The 1916 Rising
The Easter Rising
The 1916 Rising in Dublin was a failed military exercise (April 24th – April 29th) .
However, it did create the political climate for Republicanism.
Planning & Confusion
- Roger Casement: ‘Aud’ was sunk by the British and Casement arrested trying to bring arms into Ireland.
- IRB Military Council. (Irish Republican Brotherhood) – Clarke/ MacDonagh/ McDermott/ Pearse/ Plunkett/ Ceannt
- James Connolly (Irish Citizen Army)
- Eoin MacNeill countermanded the orders for the rebellion on Easter Sunday, but the Pearse and the other leaders decided to go ahead with the Rising on Easter Monday.
Easter Monday-Friday 28th
- Padraig Pearse read the ‘Procamation of the Irish Republic’ outside the GPO on Easter Monday.
- Rebels occupied key buildings (static warfare) e.g. GPO, Boland’s Mill & St. Stephen’s Green
- The Rebels failed to take Dublin Castle, which was a key part of their plan to control Dublin.
- The British, who were taken by surprise initially, brought in more and more soldiers to put down the rebellion. By the end of the week, there were over 16,000 British soldiers in Dublin, about ten times as many as the rebels had (roughly 1,600)
- Gunboat ‘Helga’ was brought up the Liffey and began shelling the GPO. (headquarters of the rebels)
- General Maxwell was brought into Dublin during the week with the task of implementing martial law and putting down the rebellion.
Unconditional Surrender
- The Rebels surrendered unconditionally on Saturday 29th April 1916.
- All the leaders of the Rising were imprisoned and put on trial for High Treason.
- 14 rebel leaders were excuted except Eamon deValera, who escaped the firing squad due to his American citizenship.
