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Friday 26 June 2020

The Irish Presidency & Radio - Episode One Douglas Hyde


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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