Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
HISTORY NOTE:
The Easter Rising and the War of
Independence
By 1916, the British Empire had been in control of Ireland for several centuries, and
their increasingly brutal tactics of repression had caused a buildup of resentment among
the Irish. For many decades, the island had seen the rise of an Irish Nationalist (“Re-
publican”) movement whose members believed that the only way to achieve freedom
and justice would be to separate completely from British administration. There had been
minor clashes and violent incidents during the preceding decades, but in 1916 the Irish re-
volutionaries saw what they thought would be their best opportunity to overthrow British
rule.
Dublin After the Rising
(public domain image)
With the British distracted by an increasingly desperate fight against the Germans (WWI),
the Irish believed that they could make enough of a nuisance of themselves that the British
government would grant them independence. On the morning of Easter Monday, 1500
armed revolutionaries stormed the streets of Dublin, taking several strategic buildings.
Their leaders gathered in the General Post Office, which was extremely valuable because
it was the main hub of communication throughout the city.
Unfortunately, the element of surprise could only last so long, and soon the full force of
the British administration was filling the streets. Their artillery battered the General Post
Office and other buildings occupied by pro-independence forces, causing the sort of mass
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