Page 48 - All About History - Issue 19-14

What was it like?

DUBLIN, 1916

Military

With World War I in full swing,
military presence in Ireland at this
time was initially low, allowing the
rebels to quickly and easily seize a
number of strategically important
buildings. It was only the British
forces’ subsequent deployment of
20,000 more soldiers that quelled
the uprising.

World War I might have been
atitsheight,butinDublina

Ireland O
differentkindofconflictwas
Dublin O
taking place…

n1916,theworldwasinthegripofthebloodiest withothergroupsliketheIrishCitizenArmyand
andmostdestructiveconflictithadeverseen Cumann na mBan, and on 24 April 1916 – Easter
intheformofWorldWarI.Manygroupsput Monday – around 1,250 people occupied various
asidepastgrievancesanddifferences–at buildings in Dublin, including the General Post
I least temporarily – in order to fight together. Office and the South Dublin Union. The British
However, others saw the distraction posed by the forces were taken by surprise, with early attempts
GreatWarasanopportunitytofurthertheirown at retaking the capital resulting in heavy losses. It
aims–suchasthoseinIrelandwhowantedself- wasonlywiththearrivalofheavyreinforcements
rule and freedom from England. thattheuprisingwassubdued–atthecostof450
Dublinwastobethetheatreforonesuch lives, with over 2,600 injured. The rebels were
exampleofthis,intheformofthe1916Easter initially jeered when they were paraded through
Rising,whichsawvariousIrishnationalistfactions Dublin, but after the executions of the leaders
uniteinanattempttoforciblyexpeltheBritish they became heroes to many. Their actions set in
fromIrelandandestablishtheirownstate.Tothis motion a chain of events that would lead to the Artillery was used to catastrophic
end, membersoftheIrishVolunteersjoinedup 1919-1921 Irish War of Independence. effect during the Easter Rising

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