•Although most Nationalists in Ireland were prepared to wait to the end of the war for Home Rule, there were some who did not want to wait and were prepared to use violence to achieve, not just Home Rule but complete independence. There people were called Republicans.
•They wanted an Irish Republic: This is an independent Ireland, completely separate from the United Kingdom and ruled by a president.
•They believed that - ‘England’s difficulty is Ireland’s opportunity.’
•This meant that they thought the First World War had given Ireland the opportunity to have a Rising and make it an independent Republic . One of these groups was called the IRB – Irish Republican Brotherhood.
•They wanted an Irish Republic: This is an independent Ireland, completely separate from the United Kingdom and ruled by a president.
•They believed that - ‘England’s difficulty is Ireland’s opportunity.’
•This meant that they thought the First World War had given Ireland the opportunity to have a Rising and make it an independent Republic . One of these groups was called the IRB – Irish Republican Brotherhood.
|
IRB: THE IRISH REPUBLICAN BROTHERHOOD:
|
|
|
THE IRISH VOLUNTEERS
|
|
|
THE IRISH CITIZEN ARMY :
|
|
•An educator, poet and Irish Language activist. He was influenced by Catholicism and Irish mythology.
He believed in the idea of a ‘BLOOD SACRIFICE’ and martyrdom – This was the idea that sacrificing your life in fighting for Ireland would gain historical immorality and be the supreme sacrifice to obtain Irish freedom (It was to represent Christ on the Cross and this type of Sacrifice- the reason for it being the EASTER RISING)
|
•As a socialist Connolly wanted an Irish Republic belonging to the working-class people, regardless of religion this Irish workers Republic would belong to all citizens.
•He believed that British rule and capitalism needed to be overthrown to gain real Irish independence.. •At first he was not supportive of the idea of a ‘blood sacrifice’ but after the war became more militant he formed an alliance with the IRB. In 1916 he joined their military council. An alliance with republicans could help him achieve his own goals. |
|
On Easter Monday 24th April 1916 a group of men and women march up to the General Post Office in Dublin (GPO). They unfurl a flag and read out the Declaration of Irish Independence…
‘Irishmen and Irishwomen. In the name of God and of the dead generations from which she receives her old tradition of nationhood, Ireland, through us, summons her children to her flag and strikes for her freedom. We declare the right of the people of Ireland to the ownership of Ireland, and to the unfettered control of Irish destinies to be sovereign and indefeasible.’ Padraig Pearse at the steps of the GPO, Easter Monday 1916……. The Easter Rising begins. |
|
|
1. Many Irishmen were fighting in the war with the British – therefore there was less men / manpower.
2.The British brought in soldiers and a gun ship called Helga. 3.The rebels were quickly surrounded. 4. Many Irish civilians and soldiers were killed in the fighting. 5. Parts of Dublin were destroyed. |
The rising was very unpopular in Ireland to begin with – especially in Dublin.
Civilians felt that the rebels were endangering their chances of finally gaining Home Rule. They felt they were ruining their city with huge damge to buildings and lives. They felt they were betraying those Irishmen who were fighting in WW1 with the British army. For many in Ireland the war had led to a form of prosperity with huge demand for Irish goods to help feed Britain and fight the war - plus many soldiers were now sending home a decent wage.
By Friday 28th April 1916 the Irish rebels were in a hopeless position and the British troops were winning the battle for Dublin. James Connolly the rebel commander was severely wounded. The rebels were forced to surrender, the rising was over and seemed to have failed. The leaders of the rising were arrested, as were the three women who remained with them.
The initial Irish reaction to the rising was not a positive one – however this was about to change.
- The British authority’s response to the Easter Rising became the greatest turning point in Irish History.
- The British rounded up about 3,000 people following the rising…many had no connection to it.
The British went on to make more mistakes in their reaction to the 1916 Easter Rising which ended up completing alienating the Irish people.
- 3,000 arrested
- 90 were on death row condemned to be executed.
- They began to execute 15 of the rebels by firing squad, including Connolly who was seriously wounded and tied to a chair to be shot.
- It was only the reaction of the Irish people to the executions that led to those on death row having their executions stopped.
The Easter Rising was initially poorly supported and in many cases hated by the Irish population in the short term., However, the British reaction to the rising would lead to huge implications and would prove e a long term success for Irish Republicans, helping create the Irish Free State and leading later on to the Irish Republic.
The women who had been involved in the preparation for the rebellion insisted on their right to take part in the rising itself. About 200 women participated in the fighting of Easter Week – most of them were members of Cumann na mBan (League of Women', was formed in 1914 as an auxiliary corps, to complement the Irish Volunteer Force (IVF) or the Irish Citizen Army.
Although excluded at first, women were reluctantly allowed to join the fighting on Easter Monday – they were given largely non-combat roles such as cooking, nursing and washing up. Most of the Irish rebels believed that women should be confined to roles suitable to their gender. The Irish Citizen Army gave its members more of a military role – most ICA female members were armed, although few took part in the combat. The most prominent role of the female rebels was to carry messages about orders, and also weapons and ammunitions through the Dublin streets during the combat.
Around 80 women were arrested by the end of Easter week despite the fact that it had been largely assumed that women would not be arrested. Many women insisted to the British soldiers that they wanted to be treated like the male rebels and thus demanded the same treatment. They were initially held in unhygienic and crowded facilities but most were released after one or two weeks.
Although excluded at first, women were reluctantly allowed to join the fighting on Easter Monday – they were given largely non-combat roles such as cooking, nursing and washing up. Most of the Irish rebels believed that women should be confined to roles suitable to their gender. The Irish Citizen Army gave its members more of a military role – most ICA female members were armed, although few took part in the combat. The most prominent role of the female rebels was to carry messages about orders, and also weapons and ammunitions through the Dublin streets during the combat.
Around 80 women were arrested by the end of Easter week despite the fact that it had been largely assumed that women would not be arrested. Many women insisted to the British soldiers that they wanted to be treated like the male rebels and thus demanded the same treatment. They were initially held in unhygienic and crowded facilities but most were released after one or two weeks.
Kathleen Lynn and her partner Madeleine Ffrench-Mullen were doctors, suffragettes and revolutionaries. They took part in the Rising and were briefly imprisoned in Kilmainham Gaol.
Constance Markievicz is perhaps the most well-known woman to fight in the Easter Rising. She was a revolutionary nationalist from an upper-class background. She was also a suffragette. Markievicz was made an officer in the Irish Citizen Army and on Easter Monday served as second in command at Stephen’s Green. After the rebels surrendered Markievicz was arrested and sentenced to death – this sentenced was reduced to imprisonment due to her gender.
|
|
|
Nurse Elizabeth O’Farrell was the woman who carried Padraig Pearse’s message seeking the end to hostilities during the 1916 Rising but she was airbrushed out of the photograph of Pearse surrendering to Brigadier General Lowe.
According to an account Farrell gave to Cisterian monks in 1956, she took a step back when the photograph was being taken so as not to appear in the photograph though she is still visible. Nevertheless, the Daily Sketch in London published the photograph three weeks later and removed all trace of her, giving the impression Pearse had surrendered alone.
“The unveiling of the painting in the Seanad rectifies in a very small way that historic wrong to Elizabeth O’Farrell.”
He added that “it symbolises the all too frequent airbrushing of the contribution of women from Irish history”.
According to an account Farrell gave to Cisterian monks in 1956, she took a step back when the photograph was being taken so as not to appear in the photograph though she is still visible. Nevertheless, the Daily Sketch in London published the photograph three weeks later and removed all trace of her, giving the impression Pearse had surrendered alone.
“The unveiling of the painting in the Seanad rectifies in a very small way that historic wrong to Elizabeth O’Farrell.”
He added that “it symbolises the all too frequent airbrushing of the contribution of women from Irish history”.
The execution of the Rebels in 1916 caused a massive change in peoples opinions towards the rebels and towards the British. The rebels became Martyrs and many people began to demand not just Home Rule but full Independence for Ireland.
After The Easter Rising the small and almost unknown Irish republican party Sinn Fein, were mistakenly blamed for organising the rising as demonstrated by the front page headline of this newspaper.
So if public opinion has changed to now support the Rising… And Sinn Fein are being MISTAKINGLY blamed for the Easter Rising…
Sinn Fein are going to be able to use this mistake to their advantage and gain political support for their party. Soon Sinn Fein would be used as the clear party of Irish Republicanism that became increasingly popular
De Valera was a surviving leader of the 1916 Easter Rising and the leader of Sinn Fein.
Why was De Valera not executed like the other 1916 leaders?
De Valera was not a signatory of the Easter Proclamation, which he had no part whatsoever in drafting. He saw himself not as a leader but as a follower, as a soldier obedient to the orders of his senior officers.
It is not generally known how de Valera escaped execution but is often thought it is due to the intervention of the US, following a request by Mrs De Valera to the American Ambassador. De Valera was born in the US.
Why was De Valera not executed like the other 1916 leaders?
De Valera was not a signatory of the Easter Proclamation, which he had no part whatsoever in drafting. He saw himself not as a leader but as a follower, as a soldier obedient to the orders of his senior officers.
It is not generally known how de Valera escaped execution but is often thought it is due to the intervention of the US, following a request by Mrs De Valera to the American Ambassador. De Valera was born in the US.
After the rising the execution of the leaders led to the boom of one political party – SINN FEIN. Sinn Fein had not really taken part in the rising but many people linked them to it and therefore its support began to rocket.
Sinn Fein stood for a complete break from Britain – an Independent Ireland.
In 1918 the war was going badly for Britain. They needed more soldiers as there had been a large number of casualties and deaths within the British Army.
In England they had introduced CONSCRIPTION – this was compulsory military service for men of the right age. This had not been applied to Ireland but was being considered in 1918. Irish people were outraged by the threat of conscription and being forced into the British army. They began to follow Sinn Fein.
Before the war the Constitutional Nationalist party the IPP (Irish Parliamentary Party), who had campaigned for so long for Home Rule, were by far the largest party in Ireland. They were dedicated to peaceful ways of getting Home Rule. When the General election of 1918 came it was clear to see how quickly thing had changed-
Sinn Fein won 73 out of 105 seats in Ireland – this was a huge victory! It showed how Irish public opinion changes they were no longer happy with Home Rule and instead wanted complete Independence.
Sinn Fein began pulling its members out of the British House of Commons and starting their own parliament – They set up their own Parliament - Dail Eireann. This was in effect declaring independence for Ireland.
Before the war the Constitutional Nationalist party the IPP (Irish Parliamentary Party), who had campaigned for so long for Home Rule, were by far the largest party in Ireland. They were dedicated to peaceful ways of getting Home Rule. When the General election of 1918 came it was clear to see how quickly thing had changed-
Sinn Fein won 73 out of 105 seats in Ireland – this was a huge victory! It showed how Irish public opinion changes they were no longer happy with Home Rule and instead wanted complete Independence.
Sinn Fein began pulling its members out of the British House of Commons and starting their own parliament – They set up their own Parliament - Dail Eireann. This was in effect declaring independence for Ireland.
On the same day that the Dail was established two Irish Volunteers shot two Royal Irish Constabulary officers in Soloheadbeg in Tipperary. This is officially marked the beginning of the War of Independence also known as the Anglo-Irish War.
Daniel Breen was one of the two Irish Volunteers.
They were convinced that a republic could only be gained by force. Some had been preparing for action since shortly after the Easter Rising. From necessity, they adopted a guerrilla campaign. A conventional war of large-scale open conflict was not feasible, given their lack of men, training and arms. They were organised initially into numerous small, fragmented, fiercely independent units who, acting on their own initiative, launched frequent low-level surprise attacks. They then melted back into the civilian population.
Daniel Breen was one of the two Irish Volunteers.
They were convinced that a republic could only be gained by force. Some had been preparing for action since shortly after the Easter Rising. From necessity, they adopted a guerrilla campaign. A conventional war of large-scale open conflict was not feasible, given their lack of men, training and arms. They were organised initially into numerous small, fragmented, fiercely independent units who, acting on their own initiative, launched frequent low-level surprise attacks. They then melted back into the civilian population.
|
|
The war of independence was a very bloody war which saw thousands die on both sides.
The IRA targeted the Police. They began to ambush and kill them and often stole their weapons to use themselves.
The BRITISH responded to these attacks by sending in the BLACK AND TANS.
These were violent ex-soldiers who would often use violent methods in Ireland.
Angered by IRA killings, and frustrated by their inability to get to grips with their elusive enemy, the men of these units were responsible for many atrocities. These included torture, extra-judicial killings and the burning of houses and businesses of nationalist sympathisers.
These actions did not only fail to crush their enemies, but also gave substance to the propaganda campaign waged to discredit the British in the eyes of the world.
•The most notorious incident of the war took place on a day remembered as ‘Bloody Sunday’.
•On 21 November 1920, Collins’s squad successfully targeted a group of British spies and shot them dead. In revenge, that afternoon, a massacre ensued at Croke Park football ground, where a group of British soldiers fired into the crowd.
Eventually by 1921 the IRA were running out of supplies and the British out of patience and money. They both came to an agreement which would CHANGE IRELAND FOREVER!
•On 21 November 1920, Collins’s squad successfully targeted a group of British spies and shot them dead. In revenge, that afternoon, a massacre ensued at Croke Park football ground, where a group of British soldiers fired into the crowd.
Eventually by 1921 the IRA were running out of supplies and the British out of patience and money. They both came to an agreement which would CHANGE IRELAND FOREVER!
GOVERNMENT OF IRELAND ACT AND PARTITION
After more than 2 years of fighting the British Government led by Lloyd George and the IRA led by Michael Collins sat down to negotiate.
In 1920 a treaty (agreement) was reached between the British Government and Michael Collins (on behalf of Sinn Fein). Ireland was partitioned in 1921 – this created two new countries:
Northern Ireland and The Irish Free State.
Northern Ireland and The Irish Free State.
A TREATY was signed which led to the GOVERNMENT OF IRELAND ACT. This agreed that:
1.Ireland would be divided (temporarily)
2.The 26 Southern counties would be called EIRE – The IRISH FREE STATE.
3.EIRE would have its own Parliament but the British King would still be head of state.
4.Northern Ireland would be made up of 6 of the 9 counties of Ulster (Monaghan, Donegal and Cavan were left out as they had Catholic majorities) It had its own Parliament at Stormont.
YOUTUBE VIDEOS
|
|
|
|
KAHOOT REVISION QUIZZES
Game PIN: 008258702 |
Game PIN: 005284561 |
|
|