liberation of ireland

3027 Words7 Pages

Liberation of Ireland

The 1916 Easter Rising

The Easter Rebellion, was an armed uprising of Irish nationalists against the rule of Great Britain in Ireland. The uprising occurred on Easter Monday, April 24, 1916, and centred mainly in Dublin. The chief objectives were the attainment of political freedom and the establishment of an Irish republic. Centuries of discontent, marked by numerous rebellions, preceded the uprising. The new crisis began to develop in September 1914, following the outbreak of World War I, when the British government suspended the recently enacted Home Rule Bill, which guaranteed a measure of political autonomy to Ireland. Suspension of the bill stimulated the growth of the Citizen Army, an illegal force of Dublin citizens organised by the labour leader Jim Larkin (died 1948) and the socialist James Connolly (1870-1916); of the Irish Volunteers, a national defence body; and of the extremist Sinn Féin. The uprising was planned by leaders of these organisations, among whom were the British consular agent Sir Roger David Casement, the educator Padhraic Pearse (1879-1916), and the poet Thomas MacDonagh (1878-1916).

Hostilities began about noon on April 24, when about 2000 men led by Pearse seized control of the Dublin post office and other strategic points within the city. Shortly after these initial successes, the leaders of the rebellion proclaimed the Independence of Ireland and announced the establishment of a provisional government of the Irish Republic. Additional positions were occupied by the rebels during the night, and by the morning of April 25 they controlled a considerable part of Dublin. The counteroffensive by British forces began on Tuesday with the arrival of reinforcements. Martial law was proclaimed throughout Ireland. Bitter street fighting developed in Dublin, during which the strengthened British forces steadily dislodged the Irish from their positions. By the morning of April 29, the post office building, site of the rebel headquarters, was under violent attack. Recognising the futility of further resistance, Pearse surrendered unconditionally in the afternoon of April 29.

The British immediately brought the leaders of the uprising to trial before a field court-martial. Fifteen of the group, including Pearse, Connolly, and MacDonagh, were sentenced to death and executed by firing squad. Four others, including ...

... middle of paper ...

...m. In June, Irish voters ratified a treaty strengthening political and monetary integration within the European Community.

Presidents

DOUGLAS HYDE 1938-1945 (+1949)

SEAN THOMAS O'KELLY 1945-1959 (+1966) Fianna Fáil

EAMON DE VALERA 1959-1973 (+1975) Fianna Fáil

ERSKINE HAMILTON CHILDERS 1973-1974 (+) Fianna Fáil

CEARBHALL O'DALAIGH 1974-1976 (+1978) Fianna Fáil

PATRICK J. HILLERY 1976-1990 Fianna Fáil

MARY ROBINSON 1990-1997 Labour

MARY MCALEESE 1997- Fianna Fáil

Taoiseachs (Prime Ministers)

EAMON DE VALERA 1932-1948 (+1975) Fianna Fáil

JOHN A. COSTELLO 1948-1951 (+1976) Fine Gael

EAMON DE VALERA 1951-1954 (+1975) Fianna Fáil

JOHN A. COSTELLO 1954-1957 (+1976) Fine Gael

EAMON DE VALERA 1957-1959 (+1975) Fianna Fáil

SEAN F. LEMASS 1959-1966 (+1971) Fianna Fáil

JACK M. LYNCH 1966-1973 FIanna Fáil

LIAM GOSGRAVE 1973-1977 Fine Gael

JACK M. LYNCH 1977-1979 Fianna Fáil

CHARLES HAUGHEY 1979-1981 Fianna Fáil

GARRET FITZGERALD 1981-1982 Fine Gael

CHARLES HAUGHEY 1982 Fianna Fáil

GARRET FITZGERALD 1982-1987 Fine Gael

CHARLES HAUGHEY 1987-1992 Fianna Fáil

ALBERT REYNOLDS 1992-1994 Fianna Fáil

JOHN BRUTON 1994-1997 Fine Gael

BERTIE AHERN 1997- Fianna Fáil

Open Document