The Easter Rising and its Political Consequences

von: Nadja Litschko

Semester: 7 / 6 / 4

Table of Contents

1. Introduction  3

2. Events leading to the Easter Rising   4

3. The Easter Rising in 1916  7

3.1. Preparation and British Interference  7
3.2. The Easter Rising and its Downfall  9
3.3. Immediate Consequences and Reactions 12

4. The Political Events after 1916 as a Result of the Easter Rising  15

4.1. The rise of Sinn Fein  15
4.2. The General Election in 1918 and its Consequences  16
4.3. The Anglo-Irish War from 1919-1921 18
4.4. The Anglo-Irish Treaty in 1921 19

5. Conclusion  20

6. Appendix I  22

7. Bibliography 23

1. Introduction

The history of Ireland is a turbulent one full of mysterious customs, fiery battles and unwavering pride. Many events have given account to the repeated struggle of the Irish people against invasion and the loss of their freedom. Such an incident also took place in the year 1916. It was probably one of the most important occurrences in Irish history, and it shaped the future of the country for many years to come, all the way until the present time. The event in question is until today known as the Easter Rising. On Easter Monday, the 24 April 1916, a siege was organized that lasted only for 5 days and ended in a massacre. However, the consequences of this comparatively small act of revolution were enormous. The Easter rising heavily influenced the political relations between Ireland and England during the years that followed, and was the foundation stone of Ireland’s militant fight for independence.

The aim of this paper will be to show that the Easter Rebellion of 1916 was the crucial event in the history of modern Ireland, and that it profoundly shaped political relations with England for many years afterwards. The first chapter will consist of a synopsis of the proceedings leading up to the rising, and the naming of possible reasons for the rebellion. Following will be a recount of the happenings on that fateful Easter Monday and the four days after, including the results of the upheaval and the subsequent reactions of the British government. Lastly it will be dealt with the consequences of the Easter rebellion, and how it influenced the political proceedings in the years following 1916.

2. Events leading to the Easter Rising1

In 1800, the relationship between Britain and Ireland gained a new dimension. The Act of Union bound both countries together as one, deepening political relations and forcing the people on both sides to get acquainted practically overnight.

The Act, which took effect on the 1st January 1801, resulted in many changes, especially for the Irish people. Not only did they loose the parliament in Dublin, but the former members now also had to take their seats at Westminster. This development only served to distance most of the Irish from the Government in Britain. Additionally, the Act was frowned upon by many, which eventually lead to a rebellion shortly after, in 1803. It might be considered as the first sign of the continued willingness of the Irish people to fight for their Independence, with the help of armed forces if necessary. Another problem was that the Irish citizens did not get “a fairer share in government”2 after the Act of Union. Instead, “[t]he major part of Irish property was held by a small number of landed families [….] [T]hese people were Protestant, and for the most part unionist in their politics.”3 They were in no way worthy representatives for the Irish majority. In addition, the common people were further discriminated in religious matters, they could only own a limited amount of land and were also not permitted to take on certain professions or receive a higher education. These restrictions were recorded in the so called Penal Laws.

Therefore, after the Act of Union, one of the main goals was to repel these laws, and to strengthen the rights of the Catholic population. The figurehead of this new campaign was Daniel O’Connell, a lawyer with catholic background. In 1823, the Catholic Association was founded, where the peasants could actively participate in political matters. The effort put into the organisation should pay off shortly thereafter, because in 1829, Catholic Emancipation was finally approved in form of the “Roman Catholic Relief Act. It removed legal prohibitions upon Catholics [and] […] eliminated the required oath for parliamentary participation.”4 Prior to it, only those who denounced Catholicism were allowed to enter the Parliament. This was one of the most important developments, for now also Catholics could fully take part in the politics of their country.

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1 Unless stated differently, the following explanations are mostly based on Oonagh Walsh, Ireland′s Independence, 1880 – 1923 (London: Routledge, 2002) 1-42.

2 Walsh 1.

3 Walsh 2.

4 Walsh 3.