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.