Hyde also urged people to wear Irish clothes. What form these should take was less clear. The Victorians created romanticized versions of Irish traditional costume, a modern equivalent is the colourful Irish dancing dress. It is said that a group of London-based Irish, visiting Macroom feis (festival) in August 1900, were the first to wear the kilt - an interesting example of how malleable Irish culture could be.

The Gaelic League, established in 1893 to promote the Irish language, had nearly 600 branches in Ireland within 15 years, and some in England. In 1910, it successfully campaigned for Irish to be made a compulsory subject for matriculation to the newly established National University in Dublin. It also campaigned for St Patrick's Day to be made a national holiday, and this was achieved in 1903.

The revival of Irish was associated with the resurgence of Irish nationalism and the (questionable) view that looking back to Gaelic tradition was the only authentic way to be Irish. In The Path to Freedom, Michael Collins - who played a pivotal role in the War of Independence (1919-21) - wrote

while acknowledging that 'the biggest task will be the restoration of the language'. However, although the proceedings of the first Dail Eireann in January 1919 were held in Irish, this goal was never really achieved.

We know that some 19th century emigrants to England spoke only Irish as courts sometimes had to use translators to hear their evidence. Some 20th century emigrants resented the loss of Irish to future generations associated with bringing up children in England. One of the earliest novels in Irish was Deoraiocht (Exile) by Padraic O Conaire , published in 1910, about an Irishman living in London.

More successful was the Gaelic Athletic Association, established in 1884, which successfully promoted gaelic football or hurling throughout the country.

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