EASTER RISING IN IRELAND (1916)

Above: Historical Map of Ireland (click map to enlarge)

In 1916 took place the Easter Rising or Easter Rebellion in Ireland. It was a rebellion by the Irish Republican Brotherhood, headed by Pearse and Clarke against the British Government in Ireland and started on Easter Monday (21st April) in Dublin.

Above: People dashing in fright during the general strike in Dublin (1913)

The Brotherhood was revolutionary society within the nationalist organization of Irish Volunteers. The latter had a large following of about 16,000 and was well armed with illegal German weapons which had found its way into the country during World War I. There was another outfit known as the Irish Citizen Army comprising of Dublin workers. The latter organized themselves after the failure of a general strike in 1913. That apart there was the Sinn Fein party.

Above: Irish patriot escorting Sir Roger Casement after being charged guilty of Treachery.

Initially it was planned to be a nation wide revolt but a string of accidents narrowed down its operation to Dublin alone. The British intelligence had been alerted and well in advance the Irish nationalist leader Casement was arrested on 21st April for possessing illegal arms. McNeill, at the forefront of the Irish Volunteers cancelled his previous orders of mobilizing the insurgents, but Pearse and Clarke remained undeterred in their plans.

Above: Ireland Patriots taking control of Dublin Post Office

About one thousand eight hundred members of the Irish Volunteers and Citizens Army took control of Dublin Post Office and other important centres of the city. Pearse declared the birth of the Irish Republic. The British immediately clamped down on the insurgents and for about a week Dublin witnessed street fights. Faced with artillery attacks the rebels had to surrender on 29th April.

Above: Side view shot of Patrick Henry Pearse

The administration ordered the execution of Pearse and fourteen others after court martially them. Ironically the rebellion had not gained much popular support but the executions triggered off a wave of protests and the executed leaders became martyrs, leading ultimately to the fall of the Irish Government.

Above: Eamon De Valera addressing to a large number of crowd in Dublin, Ireland

Until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 6th December 1921, Britain tried many times to take the reins of government but did not meet with success. Thus the Easter Rising marked the formal end of British rule in Ireland. From that time onwards Eamon De Valera, the senior most surviving of the revolt became immensely popular with the people of Ireland.

Below: Picture of Eamon De Valera

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