Ireland: From 1916 to the War of Independence

[KatieMorag]

The Turning Tide

The severity of the British response to the Rising was largely responsible for the
shift in Irish public opinion, but it would be an over-simplification to state that there was a clearly-defined before-and-after period; nothing is ever so clear-cut.
By Easter 1916, Ireland had been linked to Britain for hundreds of years. The form this relationship took varied greatly; there were some periods of semi-autonomy, and others of brutal tyranny and oppression. In the couple of centuries prior to the Rising, there had been several rebellions, all of which had left a lasting legacy. That the Irish sought independence was without doubt, but by 1916 most people had put their faith in constitutional nationalism. Even so, when the IRB (using other organisations like The Wolfe Tone Memorial Committee as a front) organised the funeral of ex-Fenian O'Donovan-Rossa in 1915, it was attended by thousands. Even Redmond's National Volunteers put in an appearance. It would seem that, whilst most people looked to Home Rule as the way forward, there was still a vestigual admiration for the heroes of the past, and for the cause they espoused.

[KatieMorag]

By the outbreak of war in 1914, it looked as though the hard work and perseverance of the constitutional nationalists had paid off, when the 3rd Home Rule Bill was passed. Its enactment was postponed for the duration of the war, but at that stage people were expecting the war to be over by Christmas. After over a quarter of a century working towards their goal, the Irish Party and its supporters must have felt the events of Easter week as a kick in the teeth. It must also have come as a huge shock, particularly to Dubliners, to see their city destroyed, with many buildings reduced to rubble. No-one had anticipated
an armed insurrection. The authorities at Dublin Castle clearly did not see the Volunteers or the Citizen Army as much of a threat, allowing them to march in the streets in uniform, even bearing arms. The general population of Dublin also saw them as a bit of a joke.

[KatieMorag]

Of the hundreds of people who were killed during Easter Week, the majority were civilians. By the time the fighting was over, the city was in ruins and people were living under the restrictions of Martial Law. Many had family members fighting in Europe. It is small wonder that the overwhelming reaction was one of anger. At Jacobs' factory the rebels were called "fucking slackers" and told they should be fighting at the front. After the surrender, as they were marched through the streets of Dublin they were verbally abused by the crowds. As one volunteer later said, "The Rising in Dublin was not popular in 1916." However this is not the whole story; there were many instances where the civilian population assisted the rebels and many people, even if they questioned the wisdom of their actions, began to feel a certain admiration for them, especially as the week went on. Peadar Doyle, who was at Ceannt's garrison, recalled that after the surrender "all along the route......we were greeted with great jubilation, particularly in the poorer districts."

[KatieMorag]

During Easter week, many Home Rule supporters watched the unfolding events with a growing feeling of admiration, even as they condemned them. One of these, Edward McLysaght, wrote: "My heart is with them and my mind is against them." After the executions, he declared that he was "utterly pro-them", and it is probable that many others experienced a similar shift in their sympathies. As the executions went on, so too did the growing sense of injustice. In addition to the executions, it emerged that 15 civilians had been killed in the fighting in North King Street, apparently by Crown forces, and that three non-combatants, including pacifist Francis Sheehy-Skeffington, had been murdered at Portobello Barracks. These atrocities surely contributed to the growing sense of anger felt by the Irish public.

[cosmo]

During Easter week, many Home Rule supporters watched the unfolding events with a growing feeling of admiration, even as they condemned them. One of these, Edward McLysaght, wrote: "My heart is with them and my mind is against them." After the executions, he declared that he was "utterly pro-them", and it is probable that many others experienced a similar shift in their sympathies. As the executions went on, so too did the growing sense of injustice. In addition to the executions, it emerged that 15 civilians had been killed in the fighting in North King Street, apparently by Crown forces, and that three non-combatants, including pacifist Francis Sheehy-Skeffington, had been murdered at Portobello Barracks. These atrocities surely contributed to the growing sense of anger felt by the Irish public.

Katie,

theres a very good book about this period, 'our war' , Ireland and the great war, it deals with the lead up to the first world war and duration, but it gives an irish experience of the 'home' 'front' and the politics and daily life , I highly recommend it [maybe you`v read it]. its an rte /ria book edited by john horne [ isbn 978-1-904890-50-8 ] I picked up my copy in London airport en route to Dublin 2008 and still like to look through it [as I did today]. maybe your local library might have or can get you a loan copy.

[KatieMorag]

Katie,

theres a very good book about this period, 'our war' , Ireland and the great war, it deals with the lead up to the first world war and duration, but it gives an irish experience of the 'home' 'front' and the politics and daily life , I highly recommend it [maybe you`v read it]. its an rte /ria book edited by john horne [ isbn 978-1-904890-50-8 ] I picked up my copy in London airport en route to Dublin 2008 and still like to look through it [as I did today]. maybe your local library might have or can get you a loan copy.

that sounds good Cosmo. I have "A City in Wartime" by Padraig Yeates which is also very good. The reason I started this thread was that my knowledge of the War of Independence and The Civil War is so scanty and with all the centenaries coming up I wanted to be able to understand and contribute to the various threads on those events and felt I had to take a look at the period preceding them first.......I'm learning as I read and write........

the book you've recommended sounds right up my street so thanks for the recommendation, I shall order a copy shortly.

[KatieMorag]

As it's Christmas I'm taking a day off from serious posts. However I found this website online, about Irish/Irish American music during World War 1........some nice pics of the sheet music of the time. Interesting to see songs about the war and also nationalist ones, reflecting the complex situation in Ireland during those years.
It would be great if people could post pictures from the era too, ie 1916 - 1919 - stuff like adverts, playbills etc., to give the thread a flavour of the times.

http://irishsheetmusicarchives.com/Galleries/Irish-In-World-War-I-Songs.htm

[DAMNTHEWEATHER]

As it's Christmas I'm taking a day off from serious posts. However I found this website online, about Irish/Irish American music during World War 1........some nice pics of the sheet music of the time. Interesting to see songs about the war and also nationalist ones, reflecting the complex situation in Ireland during those years.
It would be great if people could post pictures from the era too, ie 1916 - 1919 - stuff like adverts, playbills etc., to give the thread a flavour of the times.
http://irishsheetmusicarchives.com/G...ar-I-Songs.htm

........

[cogito]

December 1916, seven months after the Rising...

humpty-dumpty-dublin 1916.jpg

[cosmo]

December 1916, seven months after the Rising...

[ATTACH]70092[/ATTACH]

nothing showing cogs.

[KatieMorag]

nothing showing cogs.

i can see it........that's the sort of thing I meant, thanks Cogs

[cosmo]

can see it now...he didn`t fall ...he was pushed.

[KatieMorag]

can see it now...he didn`t fall ...he was pushed.

and he wasn't an egg either.......but I digress......

[KatieMorag]

The Turning Tide Part 2

As the executions went on, the sympathy of the public towards the rebels increased, especially as they began to know more about them as individuals, reading their writings and hearing of their poignant last meetings with their loved ones. As Tim Pat Coogan says in "1916: The Easter Rising": "Every paragraph, every poem, became another potent draught of emotion from the, by now, free-flowing fountain of Irish Nationalism." Initially viewed by many as traitors, the rebels were now perceived as idealists, and even those who had at first denounced them began to feel a growing admiration for their courage and tenacity in the face of insurmountable odds. This change in the public perception manifested itself in a number of ways, notably requiem masses, memorial cards, and rebel songs.

[KatieMorag]

As May went on and the executions continued, the British government came under increasing pressure to stop them. In the House of Commons, Irish MP John Dillon probably spoke for many when he said: "It is not murderers who are being executed, it is insurgents who fought a clean fight, a brave fight."
On 12th May, Prime Minister Asquith arrived in Dublin, where he ordered the executions to be stopped. It was too late, of course, for the fifteen men who had already been killed, including James Connolly and Sean MacDiarmada, who had been executed only that morning. They would take their places in the ranks of Ireland's national heroes, and the move towards radical nationalism was now irreversible.