Easter Rising

The Easter Rising was a rebellion against British rule in Ireland in 1916. The rising was started on April 24, 1916 in Dublin by Irish republicans including Irish Socialist James Connolly. The groups involved with the rising include the Irish Volunteers, the Irish Republican Brotherhood, the Irish Citizens Army, and Cumann na mBan. After 6 days of fighting the rebels surrendered. In the months following the British executed most leaders of the rising, and imprisoned thousands of participants in prison camps including Frongoch camp in Wales.

Groups Involved

Irish Volunteers

The Irish volunteers were an Irish Republican organization founded in 1913 to oppose Protestant paramilitaries and support Irish national liberation.

Irish Citizens Army

A Socialist republican group founded during the 1913 Dublin Lockout by James Connolly and others.

Cumann na mBan

A women's group founded in 1914 whose members included Constance Markievicz and other Socialist Republicans.

Leaders

James Connolly

James Connolly was an Irish Socialist and Trade Unionist who founded the Irish Citizens army and was involved in the 1913 Dublin Lockout as well as the Easter Rising. He was one of the seven signatories of the Proclamation of the Irish Republic and was executed in the aftermath.

Patrick Pearse

Sometimes referred to by the Irish language names Padraig or Padraic. He was a schoolteacher in Dublin and a longtime supporter of Irish Nationalism and Republicanism. He was also a poet, with is most famous poem Óró sé do bheatha abhaile becoming a well known Irish Republican anthem during his life and after his death. He was another signatory of the proclamation, and is considered to have been the most prominent leader of the rising. He was also executed in the aftermath.

Constance Markievicz

She was a leading member of both Cumann na mBan and the Irish Citizens Army and founded the youth group Fianna Eireann. Despite coming from a prominent and wealthy Anglo-Irish (English families who had lived in Ireland for several generations), Markievicz was a Socialist and Feminist in addition to being an Irish Republican. After the Rising, was elected to the British parliament in 1918, becoming the first woman ever elected to parliament in Britain. However, as an Irish Republican, she did not take her seat in Westminster and instead formed the First Dail with other Irish Republicans, leading to the Irish Revolution.