 Down to the 1840s and even afterwards, Irish speakers could be found in all occupations and professions.The initial moves to reverse the decline of the language were championed by Irish Protestants, such as the linguist and clergyman William Neilson, towards the end of the 18th century, and Samuel Ferguson; the major push occurred with the foundation by Douglas Hyde, the son of a Church of Ireland rector, of the Gaelic League (known in Irish as ) in 1893, which was a factor in launching the Irish Revival movement.The Gaelic league managed to reach 50,000 members by 1904 and also successfully pressured the government into allowing the Irish language as a language of instruction the same year.