A Bit of History
As I let you know in the last post, today we toured some of the sites that document Ireland's long, bitter journey to free itself from the yoke of British oppression. As an island, Ireland was always susceptible to attacks from aggressors who came via the sea. In early medieval times, there were waves of invasions from Norsemen and Vikings. Most of these groups assimilated over time - leading to the phrase, More Irish than the Irish. But, the occupation that lasted the longest was the British invasion and domination of the Irish people. One of the most important battles - the Battle of the Boyne in 1690 - took place not far from the ancient area we visited yesterday, on the banks of the River Boyne.
Ever since that time, there were many attempts by the Irish people to rid themselves of the British. But the Easter Rising of 1916 finally started the country on the path to freedom. Sadly, along the way, they engaged in a bitter civil war, pitting son against father, brother against brother. As you can imagine, many heroes, displaying immense courage and sacrifice, emerged during this critical time in the country's history. We visited their incarceration sites, their execution sites, and their burial sites today. We were very fortunate to have such wonderful tour guides from the OPW - the Office of Public works, Ireland's equivalent of our National Park Service - to help make this time period come alive. A special thanks also to Dave and Bronagh Joyce for having recommended, through their friends the Duffys, that we would benefit from visiting these historic sites.
From Wikipedia:
The Easter Rising (Irish: Éirí Amach na Cásca),[1] also known as the Easter Rebellion, was an armed insurrection in Ireland during Easter Week, 1916. The Rising was mounted by Irish republicans to end British rule in Ireland and establish an independent Irish Republic while the United Kingdom was heavily engaged in World War I. It was the most significant uprising in Ireland since the rebellion of 1798.[2]
Organised by seven members of the Military Council of the Irish Republican Brotherhood,[3] the Rising began on Easter Monday, 24 April 1916, and lasted for six days. Members of the Irish Volunteers — led by schoolmaster and Irish language activist Patrick Pearse, joined by the smaller Irish Citizen Army of James Connolly, along with 200 members of Cumann na mBan — seized key locations in Dublin and proclaimed the Irish Republic independent of the United Kingdom. There were actions in other parts of Ireland: however, except for the attack on the Royal Irish Constabulary barracks at Ashbourne, County Meath, they were minor.
With vastly superior numbers and artillery, the British army quickly suppressed the Rising, and Pearse agreed to an unconditional surrender on Saturday 29 April. Most of the leaders were executed following courts-martial, but the Rising succeeded in bringing physical force republicanism back to the forefront of Irish politics. Support for republicanism continued to rise in Ireland in the context of the ongoing war in Europe and the Middle East and revolutions in other countries, and especially as a result of the Conscription Crisis of 1918 and the failure of the British-sponsored Irish Convention.
In December 1918, republicans (by then represented by the Sinn Féin party) won 73 Irish seats out of 105 in the 1918 General Election to the British Parliament, on a policy of abstentionism and Irish independence. On 21 January 1919 they convened the First Dáil and declared the independence of the Irish Republic, and later that same day the Irish War of Independence began with the Soloheadbeg ambush.
After the rising, the leaders were incarcerated in Kilmainham Gaol, the site of one of today's visits.
