To commemorate the
anniversary of the inauguration of our first President of Ireland, Douglas
Hyde, we begin a series of articles looking at the role that radio has played
in the life and times of Irish Presidents.
Episode One – President Douglas
Hyde (1860 – 1949)
Uachtarán na hÉireann (President of Ireland) 1938 -
1945
Douglas Hyde was the
first voice heard on the opening night of Ireland’s broadcasting service 2RN in
1926. In 1938, the defender of the Irish language was elected unanimously as
the first President of Ireland, taking up residence in Aras An Uachtarain. The
medium of radio was still in its infancy but it proved a unique form of
communication to not only unite an island nation but to reach those who had
left our shores to forge new lives in far off places like the United States and
Australia. To celebrate his inauguration as the Irish President in June 1938,
NBC in the United States presented Hyde’s one act play ‘The Twisting Rope’
which had been translated into English by Lady Gregory. The play had first been
performed in Irish in October 1901.
On December 22nd 1938 President
Hyde made his first broadcast since his election night and rather than it being
aimed at those in Ireland, who had not voted him in, he was elected unopposed,
the broadcast was aimed at the Irish diaspora in the United States. At 11.45pm Irish
time, with equipment set up by Radio Eireann in his private residence at Ratra,
Frenchpark Co. Roscommon, the President spoke to America. The operation was
co-ordinated by Radio Eireann and the NBC networks office in London. A land
line connected his home with the studios in Henry Street, Dublin and by cable
to Rugby in England while a trans-Atlantic telephone line linked the broadcast with
NBC headquarters at Radio City in New York. The broadcast was aired in radio primetime at
6.45pm on the NBC network across the United States. The then 78 year-old
President spoke in both Irish and English. He said,
“I
feel that am bridging not, only space, but time, as am now renewing a contact
which I made person some 30 years ago. When I was amongst you over 30 years ago
speaking on behalf the Irish people was only humble worker in the cause for the
restoration of our own language. “To-night again speak to you as my country’s
representative, but this time I speak with a title, President of Eire. For
myself, I still feel humble, but for country I feel proud. When visited your
country more than a generation ago our native language was almost extinct as
living tongue. Barely was heard outside the homes the poorer parts the country,
and even there it was rapidly dying out, the State services, the professions,
in business circles, among the traders the towns, had practically ceased to
exist, except possibly as academic subject. The task before us who realised the
rich heritage which we were in danger losing forever, seemed nearly hopeless.
But, fortified by the determination of our nationalists at home and the
generous aid of our friends abroad, we fought tenaciously to save our ancient
language from further decay and to restore it to new life. To-day the Irish
language, although not widely spoken yet, is recognised our Constitution to the
national language of Ireland. Although the struggle for national self-expression
has been long and intense the people Ireland have never become embittered They
have all times sought to friendly with other nations, and more especially with
your great nation, which her own children helped to found and develop and under
whose friendly flag so many of them have found second home. In the name of
Ireland, therefore, I wish to all citizens of the United States, and in
particular to all of American and Irish descent combined, a very happy
Christmas and a prosperous New Year’.
The message was recorded
by Radio Eireann and rebroadcast for domestic consumption at 1.30pm on
Christmas Day. His new status as President even afforded him the pleasure of
listening to one of his plays being performed and broadcast by Radio Eireann
that Christmas. On December 23rd ‘Beith Chriost’, a nativity play
was produced by Sighle Ni Dhonnachada for the station.
Weeks later in January
1939, President Hyde was once again due to broadcast on behalf of Ireland to
the United States and further afield. As part of the New York World’s Fair a
series of programmes from around the world title ‘Salute of The Nations’ would
be broadcast across the US and globally by short wave. Ireland’s contribution
would feature Hyde, Eamon DeValera and a host of Irish entertainers. Hyde’s
broadcast in December from his home was a tortuous experience for the veteran
Statesman. Despite the honour of being elected the first Irish president,
Douglas Hyde was suffering the pain of loss. Just months before he was sworn in
at Dublin Castle in June 1938, his wife Lucy (nee Kurtz) died on December 31st
1937. The efforts to broadcast from Roscommon as the first anniversary of his
wife’s death approached. Weighed heavily on the President.
As each day from January
1st to April, a different nation would offer a glimpse of their nation. January
8th was Ireland’s turn and the programme would be introduced by Hyde, just as
he had introduced radio to Ireland in 1926. On the day before the broadcast,
Hyde sent word to the Radio Eireann director T J Kiernan, that ‘owing to the
bereavement he would not be taking part in the broadcast. Kiernan told the
Evening Herald that ‘no alternative arrangements will be made’.
He went onto to say that,
‘Mr.
de Valera will broadcast for ten minutes, and Ireland's contribution
will also include a selection by the Dublin Garda Ceilidhe Band and a group of
songs. Mr. de Valera. he said, would probably speak a little longer, and, if
necessary, the musical programme would be extended.’
The importance attached
to the ‘Salute to The Nations’ was illustrated as Robert Wood, Assistant
Director of Broadcasting and Television at the New York World's Fair,
travelled to Dublin to make final arrangements for the broadcast. Wood
told the Irish Press reporter that he believed that because of the large
Irish-American listenership across America, the Irish programme would be
extremely popular with audiences.
It will take place from
6.30 to 7 p.m., and will open with a greeting to America, to be followed by the
playing of the National Anthem by the Station orchestra. Music by the Dublin
composer, Victor Herbert, who won fame, in America, where he was very popular,
was be played. A piece from his " Irish Rhapsody" entitled
"St. Patrick's Day " was chosen. The Dublin Metropolitan Garda
Ceilidhe Band provided a medley of hornpipe and reels, and Maire Ni Scully from
Galway, and Michael Higgins sang in both Irish and English. The
programme was carried by 342 U.S. radio stations on all the major networks and
45 stations in Canada, while the International Short Wave Stations at
Schenectady and East Pittsburgh relayed the programme to Central America,
Australia, Africa, and all over Europe.
The Inauguration of President Hyde at Dublin Castle in June 1938
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