As an Irish citizen, in my opinion, 1916 is the most important events in the History of my exceptional Country. Born and raised in Dublin, for me, it has a deep personal connection to the City where I was raised and a city that would shape who I was to become.
Even though I no longer live there, the City of my birth and formative years. It holds an essential place in my heart and within those memories of by early life are places associated deeply with 1916.
For me to try and write a single article on such an important historical event is impossible.
The battles, events and exceptionally heroic people that were involved in that faithful week deserve more than one small article.
What I will do is try to write a short synopsis of the events of Easter Week, to try to explain why these events shaped not just Ireland’s History, but the also the future generations that were to come after the heroes of 1916.
I am often asked what are the most important date in the History of Ireland and the first date that always comes into my mind in 1916.
It is a year that lives in my mind as the year in which Ireland became resolute on its independence and the actions and individual stories of a select number of Irish Revolutionaries would be forever immortalized in the annals of Irish and world history.
It was a cataclysmic event that set Ireland on the course of Freedom that was to mould the future of a small but fierce nation.
As a people we take pride in the heroes of our small but exceptional nation.
1916 is the year that made a dream of a free Irish Nation possible.
1916 is a date that inspires feelings of pride but also pain, anger and sorrow. It is a date that stirs patriotic emotions and is quite possibly the most crucial date and year in the History of Ireland.
Irelands history is long and complex but one thing is simple in my mind, The Easter Rising of 1916 set this small nation on a course of war and bloodshed.
It also put us on a journey of Freedom and gave us the tools and will to achieve a free Ireland, free from British rule to preserve everything that is wonderful about being Irish.
I was once asked by an American friend when is Irelands Independence Day.
After a pause, there is only one date that I can say, and that is the 24th of April 1916.
It is not just celebrated it is reverently remembered as the date of possibility the day the provisional government of the Irish Republic proclaimed our independence.
It is possible to say that this date was only the beginning with the War of Independence and Civil War that ripped Ireland in two.
The events of 1916 are referred to by many names, The Easter Rising, The Irish Rebellion of 1916, The 1916 Rising or simply the Rising.
Whatever name you use the events of that faithful week will forever be remembered and spoken of in reverend terms, those that sacrificed their lives for Freedom will never be forgotten.
Their stories are told as if they were still with us.
The men and women had a dream of what they thought Ireland should be and their dream for us was to become a reality.
Their ultimate sacrifice was to achieve a free nation for the future generations of our county.
A dream that in 1916 seemed almost unobtainable but is now our beautiful reality.
We are a nation born in the blood of our heroes.
Those men that laid down their lives without a second thought all for the love of their county and the love of their people.
The events leading up to the Easter Rising started with countless reasons. However the main reason was many people in Ireland wanted Home Rule and to be free of British Rule. A few visionaries had bigger dreams, those a free Irish Republic.
They did not believe that talking would gain the Freedom desired for their county and people.
They did not want to swear allegiance to a foreign power and wanted only to hold the rights over our own county.
With this in mind, they began to plan a rebellion that would make the world stop and finally listen to Ireland’s battle cry for Freedom.
This battle cry would forevermore be associated with The Rising of 1916.
A moment in time, in our long History that is forever burnt into our very being as a nation.
This was when Ireland once again rose up in arms for her Freedom
These brave men and women of Ireland, our founding fathers, our resolute heroes, put their lives down in the name of Irish Freedom knowing that this stand they were about to take would result in their lives being taken.
Knowing that they were going to give their lives so the future generations of this beautiful land could be free, free to govern ourselves.
These were the shots of heard around the world. The Second City of the British Empire descended into chaos.
The most powerful empire in the world was about to feel the flames of revolution wrap around its neck.
In the aftermath the cruelty that the Irish people had to endure for centuries was to become common knowledge on a world scale.
This small Country was about to show the world exactly how much they wanted their Freedom and to be recognized as a nation independent of foreign rule of interference.
The lead up to the Easter Rising of 1916
The planning and lead up to the 1916 Easter Rising is long and complex and summing up this in a short article is near impossible but I think it is possible to say that this was an event that was influenced by the many failed revolutions from our past.
At that time approximately 700 years of English Rule in Ireland and most of all a thirst from our brave leaders to obtain a free and independent Ireland, spurred The 1916 Rising forward.
The timing of 1916 was to be different from other Revolutions, Britain’s involvement in World War I gave Ireland an opportunity that it had never had before.
Britain’s distraction with the War was to become Ireland’s opportunity to obtain the independence that it had craved for centuries.
The Irish Republican Brotherhood Supreme Council made the decision to take advantage of Britain’s distraction with Germany, and decided that an uprising against the British Empire in Ireland should take place before World War I passed and the opportunity was missed.
IRB members Tom Clarke and Sean Mac Diarmada were to go on and plan The Rising.
In 1915 the Military Council was established consisting of Clarke, Mac Diarmada, Pearse, Plunkett and Ceannt.
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They needed guns, so they turned to England’s enemy Germany. Sir Roger Casement and John Devoy made arrangements with Germany to supply guns for the Rising.
The Irish Citizen Army and Trade Unionist James Connolly joined The Council. Thomas MacDonagh would also join the Council giving us the seven leaders and the seven signatories of the Poblacht na H Eireann.
Pierce issued orders to the Irish Volunteers as he was the Director of the Organization, these orders were to attend 3 days of parades and manoeuvres to start on Easter Sunday 1916, this was the call to The Rising.
The AUD, set sail from Germany on its journey to County Kerry. The ship contained 20.000 riffles and approximately 1 million rounds of ammunition.
Casement was onboard the German U-Boat, U-19. They were intercepted by the Royal Navy.
The Captain of the AUD scuttled the ship. The guns were gone and Casement was captured.
MacNeill who had been initially persuaded to go along with the manoeuvres planned for Easter Sunday, learn of Casements arrest and the loss of the AUD, confronted Pearse at his school Saint Enda’s, Pearse refused to relent on the planned action. MacNeill was to countermand the orders for the Irish Volunteer involvement in planned manoeuvres and published these new Countermanding orders in the Sunday Independent.
On the Easter Sunday morning 23rd April 1916 the seven members Military Council met at Liberty Hall in Dublin.
This meeting was primarily to discuss McNeill’s counter order to the Irish Volunteers to cease all military actions.
They decided The Rising would go ahead as planned but on Easter Monday 24th April 1916.
The Irish Citizen Army, The Irish Republican Brotherhood, Cumana na Mban and the Irish volunteers would join forces to be the Army of the Irish Republic.
Messages were immediately dispatched with great urgency to all units informing them of the new orders.
Easter Week Dublin 1916.
On that faithful morning of Easter Monday approximately 1200 members of The Irish Volunteers, The Irish Republican Brotherhood, The Irish Citizen army and Cumann Na mBan, arrived at key locations throughout Central Dublin.
It must have been a sight to behold with some members turning out in the uniforms of the Irish Volunteers and ICA , but some wore their civilian clothes with a yellow armband.
They were armed with rifles, shotguns, revolvers and pistols; some even arrived bearing pikes; they brought with them anything that could be used as a weapon.
Before midday, they began to take over buildings of importance to the British Administration in Dublin City.
Within the city centre there were 5 British army barracks that had to be subdued, most positions were chosen for their strategic importance.
They set up barricades to hinder the British army’s movements.
They secured positions Aid Stations, food and water supplies and evacuated civilians.
James Connolly, Padraig Pearse, Tom Clarke, Sean Mac Diarmada, Joseph Mary Plunket along with 400 volunteers marched to the GPO (General Post Office) on O’Connell street.
They took the building with ease, raised two flags over the GPO. The Tricolour ( first time since Thomas Francis Maher used the flag in 1848) and the flag of the Gael.
They evacuated civilians and Postal Workers and proceeded to set up their command centre within the building. Padraig Pearse stood outside the GPO and for the first time read to the world The Proclamation of The Irish Republic, Poblacht Na H Eireann.
The GPO became the headquarters of the Rebel Feces for the Rising. They sent out a radio broadcast to the world declaring The Irish Republic, all this was done in Morse code.
Rebels also occupied St Stephan’s Green, Jacobs Factory, Boland Mill and Dublin Union.
They took control of Bridges Railway Station and cut essential British communications (telephone and telegraph).
Members of Fionn Eireann took control of Magazine Fort in the Phoenix Park.
Sean Connolly left Liberty Hall to try to take Dublin Castle.
As Sean was leaving James Connolly stopped and shook his hand saying, “Good Luck Sean, we won’t meet again” Rebels under his command took over Dublin City Hall but failed to take The British Power Centre in Dublin Castle.
If they had succeeded in taking Dublin Castle the outcome of the Rising would have possibly been very different.
This is where the first shots of The Rising were fired, when Dublin Metroplitian Police Officer James O’Brien was shot while trying to close the gate of Dublin Castle.
The Major AJ Price fired shots and the rebels retreated.
Unknown to the Rebels the Castle was lightly guarded and could have been easily taken, but reinforcements arrived.
Sean Connolly was shot dead by a sniper while he was on the roof of City Hall following a fierce and deadly battle.
By Tuesday morning British Forces retook City Hall and had taken all the Rebels as prisoners The Rebels notably did not attempt to take Trinity College. 100’s of civilians were killed and wounded.
The British response was unprepared and uncoordinated.
On the Tuesday Lord Lieutenant Lord Windborne declared a state of Martial Law handing over power to Brigadier General William Lowe.
The British thought Rebel Headquarters was in Liberty Hall.
It is hard to imagine that while this fierce fighting was taking place, members of rebels families were delivering supplies to family members within captured buildings, all the time trying to avoid gunfire.
I often think of the parents who had children in the fight that they would have been able to hear the gunfire but were unable to help or save those that would be lost.
The British took back City Hall. Early Tuesday the British Troops took over The Shelbourne Hotel and the United Services Club which overlooked St Stephen’s Green.
They opened fire on Rebel forces forcing them to retreat to the Royal College of Surgeons.
Violent unrest and savage fighting continued to rip through Dublin. The Rebels did not take significant ports or railways, meaning that the British Forces could quickly bring in reinforcements and supplies.
Padraig Pearse walked out of the GPO and stood in front of Nelson’s pillar (which was blown up in 1956) to read a manifesto to the citizens of Dublin calling on them to support the Rising.
British reinforcements arrived. By weeks end British Forces numbered tel:16000.
Heavy field artillery with 18-pound munitions arrived and was positioned at Trinity and onboard the Helga which sailed eerily up the Liffey.
James Connolly did not believe that would bomb the second City within the Empire, but he was wrong.
The heavy artillery from Trinity College and the Helga impacted Liberty Hall, then on Boland’s Mill and O’Connell Street shaking Dublin to its core.
The British began to win back captured positions around the City.
The Rebels had to abandon the GPO after days of heavy shelling, the building was in flames and the roof was about to cave in.
James Connolly, the commander, was shot and was badly injured. They tunnelled into surrounding buildings to evacuate the GPO and took up a new position in Moore Street.
Carrying the injured Connolly with them on a stretcher. On Saturday 29th April, Padraig Pearse unconditionally surrendered to Brigadier General Lowe.
The Rising happened all over Ireland but the most vicious fighting took place in the streets of Dublin.
Dublin was left in ruins with 450 dead, 250 of this number were civilians. 126 were British, 82 were Irish Rebel Forces and 17 were police.
There were 2600 injured, and 2200 of these were civilians.
The vast majority of the Irish who lost their lives in the Rising are laid to rest in Glasnevin Cemetery.
In the aftermath 3430 men and 79 women were arrested, many of who were in no way involved in the Rising.
Most were transported to Frongoch detention camp in Wales.
These camps became known as Universities of revolution where the future leaders such as Michael Collins would plan the future of Ireland’s independence.
The Aftermath of 1916.
Those that took part in The 1916 Rising were brought to Courts-Martial and transferred to Kilmainham Gaol to wait for their impending death sentences to be carried out.
It was within the dominating walls Kilmainham Gaol that the cruelty which would forever change the course of Irish History would occur.
The 1916 Rising resulted in 3,509 people being arrested.
187 were tried at Court Marshals were presided over by Charles Blackader.
General Maxwell decided that the Courts Martial’s were to be held in secret and the accused were not allowed a defense.
This is why these Court Martial’s were later deemed to be illegal.
There was only one woman who was Court Marshaled, and that was the Countess Constance Markieviez who was kept in solitary confinement in Kilmainham Gaol while she waited for her sentence of death to be carried out.
90 were sentenced to death and 16 of these were carried out.
It is important to remember that the Rising was not a popular event among the normal people of Dublin.
In fact when prisoners were being moved to different locations around Dublin to await their fate, the British soldiers were in fact protecting them from angry mobs of Dubliners.
However the British actions against the leaders of 1916 brought the Irish people to the cause of Freedom.
Without those brave men a Republic would seem almost impossible but our people would join together in their honor and memory to help make their dream a reality, their sacrifice would never be forgotten.
Within Kilmainham Gaol they were led to the Stonebreaker’s Yard, blindfolded, six kneel, 6 six stand, the white handkerchief pinned to their chest, volley after volley rang out over the Gaol, the men dying where they fell.
Their light was to shine brightly in the name of Irish Freedom the rest of time.
Their sacrifice in the name of Irish Freedom never be forgotten.
Their ultimate sacrifice was to shape our History forever and would ultimately give us all the freFreedomat we have today.
Padraig Pearse – Kilmainham Gaol – May 3rd1916
Thomas Clarke – Kilmainham Gaol – May 3rd1916
Thomas MacDonagh – Kilmainham Gaol – May 3rd1916
Joseph Plunkett – Kilmainham Gaol – May 4th1916
Edward Daly – Kilmainham Gaol– May 4th1916
Michael O’Hanrahan – Kilmainham Gaol– May 4th1916
Willie Pearse – Kilmainham Gaol– May 4th1916
John MacBride – Kilmainham Gaol – May 5th1916
Eamonn Ceantt – Kilmainham Gaol – May 8th1916
Michael Mallin – Kilmainham Gaol – May 8th1916
Sean Houston – Kilmainham Gaol – May 8th1916
Con Colbert – Kilmainham Gaol – May 8th1916
Thomas Kent – Cork Dention Barracks – May 9th1916
Sean MacDiarmada – Kilmainham Gaol – May 12th1916
James Connolly – Kilmainham Gaol – May 12th1916
Sir Roger Casement – Pentonville Prison. London – August 3rd 1916
Upon a visit to Kilmainham Gaol I found myself guided through the narrow halls of that dark prison brought to the brink of tears by the names above the doors of the small cells, the names of so few that sacrificed so much for so many. These names are in our minds from our earliest days in school and to see where these brave souls spent their last hours on this earth is an extremely moving, humbling and humanizing experience. The fear, the bravery and the feeling of pride in the heroes of our past ran over me in waves of sadness, anger and gratitude.
Their last days and nights were spent in Kilmainham Gaol writing their last letters, written by hands of poets, revolutionaries and heroes that would never write again. Our brave and selfless heroes lay in silence as they prepared themselves to lay their lives down for Ireland’s Freedom.
The many stories of so many brilliant and enlightened people that I hope will eventually have the honor writing, knowing so much about them and upon a visit to Kilmainham I was seeing things for the first time through their doomed eyes.
For me, 1916 brings to my mind the silent resolve of the aging and brilliant Thomas Clarke, who dedicated his life to Ireland’s Cause.
I also remember Pearse writing his last letter to his beloved Mother and all the stories of their deeds come flooding back in that instant.
It is impossible not to think of the sick Joseph Plunkett and Grace Gifford, he was dying of TB and had spent what little time on earth he had left in the cause of Irish Freedom. The love story of Joseph and Grace preserved in the song we all know it was within the dark walls of Kilmainham Gaol that their faithful marriage took place.
A bride and a groom brutally surrounded by British Soldiers, Saying their vows knowing that Joseph was doomed to die at dawn, their faith in each other conquering all that came before it, but they could not conquer death.
After their vows they were ripped apart by the soldiers that witnessed their marriage, Grace evicted out of the prison, Joseph thrown back in his cell.
Later that night Grace was brought along this corridor to this dark cell to visit her husband for 10 minutes.
Two soldiers stood with a watch timing that faithful last meeting that would inspire one of the greatest Irish songs of all time “Grace”.
They said their last goodbye and Grace was forced to leave this dark prison.
The last goodbyes of all the condemned were sent out around Dublin.
The tragic loss, the cruelty was to become a wave that engulfed Dublin.
The last rights said by priests and friars, the final confessing and forgiveness of sins, last visits and tears of tormented sorrow.
The people of Dublin could not bare the sorrow, and the once hated rebels became heroes, martyrs to the cause of Irish Freedom.
Those final messages being delivered to the ones that they were about to leave, that would feel their loss so deeply.
Those that were executed will never be forgotten.
Upon a visit to the Stonebreaker’s Yard where the heroes of my past gave their lives for the future generations of Ireland, where these brave and selfless souls took their last breathes.
My tears started to fall, in pure anger and sorrow at the cruelty, in gratitude for the sacrifice and most of all pride in so few that helped to shape my own future.
In the Stonebreakers Yard are 2 black crosses, so poignant and silent but they say so much without any words.
One of these lonely black cross in the corner, is where James Connolly was executed, the cruelest of the deaths.
Connolly had been wounded in the GPO, carried on a stretcher to Moore Street by his men to a safe house until surrender.
Connolly was moved to a Field Hospital in apartments adjacent to Dublin Castle, here the doctors pleaded to the British to allow him to die peacefully in his hospital bed.
After the pleas were ignored for the life of a dying man, to spare him the trauma of facing a firing squad, those pleas fell on deaf ears.
He was placed in a chair as he was to weak to stand, so weak that he slumped in the chair, the order was given to tie him to the chair to keep him upright and the shots were fired, his lifeless body tied to a chair.
If you listen hard enough inside your own heart you can still hear those faithful shots that sniffed out the lives of some of Ireland’s brightest minds.
The word of the violent executions soon seeped like blood from the walls of Kilmainham.
The men once ridiculed were to become the inspiration of a generation.
They were the catalyst that set us on the course for Freedom, they were the men who died in the name of a free Ireland and because of them that Freedom rule ourselves to be responsible became not just a dream, but a reality.
The bodies of these brave souls were thrown into a quick lime grave in Arbour Hill Prison, an act of final brutality, to withhold a proper burial to the heroes of Ireland.
This act was quite possible to try to stop their burial site from becoming a shrine.
That wasn’t to work out in British favour as this site is the now a national monument to these brave, selfless men.
Those who changed the world for the better who gave all for the future and for the love of their county, our Country, their people forever grateful to those that would never see the future that they shaped in their own blood.
As unpopular as the Easter Rising of 1916 had been, the fires of temper that the executions of our brave heroes spurred in the people of Ireland would never be extinguished.
These flames of Freedom to engulf Ireland and its people in the fight of Irish Independence.
Those brave men knew they were going to die, possibly even before they entered the GPO and other locations around Dublin.
They knew that their deaths would not be meaningless; they had a faith in the strength and will of the Irish people and their spirits that would help us carve out our own nation.
1916 was an event that was to give our nation the tools it needed to overcome centuries of oppression by a foreign ruler.
This is the point in History where the Irish Nation as we know it, was born from the blood of those that loved their Country, so much that they laid down their ls for their Country and its people.
These brave heroes of our past will never be forgotten; they will forever be remembered as our greatest generation.
They were the generation that carved out our future who gave us our Freedom a nation as and as individuals.
1916 and the men and women who fought for our Freedom their sacrifice at the hands of pure brutal oppression will never be forgotten.
We as a nation will continue to honor the heroes of our past and always be thankful to them for the future that their sacrifice gave us.