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An Dr Diarmaid Ó Doibhlin writes
“Rose Maud Young (or Róis Ní Ógáin as she called herself as she made the step over into the Gaelic world) made an outstanding and indeed most significant contribution to the achievement of Feis na nGleann down the years. She had, in the company of her sister Charlotte, and her brother Willie been present at the very first Feis na nGleann, and throughout her long life she had served on the organisation committee of the Feis and frequently acted as adjudicator at the Irish language and storytelling competitions. Feis na nGleann, like other feiseanna throughout the country had grown out of the Gaelic League and had sought to restore confidence to the Irish people and to encourage them to take pride in and promote their own native traditions and skills. The rebuilding of that self confidence was crucial in the shaping of the new Ireland which was being built.
Róis Ní Ógáin had mastered the Irish language. She had gone religiously to Seán Ó Catháin’s classes on the F alls Rd in Belfast and was out and about in the Glens noting down songs and stories from local native speakers of Irish. For her the Irish language was the kernel of it all, and coming as she did from a strongly Unionist and Presbyterian background in Ballymena, she had the courage and the judgement to enrich her own life, not least through her contribution to the work and programmes of Feis na nGleann.
Is tábhachtach agus is sonraíoch an dóigh ar chuir Róis Ní Ógáin le forás, le himeachtaí agus le beartais Fheis na nGleann. Bhí sí féin, a deirfiúr Charlotte agus a dearthair Willie i láthair ag an chéad Feis dá raibh ariamh ann sa bhliain 1904 agus bhí sí mar bhall den choiste stiúrtha thar na blianta, agus mar mholtóir go minic ar na comórtais scéalaíochta agus comórtais cheoil.
Is ó Chonradh na Gaeilge a tháinig an bunsmaoineamh feiseanna a eagrú ar fud na tire agus is í an aidhm a bhí leo féinmhuinín a chothú sa phobal agus athnuachán spioraid, agus meas ar an dúchas.
B’í an Ghaeilge, dar le Róis Ní Ógáin, bun agus brí an scéil.Bhí sí indiaidh máistreacht a fháil ar an teanga ag na ranganna Gaeilge a bhí a dtabhairt ag Seán Ó Catháin ag Choláiste Chomhghaill ar Bhóthar na bhFál i mBéal Feirste, agus bhíodh sí amuigh ag súil na tíre sna gleannta seo ag comhrá agus ag scéalaíocht leis na cainteoirí dúchais deireannacha a bhí ar fail. Ba Preisbítéirigh agus b’Aondachtóirí láidre a muintir, agus bhí de bhreithiúnas agus de neamhspleáchas intí gur éirigh leí a riar fein de dhúchas na nGael in Éirinn a ghabháil agus a saol a shaibhriú da reir.
