Week 3 - The Easter Rising
The 1916 Easter Rising, also known as the Easter Rebellion is a significant time in recent Irish History. As the name suggests this armed insurgence took place in April 1916, Easter week and lasted 6 days from Easter Monday. It marked the rejection of British Rule by the Irish Republicans and represented the hope for an independent Ireland. Members of the Irish volunteers, led by Padraig (Patrick) Pearse along with James Connolly's Irish Citizen Army and the 200 women of the Cumann na mBan seized various locations across Ireland, most famously the General Post Office in Dublin.
Due to a heavy resistance from the British Army and after many casualties Pearse agreed to an unconditional surrender on Saturday 29th April. More than 2,600 people were injured and 485 people killed during the Rising, 54% of which were civilians.
Complete some of your own independent research into the Easter Rising. Things you may want to consider for your research:
What led to the Easter Rising?
Which groups fought in the Easter rising and what was their motivation?
Who were the leaders of the Rising?
Where did the Rising take place?
Why were many men executed?
Was the Rising a success or a failure?
There are a wealth of sources on line. These may be useful to get you started:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rT8uFIbNrHw&t=6s - A great summary video of events
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0nbj2P0NSY - A long but very good and clear account narrated by Liam Neeson. It includes maps, footage and testimonies.
http://www.rte.ie/centuryireland/index.php/articles/chronology-of-the-easter-rising
http://www.rte.ie/centuryireland/index.php/articles/between-armed-rebellion-and-democratic-revolution
Remember to consider bias when you are doing your research. Are your sources Irish or British? Who is the author? When were they written? Are the sources historical statement or opinion pieces? etc.
Finally: Include your response to one of the questions in the comment box below. If you have further questions feel free to also post these so that others may be able to answer them.
From 1297 there had been a British government in Ireland, located in Dublin Castle, Chichester House and Parliament House. Republican ideals began to spread, particularly after the 1789 – 1799 French revolution. This sparked the idea of an Irish rebellion so in 1798 at the Battle of Vinegar Hill led by Theobald Wolfe Tone, however this was an unsuccessful attempt. After this the British began to fear the loss of power over Ireland so took parliament out of Dublin meaning Ireland would be souly controlled from London. An impact of this was that the Great Famine of 1945 was greatly neglected by Robert Peel’s government at the time who took a laizzez faire attitude towards the situation. The lack of treatment to the people began to ignite the dislike. Throughout the late 19th century the idea of Home Rule increased in popularity with influencers such as Isaac Butt and Charles Stewart Parnell. In addition to this there was a large cultural movement in the 1880’s and 90’s known as the Gaelic Revival in which Irish language, music or sports all grew in popularity.
ReplyDeleteThe IRB (Irish Republican Brotherhood) had been formed in 1858. It was a secret organisation and it is thought that it never had more than 2,000 members in it. It had one simple desire – Irish independence. In 1910, the IRB started its own publication – the ‘Irish Freedom’ – and all those men who signed the proclamation of an Irish Republic in Easter 1916 were members of the IRB.
By the start of the war, Irish politics had become very complicated. The issue of Home Rule had led to the creation of the Ulster Volunteers in November 1913. This group was against any lessening of the rule that London had over the whole of Ireland. The Ulster Volunteers had no problems flying the Union Jack. In response, those in the south had founded the Irish Volunteers in 1914. Possibly as many as 200,000 joined the Irish Volunteers but only a few thousands were ever trained in a military manner. Even if the Irish Volunteers had wanted to arm those who joined it, sheer logistics meant that this was impossible. When the First World War broke out in August 1914, the leader of the Irish Nationalist Party, John Redmond, accepted that the whole issue of Home Rule would have to be postponed until the war had finished. Many in the Irish Volunteers accepted this and men from all over Ireland rallied to the cause and fought in the British Army against the Germans.
However, such views were not shared by those in the IRB. As early as August 1914, the month war was declared, the IRB supreme council decided that the British involvement in the war would give them the opportunity to overthrow British rule in Ireland. The logic was that the actions of the government in London would be driven by what went on in Flanders – and the vast bulk of Britain’s military might was either abroad or in the stages of being sent abroad to fight. Therefore, British military presence would be sparse in Ireland. The National Volunteers, over 120,000 strong, led by Irish Parliamentary Party leader John Redmond, were pledged to support the British war effort and over 30,000 of them joined the British Army. The remaining 13,000 Irish Volunteers, led by Eoin MacNeill, were committed to keep their organisation intact and in Ireland until Home Rule was passed. The Rising was planned in secret by seven men, mostly of the Irish Republican Brotherhood or IRB, who had formed a “Military Council” to this end just after the outbreak of the First World War. They were, Tom Clarke, Sean McDermott, Patrick Pearse, Thomas MacDonagh, Joseph Plunkett, James Connolly and Eamon Ceannt. Their plans were not known to the membership of the Volunteers at large or to the leaders of the IRB and Volunteers, Dennis McCullough, Bulmer Hobson and Eoin MacNeill.
DeleteThey had arranged with the Germans for a large importation of arms to be delivered on Good Friday, April 21st, but this shipment was discovered by the British off Kerry and its cargo lost. At the last minute, the plans for the Rising were revealed to Eoin MacNeill who tried to call off the rebellion by issuing a “countermanding order”, but actually just postponed the outbreak from Easter Sunday to the next day, Monday.
The uprising mainly took place in Dublin, rebels held posts around the city. They didn’t, however, control the ports or the railway stations and the British could easily employ troops to suppress the rebellion. Initially 1000 men were sent and by the end there were 16000 men. The streets were filled with fire from the heavy artillery.
The fighting had catastrophic results the deaths were: 260 (about 54%) were civilians, 126 (about 26%) were British forces (120 British soldiers, 5 Volunteer Training Corps members and one Canadian soldier), 82 (about 16%) were Irish rebel forces (64 Irish Volunteers, 15 Irish Citizen Army and 3 Fianna Éireann), 17 (about 4%) were police (14 Royal Irish Constabulary and 3 Dublin Metropolitan Police). More than 2,600 were wounded; including at least 2,200 civilians and rebels, at least 370 British soldiers and 29 policemen. All 16 police fatalities and 22 of the British soldiers killed were Irishmen About 40 of those killed were children (i.e. under 17 years old) four of whom were members of the rebel forces.
The number of casualties each day steadily rose, with 55 killed on Monday and 78 killed on Saturday. The British Army suffered their biggest losses in the Battle of Mount Street Bridge on Wednesday, when at least 30 soldiers were killed. The rebels also suffered their biggest losses on that day. The RIC suffered most of their casualties in the Battle of Ashbourne on Friday.
There were also risings in county Galway, Enniscorthy in Wexford and Ashbourne in county Meath, but apart from an action at Ashbourne that killed 11 police, these caused little bloodshed.
Once the fighting was over General Maxwell quickly announced his intentions to “arrest all dangerous Sinn Feiners" leaving a total of 3,430 men and 79 women were arrested, although most were subsequently released.
In 1922 both parliaments ratified the Treaty, formalising independence for the 26-county Irish Free State (which renamed itself Ireland in 1937, and declared itself a republic in 1949); while the 6-county Northern Ireland, gaining Home Rule for itself, remained part of the United Kingdom. The Easter Rising had a large influence in the result, it showed the determination of the Irish people.
Elliott Wilkie
ReplyDelete12NMN
The Easter Rising 1916:
Leaders of The Rising:
Patrick Pearse-Patrick Henry Pearse was an Irish teacher, barrister, poet, writer, nationalist, republican political activist and revolutionary who was one of the leaders of the Easter Rising in 1916
James Connolly-James Connolly was an Irish republican and socialist leader. He was a member of the Industrial Workers of the World and founder of the Irish Socialist Republican Party.
Thomas Clarke-Thomas James "Tom" Clarke was an Irish republican revolutionary leader from Dungannon, County Tyrone. Clarke was arguably the person most responsible for the 1916 Easter Rising
Sean Mac Dermott-Seán Mac Diarmada, also known as Seán MacDermott, was an Irish republican political activist and revolutionary leader.
Joseph Mary Plunkett-Joseph Mary Plunkett was an Irish nationalist, republican, poet, journalist, revolutionary and a leader of the 1916 Easter Rising.
Eamonn Ceannt- Eamonn Ceannt, born Edward Thomas Kent, was an Irish republican, mostly known for his role in the Easter Rising of 1916.
Thomas MacDonagh-Thomas Stanislaus MacDonagh was an Irish political activist, poet, playwright, educationalist and revolutionary leader.
ORDER OF EXECUTIONS, 3 TO 12 MAY, 1916
Patrick Henry Pearse b. 1879, Dublin
Thomas James Clarke b. 1858, Isle of Wight, England
Thomas MacDonagh b. 1883, Co. Tipperary
Joseph Mary Plunkett b. 1887, Dublin
Éamonn Ceannt b. 1881, Co. Galway
Thomas Kent b. 1865, Co. Cork
Seán MacDiarmada b. 1883, Co. Leitrim
James Connolly b. 1868, Edinburgh, Scotland
Groups That Fought:
Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB): Formed in 1858, This organisation were the main strategists behind the Easter Rising.
Irish Volunteers: Formed in 1913, they were used as the main force behind Rising by IRB.
Irish Citizen Army (ICA): Formed in 1913, their main aim was to defend workers’ strikes
The Easter Rising took place Mostly in Dublin however there were skirmishes in the counties Meath, Galway, Louth, Wexford and Cork. Irish Volunteers were mobilised on Easter Sunday in several places outside of Dublin, but because of Eoin MacNeill's countermanding order that there would be no parades on Easter Sunday, most of them returned home without fighting. In addition, because of the interception of the German arms coming into Ireland, the provincial Volunteer units were very poorly armed. In County Galway, 600–700 Volunteers mobilised on Tuesday under Liam Mellows. His plan was to "bottle up the British garrison and divert the British from concentrating on Dublin". However, his men were poorly armed, with only 25 rifles, 60 revolvers, 2 of which belonged to my Relative for his company, which shows how under armed they really were. Along with 300 shotguns and some homemade grenades. However, many of them only had pikes. Most of the action took place in a rural area to the east of Galway city. They made unsuccessful attacks on the RIC (Royal Irish Constabulary) barracks at Clarinbridge and Oranmore, captured several officers, and bombed a bridge and railway line, before taking up position near Athenry. There was also a skirmish between rebels and an RIC mobile patrol at Carnmore crossroads. A constable, Patrick Whelan, was shot dead after he had called to the rebels "Surrender, boys, I know ye all"
Once the shooting in the streets of Dublin stopped, the Easter Rising of 1916 was over, the shootings in the jails started the British backlash ensured that minor poets, teachers and barristers became major martyrs. It could be said that the uncompromising attitude of a hard-nosed British commanding officer ensured that defeat was snatched from the jaws of victory. The 1916 rising was far from popular in Ireland, and especially in ruined Dublin. But the executions ensured that a revolutionary pantheon was created around Patrick Pearse, who was seen as the embodiment of the rebellion.
Should Have Gone at The Beginning
DeleteThe years leading up to the rebellion against British rule in Ireland in April 1916 were marked by significant political, cultural and military developments in Ireland and throughout Europe the rebellion became known as the Easter Rising. The Easter Rising was the rebellion to overthrow British rule in Ireland in 1916 to set up an Irish republic. The Irish acted on opportunity as Britain was caught completely unaware as it was completely focused on WW1.
Additionally, my great x3 uncle Peter Howley was part of the rising, the following is taken from his witness statement in 1921.
ReplyDeleteWitness
Peter Howley, Limepark, Ardrahan, Co. Galway.
Identity.
Captain Ardrahan Company Irish Volunteers,
Co. Galway, 1915 -;
Battalion Vice-Commandant later.
Subject.
Ardrahan Company Irish Volunteers,
Co. Galway, 1914-1921.
PG.10
It was kept by Padraig Fahy. We then dispersed immediately. On Monday I again met Padraig Fahy on his way to Killeeneen. I remember he said to me that he thought the rising would be postponed for about three months. About
midnight that (Monday) night or in the early hours of Tuesday morning I got a dispatch from Captain Mellowes. It was delivered to me by Michael Kelly of Coldwood, Athenry. The dispatch stated that the Volunteers were mobilised at Killeeneen and that the R.I.C. barrack at Clarenbridge was to be attacked. The dispatch went on to say that I was
to mobilise my company and take it to Tullyra, where we were to remain and guard the Galway/Ennis road. The
dispatch also instructed me to notify the Ballycahalan Company to mobilise and to await I went to Ballycahalan to notify that company as instructed. I gave the instructions to Captain Deeley or to John Coen, afterwards Captain of Kilbecanty Company. I cannot now recall to which of those two I gave the instructions. Two of my brothers, William and Michael, mobilised my own (Ardrahan) company and they assembled at my father's house at Limepark about 9 a.m. on Tuesday morning. We had instructions to be at Tullyra at 11 a.m. We marched the two miles from my father's house at Limepark to Tullyra and were there at the appointed time. I had about sixteen men in the company, all armed with shotguns and a plentiful supply of cartridges. There were also two revolvers, of which I had one. I got in touch with scouts from Kiltartan and Gort Companies. They scouted the road between Tullyra and Gort for the approach of British forces which Captain Mellowes expected to come that road. Thomas McInerney was chief scout and he kept in touch with Kinvara and other companies.
IDENTIFIED COMPANY CAPTAINS (IRISH VOLUNTEERS), GALWAY, EASTER 1916
Micheal Athy, Maree Company • John Burke, Kinvara Company • Patrick Coy, Kilconieron Company • Joseph Howley, Oranmore Company • Peter Howley, Ardrahan Company • Frank Hynes, Athenry Company • Nicholas Kyne, Claregalway Company • Brian Molloy, Castlegar Company • Gilbert