He had help at first from a few old people who spoke the language, and while at St Patrick's College, Maynooth, where he continued his studies for the priesthood from the year 1882, he spent his holidays in Irish-speaking areas in the north, west and south.
[citation needed] He served for a short time as a curate in the Diocese of Meath but because of his proficiency in the language was appointed to the re-established Chair of Irish at Maynooth in 1891.
He was aware, however, of its other aspects, adding that "even if Irish were to perish as a spoken language, it would remain valuable from the pure literature point of view".
[4] In a foreword he states: He was a founding member of the Gaelic League, which was created in Dublin in 1893 "for the purpose of keeping the Irish language spoken in Ireland", and later became its vice-president.
[citation needed] There is a statue of Fr Eoghan O"Growney in Athboy by famed Irish sculptor James Power.