The Easter Rising

The Leaders of the Easter Rising

When World War 1 started in August 14, Britain forgot Ireland, Ulster and Home Rule Instead Britains attention was focused on the horrors of trench warfare.

The Irish Republican Brotherhood however had not forgotten about Irelands troubles and they saw Britains loss (fighting in the war) as Irelands gain. Only a few weeks after the outbreak of war they decided to devise a rebellion before the war had ended.

The I.R.B. devised a plot to overthrow the government in Dublin and start a new Irish Republican Government. They planned it for Easter 1916, in the capital Dublin. Patrick Pearse (the key person in the Easter rising), chose Easter for its themes of sacrifice and resurrection, which would provide an emotional environment background for a rebellion in which the I.R.B. (and many others) would die a martyrs death. Many people argued with Pearse's idea of 'blood sacrifice'. James Connolly, the Irish Citizen Army leader, disagreed with the idea of 'blood sacrifice', yet Connolly helped with the plans of the Easter Rising.

The Easter Rising was to be planned in two parts. First the rebels hoped to seize strategic points in and around Dublin using the general post office (GPO) as their headquarters.

The General Post Office after the rising

From these points the rebels would be able to control key points in and out of the city. The second part of the plan was for Irish Volunteers to start riots and uprisings which would then lead to the disruption of British communications. The I.R.B. hoped that Ireland and Dublin would then start a major revolt, removing the English from rule. Many of these plans were to be disrupted by British patrols. An example is the the Aud (a german ship carrying weapons that were to be used by the revoltionaries), which was found by a British patrol and sunk (with all the weapons and cargo on it). There also were many emergency meetings which led to the downfall of the rising as the organisation was poor.

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The Failed Rising?

Eamonn de Valera under arrest after the easter rising. Eamonn de Valera was saved from execution because of his american birth.

The Rising was a disaster. The British army was too well equipped and organised. Also, not many people answered to Pearse's call. At first it seemed the rising was a complete failure, the rebels were captured and branded as fools, being jeered at and laughed at by Dublin as they were marched away by the British who were cheered and given coffee and food as praise for getting rid of the rebels. About 90 rebels were condemned to execution, 15 of which were carried out. General Maxwell, the leader in charge of the executions, did the executions in a cruel way, causing a backlash of Irish anger and turning the defeated and discredited rebels into martyrs. The British prime minister intervened and ordered an end to the firing squads after 15 execution but it was too late. Scenes like the crippled Connolly being carried to the firing squad tied to a chair to be shot made the British lose the hearts of the Irish people.

Inconsistent British policy (with the release of the rest of the irish rebels) also helped ensure that there was now within Ireland a dedicated, organised group of republicans with the will to ensure that the aims of those who planned the Easter rising would now be achieved by different methods.

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The Rise of Sinn Fein

The Easter Rising marked the start of a huge shift in Irish loyalties. Irish politics was dominated by the I.N.P. before 1916, but its role was taken over by Sinn Fein(meaning 'Ourselves Alone'), a minor political group before the Rising. Sinn Fein played no part in the Rising and its leader Arthur Griffith, condemned the use of violence. Yet Sinn Fein gained the most from the Easter Rising because many people in Ireland and England confused Sinn Fein with the political unknowns who actually organised and took part in the revolt. So Sinn Fein was given credit for the Easter Rising even though they had nothing to do with it.

By 1917, members of the I.R.B. had infiltrated Sinn Fein and secretly taken control of the Sinn Fein organisation. During Sinn Fein's annual conference in October, Griffith was persuaded to stand down as leader. Eamonn de Valera - the only surviving commandant from the Easter Rising replaced him. Eamonn de Valera had a plan of "first battling England with votes, and if that failed, with rifles." This led to the Anglo-Irish War.