As I have already stated, Tone’s inspiration came from the French and the document that had been drawn up by the Enlightenment writers of that time, known as ‘The Right’s of Man’. It emphasised such ideals as liberty, equality, and fraternity, foremost being, ‘freedom of religion’, ‘the abolishment of the tithe’ ‘the electoral franchise’ ‘and elimination of excessive punishment’. Tone believed that if he could build the same secular movement in Ireland based on the same principles, he would have a force strong enough to break the link with England and Ireland would become a Republic.
There were a number of obstacles in achieving this, one mainly being that the United Irishmen were still a predominately protestant movement. Catholics did not share their ethuseasium for the French Revolution, nor did the Catholic Church because of the treatment they received in France and also the idea of a secular society would have been abhorrent to them as they believed that the catholic religion was paramount. Another contributing factor in Tone not being able to achieve his dream was the agrarian revolt that was happening in Ulster, his power base. The cause of this was due to the rise in population and Catholics being able to out bid protestant farmers.
Finally, Tone totally misread his countrymen, as to believe they would abandon long standing animosities. His plans were foiled, not so much by the strength of England, but by the deep divisions among his people.
Another nationalist organisation with some similarities to Tone’s ideals, was born out of the Repeal movement. They were known as the Young Irelanders and their name derives from other groups that had been sweeping across Europe at that time, such as Young Italy, Young France and Young Germany. Like Tone, their ideology was European inspired. It came from the Romantic era of Mazzinian. It was founded by Giuseppe Mazzini who believed that a Republican Italy was a stepping stone in producing a community of nations in Europe. (the members. gneth. Net/bubba/z 1999 mazzini. Htm)
The leadership of this movement was mainly protestant, including the leader, Thomas Davis, who was later to write the popular ballad; A Nation Once Again. This group advocated the development of a non-sectarian, cultural and inclusive nationalism, Irish freedom, and like Tone they believed religion was essentially a private matter.
They did believe in the use of physical force to achieve Ireland’s independence and to this end, some members were sent to France seeking help. They returned with a tricolour flag, green symbolising Catholics, white for peace and orange for Protestants. This was to be Ireland’s new emblem.
The Young Ireland movement helped to revive the revolutionary spirit of the United Irishmen, although they appealed to the history of Ireland, rather than ‘The Right’s of Man’. It taught that the rights of Irish Nationality were justified in violent revolution and it was this doctrine that inspired the militant nationalist movement of the 19th century.
The third strand of nationalism that this essay will discuss, is that of Padraig Pearse. His ideology was different to that of Tone and the Young Irelanders, but he wanted to achieve the same goal, a Republic.
Pearse began his revolutionary career in the Gaelic League. One object of this organisation was to encourage the teaching of Irish in schools. Pearse firmly believed that the educational system was a stepping stone for revolution, by instilling in the pupils a pride in their Irishness and making them aware of their cultural identity. It did work in the case of St Enda’s, an Irish school that Pearse set up, every pupil followed him into the GPO.(. Com/fianna/history/east 1916.htm) The Gaelic League also sponsored the writing and producing of Irish plays. This was designed to educate the Gaelic peasant, make them aware of their culture. This was known as the ‘cultural reawakening’ and Pearse believed this was the basis on which a more militarist movement would be formed.
There were problems in the Gaelic League and this concerned the resignation of Douglas Hyde as President because his original idea of involving all sections of society in the love of the Irish had been changed to the narrower definition of Irish Nationality-
‘Ireland not free only, but Gaelic as well; not Gaelic only, but free as well’.
Pearse’s nationalism had a strong spiritual basis and he steeped himself in the literature and art of ancient Ireland. He even saw himself in the light as a Irish messiah or Culculhain. This could be one possibility where he got his idea of a ‘blood sacrifice’, as both Christ and Culhulhain died to save their people. Or he could have been influenced by the violence that occurred in Europe during the previous two decades. Ultimately, Pearse believed that he would have to die for Ireland to become a Republic.
Pearse’s life was to take a further change when he was recruited into the IRB in 1913 and this was the second phase of the Revolution that the Gaelic League had initiated. This organisation planned and engineered the 1916 Easter Rising. The IRB provided a new breed of Irish Nationalists, who were utterly dedicated, extreme militant and determined to mount an insurrection based on the ideology of Pearse. (Mark Tierney p118) There opportunity was to arise out of the First World War.
In my opinion, I do not believe this is a simple yes or no answer to the question. What should be taken into account were the events that influenced their way of thinking. These individuals and organisations were a product of their time, but what they all have in common, is that they desired a Republic.
I do agree that Tone’s French Republicanism played little in Pearse’s ideology, as the French Revolution was between monarchy and aristocracy. ( ) On the other hand Pearse appealed to the working class Gaelic peasant through the promotion of Irish culture and their sense of identity, which Tone did not advocate. He believed that the Irish language was of a lower standard and that English should be the spoken tongue as it was a modern language. The Young Irelanders also believed in the promotion of the Irish culture on an inclusive basis. It was their organisation which brought the cultural reawakening into existence and to which Pearse was to develop.
I do agree that Pearse felt that a ‘blood sacrifice’ was needed to achieve Irish independence and I agree that it was partially influenced by Catholicism but I also believe that Irish mythology was a factor as he seen himself in the same light as Cuhulhain. I also have to question the rebellion that Tone was involved in and the fact that some 2000 men, many of them armed only with pitchforks and cudgels faced 30,000 English troops. Was this not an indirect form of a blood sacrifice by Tone, even though he was not involved in the actual battle; he must have known the rebellion was doomed to failure, especially since his troops were so poorly armed.
Finally, I agree that both Tone and Pearse were noble in their intentions and they each strived for their ultimate goal, a Republic. They had different ideologies in trying to achieve this and in my opinion it was events during their lives that influenced them in this. Only time will tell whether their dream will come to fruition.
