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Ireland: The Struggle for Independence (1916 Easter Rising (many IRB were…
Ireland: The Struggle for Independence
Home Rule
Act of Union 1801, Ireland and Britain
most Irish MP's Irish Parliamentary Party IPP, main aim was Home Rule known as Home Rule Party, led by John Redmond
Nationalists and Unionists
nationalists wanted independent nation and were Catholic who supported Home Rule
Unionists were mainly Protestant, voted for Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) Edward Carson
feared Home Rule as they would suffer discrimination, Home Rule is Rome Rule
Politics in Britain
Liberals and Conservatives led by Herbert Asquith and Andrew Bonar Law, Liberals promised Home Rule to IIP
House of Commons and House of Lords, House of Commons come up with bills and send to House of Lords to agree, House of Commons elected house of lords full of lords
House of Lords vetoed Home Rule every time
1911 - 1914
King George V decided to change veto law as he was fed up with the Lords as the House of Commons tried to Introduced new taxes for rich which they blocked, George tired of itnerferenece
Threatened to take away power unless they agreed to Parliament Act 1911, could only veto twice, this meant by 1914 Ireland would have Home Rule
Nationalists celebrated Unionists were angry, signed a petition against home Rule called the Solemn League and Covenant, organised by Edward Carson and James Craig
Set up an army in 1913 called the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) 50,000 members, smuggled in 35,000 arms and 5 mil rounds at Larne in Antrim, not opposed by RIC
Nationalist unhappy with these events and set up army to counter the UVF, set up IVF set up by Eoin MacNeill
26 July 1914 tried to smuggle weapons through Howth but faced great opposition from RIC, police was sympathetic to unionists, civil war was on the cards
World War I
August 1914 WWI began, Britain postponed the introduction of Home Rule
Edward Carson and John Redmond asked UVF and IVF to fight for England as they wanted Britains support
John Redmond made a speech at Woodenbridge, Co Wicklow urging IVF to fight, Eoin MacNeill and 10% didn't fight
1916 Easter Rising
total independence, republic
republicans believed the only way to get a republic was through violent rebellion and change from nationalism to republicanism started with 1916 rising
some republicans part of secret organisation called IRB, Patrick Pearse, Eamonn Ceannt, Sean MacDiarmada, Tom Clarke, Tomas MacDonagh and Jospeh Plunkett
all of the men signed 1916 Proclamation of Irish Independence, Britains difficulty is Ireland's opportunity
many IRB were part of IVF and didn't fight in WWI, planned to use IVF in rising
MacNeill agreed so long as IRB got weapons from Germany, Roger Casement was sent, gained support of ICA led by James Connolly pg 370 details
Casement was caught on the Aud, MacNeill pulled out and IRB went ahead with Rising as Pearce believed in blood sacrifice
24 April 1916, took over GPO, Boland's Mill, Jacob's Factory and St Stephen's Green, ICA led by Countess Markievicz took Stephen's Green
Proclamation read out by Pearce on steps of GPO, 1250 men were in rising very little defense, Easter Monday the British were off
Sir John Maxwell controlled British forces, 16 000 men by end of week, Helga came up Liffey
Rising Fails
ended in 6 days, most British casualties happened at the Battle of Mount Street Bridge where inexperience Brits called Sherwood Forresters were shot
Dublin centre destroyed, people unhappy with rebellion, mood changed when leaders were executed rebels and leaders in Kilmainham between 3 - 12 May
many innocent men rounded up and sent to Frongoch a prison camp in Wales, led to shift to republicanism and rise of SInn Féin who were blamed for Rising
Sinn Féin
Set up by Arthur Griffith 1905, not many seats before 1916, blamed for Rising as IRB unknown
gained support from sympathy, Eamonn De Valera soon replaced Griffith, became republican party
De Valera was leader at Boland's Mills but wasn't executed as the British stopped executions after public outcry, only surviving leader became very popular