Page 51 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Ireland

THE HIST OR Y OF IRELAND  49

Eamon De Valera (1882–1975)
After escaping execution for his part in the
Easter Rising, American-born de Valera went
on to dominate Irish politics for almost 60
years. The opposition of his party, Sinn Féin,
to the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921 plunged
the new Irish Free State into civil war. After
forming a new party,
Fianna Fáil, he became
Prime Minister
The General Post Office, Easter 1916 (Taoiseach) in
What was supposed to be a national uprising was 1932. De Valera
confined to 2,500 armed insurgents in Dublin. They remained in
managed to hold the GPO and other public office until 1948,
buildings for five days. with further
terms in the
1950s. Between
This Mauser rifle, smuggled in 1959 and 1973
from Germany in 1914, was he was President
used by rebels in the Rising. of Ireland.
Tom Clarke
James Connolly
Joseph
Plunkett

Mementos
of the Rising
at Dublin’s
Kilmainham
Gaol (see
p101) include
this crucifix made
by a British soldier
from rifle bullets.

Leaders of the 1916 Rising Election Poster
This collage portrait shows 14 leaders of the Easter Cumann na nGaedheal, the
Rising, who were all court-martialled and shot at pro-Treaty party in the Civil
Kilmainham Gaol. The brutality of their executions War, won the Free State’s first
(the badly injured James Connolly was tied to a chair general election in 1923. It
merged with other parties in
before being shot) changed public opinion of the 1933 to form Fine Gael.
Rising and guaranteed their status as martyrs.

1919 First Michael Collins (1890–1922), 1936 IRA proscribed by
meeting of the 1922 Irish Free State hero of the War of Independence, 1932 Fianna Fáil sweeps to Free State Government
independent inaugurated; Michael became chairman of the Irish victory in general election,
parliament Collins shot dead in Free State and Commander- and de Valera begins 1939 Éire declares
(Dáil Éireann) ambush in Co Cork in-Chief of the Army 16-year term as Taoiseach neutrality during
(Prime Minister) World War II
1920 1925 1930 1935
1926 De Valera quits 1937 New
1923 W B Sinn Féin; sets up 1933 Fine Gael constitution declares
Yeats wins Fianna Fáil (Soldiers 1929 Work starts on (United Ireland) complete
1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty signed; de Nobel Prize of Destiny) party River Shannon hydro- party formed to independence from
Valera resigns; southern Ireland in literature 1925 G B Shaw also electric power scheme oppose Fianna Fáil Britain; country’s
plunged into civil war receives Nobel Prize name changes to Éire

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