He wanted a republican form of government for Ireland, similar to the Republican government of France(1792), based on the tenets of the European Enlightenment and the importance of the ‘Rights of Man’ . his idea was to break all links with the crown and he felt that this was the surest way to unite Irishmen in opposition to West Minister, establishing their own Irish Republican government.
Tone was soon to be betrayed by an informer and was exiled to America, from there he travelled to France(1796) where he sought support from France for the cause of Ireland. Although support was given Tone’ s efforts were thwarted due to the British spies in Ireland. Undaunted by this he tried again in 1798 where his troops were severely out numbered, whereas tone’ s men, all of 2,000 who were inadequately armed with pitchforks, faced the appropriately armed British troops of 30,000. Tone was later captured and rather than faced the British death squad he took his own life.
There were a number of factors that could have been attributed to Tone’ s failure, his organisation ‘United Irishmen’ was undoubtedly a protestant movement and he had little sympathy for the Irish catholic and the peasant culture. The catholic church was immediately against his plight as they facilitated the government and kept the people ignorant to the Revolutionary movements across Europe. Peasantry which was prevalent in Ireland was not a motivating factor for Tones revolution.
Another group of nationalists again tried to bring a united Ireland, these where the Young Irelanders, they were founded by Thomas Davis, Charles Gavin Duffy and John Blake Dillon. They arose from O’Connell’s repel over his attitude to using force to gain achievement, their aim was to achieve somewhat more than repel they wanted an independent Ireland. The movement was overtaken by the famine, however their revolution began in 1848 with a small number attacking the barracks in Ballingary, Co Tipperary. Again like Tones men they were ill equipped and without a radical plan and were easily suppressed.
The failure of the 1848 rebellion could be attributed to many reasons but its was mainly due to the fact that the people was so weak after the famine and where unable to have the ability or strength to carry it out.
Padraig Pearse was another Irish nationalist and he again wanted the same as Tone and the Young Irelanders but he believed that knowledge and education was the way to defeat the British. He joined the Gaelic League at the age of 21, were their purpose was to promote the Irish language and culture, which was to be identified as the ‘Cultural Reawakening’.
Pearse founded St Edna’s College(1908) and its curriculum was structured around Irish traditions and lessons were taught in both the English and the Irish languages. The league attracted militant nationalists and Pearse soon realised that it would take a lot more than education to defeat the British government. In 1914 he was recruited into the I.R.B. (Irish Republican Brotherhood) a militant body that believed in using excessive force to expel the British from Ireland.
The I.R.B. had given its support to John Redman, the leader of the Home Rule Party. The home rule bill was passed by the government however it was suspended until the 1st world war was over. Between times Pearse travelled to American(1914) to raised funds for his Gaelic school St Edna’s, after achieving this he then turned his attentions back to revolutionary matters. He returned from America armed with 1,000 rifles and was now convinced that Ireland was fully equipped and organised for a rebellion.
The supreme council of the I.R.B. said a rising should take place on Easter Saturday(22nd Apr 1916), but this was to fail due to setbacks like the weapons seizure and discovery of plans. The supreme council decide the Easter Rising should go ahead even though people knew about it. They decided to strike on Easter Monday and over 2,000 soldiers made a strike for freedom. The Easter Rising failed. Pearse’s belief in the Gaelic peasantry was somewhat different to Tones beliefs although they both believed in freedom for Ireland. Pearse did believe that he would have to die for Ireland in order that a republican Ireland would be the result of his death, (similar in many ways to Christ), he did believe he was the new messiah.
Pearse was later executed in 1916.
After examining and researching each of Tone, the Young Irelanders and Padraig Pearse’s fight for a republic, I can say that my views have swayed throughout my research. Having taken into account that the events and outcome of each of their plights was based on the common ground that they all wanted a united Ireland.
First of all Pearse’s view didn’t arise out of isolation, he had taken the view of Tone’s French Republicanism. However they both wanted the same thing but went about it differently. Pearse appealed to the Gaelic peasantry and want ultimate promotion of the Irish culture throughout, whilst Tone believed that the English language was the modern language.
I do believe that the ‘Blood Sacrifice’ of Pearse could have been his way to influence the Irish people to gain and achieve the republic he desired, then again what with Tone leading very few ill-equipped men into battle against many well armed troops was another case of a blood sacrifice, which I did find totally unethical on how Tone thought he could pull off such a rebellion.
The Young Irelanders also believed in the Irish culture as Pearse was then to develop upon, it was the Young Irelanders who introduced the cultural nationalism through their newspaper ‘The Nation’. I believe Pearse was not only inspired by Tone but also the Young Irelanders.
As I earlier stated, my opinions have been swayed throughout But I do feel that Pearse had the better objective, were he did have more men who were more adequately equipped for rebellion rather than Tone and Young Irelanders before him. They all had different ideas to expel the British but they all carried the same intention, A Republic.
Subject : Irish History
Title : Nationalism
Lecturer : Ann Douglas
Name : Liz Dalzell
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Bibliography
Mrs Ann Douglas(Jan-Mar) Lecture notes and handouts.
