Conradh na Gaeilge Learpholl

Before the founding of Conradh na Gaeilge, multiple Irish classes were available in the city, and these teachers would ultimately become involved in Conradh na Gaeilge when the first branch was founded in Liverpool, namely Michael Lowe and Kuno Meyer.

The branch that remains in Liverpool today was founded on the 1st of May, 1896, just three years after the establishment of Conradh na Gaeilge itself. The branch was named after the scholar John O'Donovan, whose son emigrated to Liverpool, also known as the "Edge Hill Branch", although soon became known as the "Liverpool Branch". This was the first branch to be founded in the city. This was followed by the establisment of six more branches;

The branch was known as the "Edge Hill Branch" as it was where Michael Lowe, founding member and teacher, lived. The first classes were taught in the school of the St Nicholas Pro-Cathedral on Copperas Hill. The school originally sat on the same site, although moved to across the street when the cathedral was demolished (where the LJMU building sits between Brownlow Hill and Copperas Hill). The first President was Dr John Bligh.

By the late 20th century, all of the other branches had disbanded.

Down the decades the membership of the Liverpool branch dwindled and it finally lapsed in the 1970’s. During the 1970’s and 80’s, Dr. Brian Stowell, a Manx nuclear physicist with a keen interest in the Manx and Irish languages, taught until his retirement in 1990.


On his retirement, Tony Birtill, one of his students, started to teach Irish in his place and continued weekly lessons. In 1990, he revived the Liverpool Branch of Conradh na Gaeilge and was Branch Secretary right from its re-formation. Tony, whose mother was born in County Meath in Ireland, was a passionate advocate of Irish language and culture and was the driving force behind the Branch. Apart from his profession as a third level college lecturer in economics, he was an acclaimed author and his book “A Hidden History” – the story of the Irish language in Liverpool” received wide acclaim.