How did the Eucharistic Congress and language and education policies contribute to Irish Identity

Question 1

Decorating the streets

Answer 1

The decoration of the streets highlights the importance of religion to Irish cultural identity.

Families decorated their houses with white and yellow bunting - the Vatican colours - and erected pictures of the sacred heart and other religious imagery.

The “City Decorations Committee” was formed to give advice on how to decorate houses and streets for the Congress.

All great buildings in the City were illuminated with floodlights and decorated with flowers.

The theme of the Congress was early Christian Ireland.

“It used to be called Dirty Dublin…… it is now a spotless city and festooned for the Eucharistic Congress”

An article from the Daily Tribune said that Grafton streets was decorated with ropes of greenery supporting the replica of St, Patrick’s Bust.

The amount of effort that went into decorating the cities and the theme Early Christian Ireland emphasise the importance of religion to Irish cultural identity

Question 2

Divisions because of unity

Answer 2

The Congress contributed to Irish Cultural Identity by promoting unity between Catholics in the north and south.

This unity had its disadvantages, however.

Protestants felt that the fact that the Congress was being held in Ireland proved their belief that a country that is 77% Catholic would discriminate against their religion and culture.

They believed that “Home Rule is Rome Rule”

Because of this, 100,000 Catholics that were heading to the Congress from ye north got attacked by Protestant protesters.

“From both sides of the track came the attack, smashing windows of cars and
severely cutting passengers”

Despite the violence, the unity between Catholics north and south strengthened their cultural identity.

Question 3

Eucharistic Congress (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1932

Answer 3

The Eucharistic Congress act highlighted how important Catholicism was to Irish cultural Identity.

Question 4

Revival of Irish arts and culture

Question 5

Massive turnouts

Question 6

Cumann na nGhaedheals process of de-anglicisation

Question 7

Irish in classrooms

Question 8

Fianna Fáil and Irish

Question 9

New Irish writing

Question 10

Tailteann games

Question 11

Failure to properly revive the language