Before the English could impose more laws on the Irish, another event occurred which would have massive impact - World War 1. This was the opportunity the I.R.B had been waiting for. They decided that another armed resistance should occur before the end of the War, believing that as most of the English army would be involved in the fighting in mainland Europe, their numbers would be weakened. The I.R.B. set up a Military Council, whose chief mission was to plan the rising, in secret.
The Council initially was made up of just three men - Eamonn Ceannt, Padriag Pearse and Joseph Plunkett. Pearse (1879-1916) was a poet and schoolmaster, but he was also a member of the I.R.B. with direct links with the Irish Volunteers. Later, Tom Clarke and Sean MacDiarmada joined the Council and by January 1916, James Connolly had become a member. Connolly had formed the Socialist Republican Party in 1896 and the Irish Citizen Army in 1913. He was later regarded by many to be the leader of the Easter Rising. Thomas MacDonagh joined the Council in April of 1916. These seven men were the 'intelligence' behind the uprising.
The Council continued to plot. They remained secret due to the fact that they did not have complete control over the military organizations and also because they knew that the Irish Volunteers Chief of Staff (Eoin MacNeill) opposed any military action against the British garrisons.
Roger casement went over to Germany to try and find men and arms for the rising.He managed to get the arms but he seemed to get very few men. The men in Ireland were mainly made up of Carsonite Volunteers and British sympathizers, but they were relying on more arms to be shipped from Germany. These were due to arrive between the 20th and 23rd April into Fenit, Tralee Bay. The Council had already decided on Easter Sunday for the rising since January 1916. The rest of the plans were very uncomplicated, many buildings in the centre of Dublin were planned to be taken over by the rebels. This was so that they would be able to take control of the city centre. By taking over the control of the centre would mean that they would have places to work from.
Pearse had ordered mobilization of the Irish Volunteers on 8th April to prepare for an Uprising on Easter Sunday. MacNeill, the Chief of Staff of the Volunteers, first heard about the planned rebellion on the Wednesday of Holy Week. He tried to prevent it from happening which caused some confusion among the troops. When MacNeill heard about the expected arrival of arms at Fenit he withdrew his opposition believing that the fighting was inevitable.
Unfortunately, the shipment of arms arrived earlier than expected and no one was there to meet it. The ship's captain, Spindler, could not convey the message that they had arrived due to the fact that there was no radio on board. By the Friday evening (before Easter Sunday), the British Navy captured the ship, and while being escorted toward Cork Harbor, the Captain and his crew sank her. There were 20,000 rifles on board.
The loss of the arms was a huge blow to the Council as was the news that Sir Roger Casement, an Englishman who had been instrumental in securing the arms, had been captured at Banna Strand. MacNeill ordered the Volunteers not to 'move' on Sunday and the Council's plans were thrown into disarray. They met on the morning of Easter Sunday, at Liberty Hall in Dublin, to discuss their next step. The mood of that meeting was somber - with the loss of the arms all chance of victory seemed to have vanished.
Despite the huge setback the Council leaders decided to carry on. The Rising was now given the 'go-ahead' for the next day - Easter Monday, but could only feasibly (due to the lack of weapons) take place in Dublin. Smaller Risings were still scheduled for Galway and Wexford, however. Pearse ordered the troops for action at noon.
Headquarters was the General Post Office in the center of Dublin, which Pearse, Connolly and their men held. Commandant Edward Daly held the Four Courts, the Mendicity Institute and many different central Dublin streets; Commandant Thomas MacDonagh was stationed at Jacob's biscuit factory; Commandant Eamonn de Valera held Boland's Flour Mill and various streets; Commandant Eamonn Ceantt was stationed at the South Dublin Union and Marrowbone Distillery and, the only woman, Countess Markievicz held, along with Commandant Michael Mallin, St. Stephen's Green and the College of Surgeons. All the rebel armies were now in place. The British were unprepared and little fighting took place on the first day of the Rising.
Dublin was quite on Monday because most of the Dubliners were out watching the horseracing at Fairyhouse. At 12.30 on Easter Monday, flags that had been sent for from Liberty Hall, flew over the General Post Office (G.P.0) one was green with a golden harp bearing the words 'The Irish Republic', and the other was a flag that had never been seen before. Pearse emerged from the General Post Office into O'Connell street, where he read the announcement of the Irish Republic or 'Poblacht na h Eireann' to a confused and puzzled gathering of Dubliners. Part of Pearse’s speech declared” We hereby proclaim the Iris Republic as a sovereign independent state” The seven members of the IRB now describe themselves as the provisional government, and pledged to run Ireland until it was representative of the whole of the people of Ireland.
The English plan to quash the Rising was a simple one - put a cordon around the central city Irish position and then use force to strike the headquarters - the G.P.O. At the beginning of Easter week the Irish numbered 1,800 and the British 2,500. By the end of the week the British, reinforced by additional troops, numbered 5,500. Despite being outnumbered and out armed the Irish put up a brave fight, which lasted for a week. Some of the consequences of the rising was that 450 people were killed and 2,500 more had been seriously injured. Also more that 2 million pounds worth of damage had been caused, lots of the damage was done by the rebels on Sackville street.
The inevitable attack on the G.P.O. came from the south, across the River Liffey, and by Friday, the British were in position to overtake it. The Rising had been a bloody war, the worst fighting and loss of life occurring at Mount Street Bridge. By Friday evening many central buildings were on fire, including the G.P.O. Pearse signed an order for total surrender on Saturday at 3.45pm, but officially, the Rising ended on Sunday 30th April.
In the aftermath, 15 executions followed which included all seven of the Council leaders. Eamonn de Valera was given a life sentence, which was overturned a year later. The Rising had been shortly unsuccessful, but it had made the Irish population more aware of the Republican Cause. The executions also caused widespread fury. The Rising sowed the seeds of an Irish Republic, which was granted in 1921 with the clause that Ulster should remain part of the United Kingdom. Also, de Valera was to become the new Free State's President in 1931.
The leaders of the Easter Rising of 1916 had partially achieved their aim. Today, Ulster remains tied to Britain, and the fight for a United Ireland continues. It is debatable however, whether the ideals of the rebels of Easter 1916 remain in the front of Irish Republicans' minds.
An Irish Mp criticises British policy after the Easter Rising. You are washing out our whole life’s work in a sea of blood. Thousands of people in Dublin, who ten day’s ago were bitterly opposed to the whole of the Sinn Fein movement and to the rebellion, are now becoming infuriated against the government on account of these executions. (Quote from John Dillon speaking to the house of commons, 11 may 1916)
The rising and an Irish soldier in the British Army. In 1916 I was in a Mesopotamia (Iraq) with the British Expeditionary Force. Outside the orderly room I saw a notice. It told us of the Rising in Dublin, and the executions of men I’d never herd of- I said to myself, “what the hell am I doing with the British Army? It’s with the Irish I should be. (Quote by Tom Barry, later a commander of the IRA, speaking in ‘curious journey’ 1982)
Who organised the Easter Rising? The newspaper and the public called it the Sinn Fein rebellion, although Sinn Fein had had nothing to do with it. So little of the risings neas seemed the only explanation. (Quote by Robert Keen ‘ Ireland a history 1980)
