Abstract
Do bhí Dubhghlas de hÍde mar chuid de mhionlach in Éirinn agus é ag fás aníos mar fhear óg Protastúnach. Ach shocraigh sé dul leis an nGaeilge, teanga a bhain go traidisiúnta go príomha le Caitlicigh na hÉireann agus leis an ísealaicme. Níor tógadh le Gaeilge é ach lean sé air ag plé léi agus ag cur chun cinn na teangan ach cén fáth?
Is trí shúil a chaitheamh ar a chín lae ón luaththréimhse seo ina shaol spéisiúil is féidir tuiscint a fháil ar na cúiseanna gur thug sé fé seo. Rugadh de hÍde in 1860 agus chuaigh sé i mbun pinn in 1874 agus é 14 bliain d’aois. Is í an tréimhse sin ina shaol nuair a bhí sé ina chónaí sa bhaile i nDún Gar i gContae Ros Comáin a bheidh fé chaibidil san alt seo - an tréimhse réamhChraoibhíneach, d’fhéadfá a rá.
An rud atá i gceist leis an dteideal ná an t-ainm cleite a thug sé air féin ‘An Craoibhín Aoibhinn’ agus imeartas focal maidir leis an mbrí atá leis an ainm úd.
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.
