%22&pg=PA203 |publisher=Academica Press, LLC |page=203 |isbn=9781930901766 |author-link=Roy Johnston}}</ref><ref name=di-donal-flying-fists-union-jacks-and-the-launch-of-the-language-freedom-movement/>

==See also==
*[[Language revival]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book |last=Comerford |first=Richard Vincent |date=2003 |title=Ireland (Inventing the Nation) |pages=142–152 |publisher=Bloomsbury USA |isbn=9780340731116 |author-link=Vincent Comerford}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070926234555/http://www.scoilnet.ie/lookathistory/Video2.aspx?FolderId=2&Id=500&ref=1 Clip of RTE ''7 Days'' report from 1967] ([[Windows Media Player]]). News report on the Language Freedom Movement public meeting at the Mansion House.
* [http://archivesearch.library.nuigalway.ie/NUIG/CalmView/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=G44 James Hardiman Library Archives - G44 - Language Freedom Movement] - archive of materials from 1966 to 1974 held at [[NUI Galway]]

[[Category:1966 establishments in Ireland]]
[[Category:Political history of the Republic of Ireland]]
[[Category:Political organisations based in Ireland]]
[[Category:Organizations established in 1966]]

Language Freedom Movement - Revision history

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