An Cumann Gaelach, QUB - 1920s & '30s

1920s & '30s

In 1920 the island of Ireland was partitioned with the six north-eastern counties becoming Northern Ireland, with Belfast as its capital. Although a majority of the population of the new state supported it, a significant minority were opposed to it, leading to clashes on the streets during the 1920s. This led to a polarisation in society at the time, with the Irish language becoming politically associated with Catholic Nationalists who rejected British rule in Ireland. The growing tensions greatly affected the Irish language movement throughout Northern Ireland and people's opinions of the language became tainted with sectarianism. This had a knock-on effect to An Cumann Gaelach and the University's Protestant community were not as involved in the Society has they had been previously. Between 1925 and 1929 the Society had more or less died out until an Irish language revival movement in the University around 1930.

In 1936 the Comhchaidreamh (interrelationship in English) was formed, an organisation that sought to create links among all University Irish societies. Queen's University's Irish Language Society had close ties with their counterparts around Ireland until the 1970s, with regular debates and plays organised by students, however, in recent years these strong links have weakened significantly.