Ireland in Ferment, 1912-1916 Flashcards

The Pursuit of Sovereignty and the Impact of Partition (1912-1949)

  • Key Elements:
    • Home Rule Bill (1912-1914).
    • Impact of World War I and the 1916 Rising.
    • Rise of Sinn Féin.
    • 1918 election and War of Independence.
    • Partition, Treaty, and Civil War.
    • State building and democracy consolidation from Free State to Republic.
    • Northern Ireland and the Unionist Party.
    • Impact of World War II.
    • Anglo-Irish relations.
  • Impact of Partition:
    • Economy and society.
    • World economic crisis.
    • Shift from free trade to protectionism.
    • Impact of World War II.
  • Case Studies:
    • Treaty negotiations (Oct-Dec 1921).
    • Belfast during World War II.
    • Eucharistic Congress, 1932.

Key Personalities

  • Patrick Pearse.
  • Éamon de Valera.
  • Arthur Griffith.
  • Michael Collins.
  • Countess Markievicz.
  • W. T. Cosgrave.
  • James J. McElligott.
  • James Craig.
  • Richard Dawson Bates.
  • Evie Hone.

Key Concepts

  • Sovereignty.
  • Partition.
  • Ulster Unionism.
  • Allegiance.
  • Physical force.
  • IRB/IRA.
  • "Blood sacrifice".
  • Dominion status.
  • Republic.
  • Free trade.
  • Protectionism.
  • Neutrality.
  • Discrimination.
  • Conformity/censorship.

Unionists vs. Nationalists

  • Unionists:
    • Mainly Protestant.
    • Majority in NE Ireland.
    • Wanted to maintain union with Britain.
  • Nationalists:
    • Mainly Catholic.
    • Majority outside NE Ireland.
    • Wanted to end the union with Britain.

Types of Nationalism

  • Constitutional:
    • Home Rule Party/ Irish Parliamentary Party.
    • Leader: John Redmond.
    • Aim: Irish parliament for domestic affairs within the British Empire.
    • Means: Peaceful, through parliament.
  • Physical Force:
    • IRB.
    • Leaders: Sean McDermott, Tom Clarke.
    • Aim: Completely independent Ireland.
    • Means: Violent rebellion.

Third Home Rule Bill (1912)

  • Limited self-government (domestic affairs).
  • Still within the British Empire.
  • British army and monarch.
  • Supported by Nationalists.
  • Unionists feared loss of identity and prosperity.

Home Rule Crisis (1912-)

  • Parliament Act (1911) reduced the power of the Lords.
  • Huge Unionist opposition.

Unionist Opposition

  • Felt vulnerable due to:
    • Monarchy.
    • Economic dependence.
    • Fear of Catholic domination.
  • Two groups:
    • Southern elite minority.
    • Cross-class North-Eastern majority.

Campaign Against Home Rule

  • Led by Carson (Protestant lawyer).
  • Supported by Craig (Ulster industrialist).
  • Prepared to abandon the south.
  • Threatened rebellion.

The Solemn League and Covenant

  • Unionist demonstrations.
  • Supported by Conservatives.
  • Pledge to resist Home Rule.

Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF)

  • Established in 1913.
  • First armed resistance since 1867.
  • Encouraged response from Irish Nationalists.

Irish Volunteers (IVF)

  • Set up in Nov. 1913 in response to UVF.
  • Established by Eoin Mac Neill.
  • Infiltrated by IRB planning a rebellion.

Crisis Worsens (1914)

  • Curragh Mutiny: British Army backs Unionists.
  • Larne Gun Running: UVF imports weapons.
  • Howth Gun Running: IVF imports weapons, faces opposition.

Outbreak of WWI (Aug. 4 1914)

  • Home Rule becomes law but is suspended.
  • Unionists promised special consideration.

Nationalist Split

  • Majority (Redmond) supports British, becomes National Volunteers.
  • Minority (Mac Neill) remains neutral, remains Irish Volunteers.
  • IRB sees the war as an opportunity for rebellion.

Planning a Rising

  • IRB puts pressure on Redmond and exploits Unionist influence.
  • Casement seeks aid from Germany.
  • Connolly and Pearse join the Supreme Council.

Patrick Pearse

  • Involved in Irish cultural revival.
  • Believed in heroic, romantic nationalism and "Blood Sacrifice".
  • Joined IVF and IRB, planned rebellion.

James Connolly

  • Viewed British rule as unfair to Irish workers.
  • Controlled ITGWU and ICA.
  • Recruited by IRB into the military council.

Preparations Collapse

  • The Aud fails to land weapons; Casement captured.
  • Mac Neill cancels IVF support.
  • IRB decides to proceed anyway.

The 1916 Rising (April 24, 1916)

  • The GPO is occupied.
  • Pearse reads the Proclamation.

British Reaction

  • Swift and decisive: troops, gunboat, martial law.
  • Pearse surrenders (April 28, 1916).

Executions and Imprisonment

  • Initially, reaction against rebels.
  • Executions lead to a swing in public opinion.
  • Executed leaders viewed as martyrs.