The Rise and Impact of Nationalism and Unionism in Ireland, 1911–23

1. The Rise and Impact of Nationalism and Unionism in Ireland, 1911–23 Chapter 15

2. What Will I Learn? • Examine the rise and impact of Nationalism in Ireland • Examine the rise and impact of Unionism in Ireland • Examine key events, 1911–23 • Explore the Nature of History

3. What was Nationalism and Unionism? Nationalists … wanted changes in the way Ireland was ruled. They wanted some form of self-government with a parliament in Dublin. Unionists … wanted to keep the system as it was, with a parliament in Westminster making laws for Ireland.

4. Nationalists Arthur Griffith John Redmond

5. Unionists • Majority lived in north-east of Ireland • Leaders – Edward Carson and James Craig Unionism Mostly in north-east of Ireland Edward Carson Retain the Act of Union Laws for Ireland made in parliament in Westminster

6. Nationalists and Unionists in 1910 General Election

7. What was the Influence of Cultural Nationalism? • Worked for an Irish Ireland or Gaelic Ireland Cultural Revival Michael Cusack Douglas Hyde Anglo-Irishliterary movement Gaelic AthleticAssociation (GAA) Gaelic League W. B. Yeats

8. The Home Rule Crisis, 1912–14 Third Home Rule Bill, 1912 • Conservative Party favoured unionism • Liberal Party favoured Home Rule for Ireland • After 1910 general elections, Liberal Party needed the support of Home Rule party • Parliament Act 1911 – House of Lords could only delay laws for two years • A parliament in Dublin would deal with internal Irish affairs • The parliament in Westminster would deal with external affairs Home Rule could become law in 1914

9. Unionist Opposition Ulster Solemn League and Covenant signed by over 200,000 men on 28 September 1912 Similar declaration signed by a quarter of a million women Huge demonstrations, e.g. 50,000 people Unionist Opposition to Home Rule Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) founded, January 1913 – 10,000 members Imported arms and ammunition – Larne gun-running, April 1913 35,000 guns, 5 million rounds of ammunition Support from Conservative Party

10. Unionist Opposition

11. Nationalist Reaction • Eoin McNeill, Professor of History, UCD wrote ‘The North Began’ • Nationalists should follow the example of Northern unionists Nationalist Reaction Irish volunteer Force founded in Dublin, November 1913 100,000 members Arms imported from Germany by AsgardHowth, July 1914 900 rifiles 25,000 rounds of ammunition

12. Reaction to World War I Nationalist Split over WWI • National Volunteers • Followed John Redmond • Supported Irishmen fighting abroad • Defending Home Rule • About 110,000 men • Irish Volunteers • Followed Eoin MacNeill • Opposed to Irishmen fighting abroad • Defended Ireland in Ireland • About 10,000 men

13. Source 1 ‘… The interests of Ireland – the whole of Ireland – are at stake in this war. The war is undertaken in defence of the highest principles of religion and morality and right, and it would be a disgrace forever for our country … if young Ireland confined their efforts to remaining at home to defend the shores of Ireland from an unlikely invasion. I say to you, therefore, … ‘Go on drilling and make yourselves efficient for the work, and then account yourselves as men, not only in Ireland itself, but wherever the firing line extends, in defence of right, of freedom and of religion in this war.’ (John Redmond, speaking to Irish Volunteers in Co. Wicklow, on 20 September, 1914) Source 2 ‘Ireland is not at war with Germany … England is at war with Germany, and Mr Redmond has offered England the services of the National Volunteers to defend Ireland. … Our duty is in no doubt. We are Irish nationalists and the only duty we have is to stand for Ireland’s interests, irrespective of the interests of England, or Germany, or any other foreign country.’ (Arthur Griffith writing in his newspaper, Sinn Féin, 1914)

14. Reaction to World War I • Unionists in Northern Ireland • Carson asked the Ulster Volunteer Force ‘to answer immediately his Majesty’s call’ to arms. • Ulster Volunteers enlisted in Ulster Division • Nationalists treated differently • Nationalist recruitment slowed down

15. Background to the 1916 Rising

17. Pearse and the Use of Violence Source 1 Ireland unarmed will attain just as much freedom as it is convenient for England to give her: Ireland armed will attain ultimately just as much freedom as she wants … We must accustom ourselves to the thought of arms, to the sight of arms, to the use of arms. We may make mistakes in the beginning and shoot the wrong people; but bloodshed is a cleansing and a sanctifying thing, and a nation which regards it as the final horror has lost its manhood. (Source: Patrick Pearse, The Coming Revolution [1913]) Source 2 Life springs from death; and from the graves of patriot men and women spring living nations. The Defenders of the Realm … think they have pacified Ireland. They think they have purchased half of us and intimidated (frightened) the other half … but the fools, the fools, the fools! – they have left us our Fenian dead, and while Ireland holds these graves, Ireland unfree shall never be at peace. (Source: Patrick Pearse’s speech at the funeral of O’Donovan Rossa, an old Fenian, who died in August 1915)

18. The Rising Goes Ahead • 1,500 Volunteers • Captured key buildings in Dublin • GPO became HQ • Pearse read the 1916 Proclamation

19. The 1916 Proclamation

20. The British Government Reaction • Caught by surprise • Reinforcements from the Curragh and Britain • Military cordon around centre of Dublin • Artillery and gunboat, Helga, brought in • Rebels surrounded • Pearse surrendered unconditionally • Rebels rounded up • 16 leaders executed

21. Why did the Rising Fail? Was the Rising a military failure and a political success? Create your own mind map on Why the Rising failed using the above features

22. The Results of the Rising

23. Reporting the 1916 Rising

24. Reporting the 1916 Rising

25. The Rise of Sinn Féin • Éamon de Valera became President of Sinn Féin and President of the Irish Volunteers • Sinn Féin won by-elections • Britain tried to introduce conscription in 1918 • Sinn Féin led victorious anti-conscription campaign • Sinn Féin won 1918 general election • Favoured a republic and abstentionism

26. The Independence Struggle, 1919–21 Independence Struggle Guerrilla warfare Passive resistance

27. War of Independence, 1919–21 • Ambush of RIC at Soloheadbeg, Co. Tipperary 21 January 1919 • First shots of War of Independence • Role of Michael Collins • Operated intelligence network • Organised ‘The Squad’ • Guerrilla warfare • ‘hit and run’ • Attacks on RIC barracks • Raids for arms and ammunition • RIC intimidated • Flying Columns • Large-scale ambushes

28. Men of the South Seán Keating’s (1889–1977) painting of a flying column from the North Cork Brigade IRA, Men of the South, painted in 1921

29. British Response • David Lloyd George, Prime Minister • Recruited ‘Black and Tans’ and Auxiliaries • Use of reprisals • Introduced Government of Ireland Act 1920 • Sinn Féin rejected the Act • Parliament set up in Belfast

30. Major Incidents of the War of Independence Put these events of the War of Independence in chronological order Members of the RIC murdered Tomás MacCurtain, Lord Mayor of Cork, in front of his family Terence MacSwiney, Lord Mayor of Cork, died on hunger strike in Brixton Prison, London, after 74 days Ambush at Kilmichael Ambush at Crossbarry Bloody Sunday – Collins’ Squad killed 11 British agents sent specially to catch him. Black and Tans shot into Croke Park during a football match, killing 12 people IRA attack on the Custom House, Dublin; over 80 IRA captured See Skills Book p. 136

31. Major Incidents of the War of Independence

32. What Happened at Croke Park on Bloody Sunday? Source 2 Witness Statement 15 At Croke Park on 21st November I was in the second lorry of the police convoy. As soon as we got to the top of the Canal Bridge I saw a group of about ten civilians. Some in the middle of the street and some on the sides between the bridge and the turning down by the turnstiles. By their demeanour (behaviour) and formation, they gave us an impression that they were a picquet (on guard). Those men immediately on our arrival turned round and started to run towards the nearest entrance gates; as they ran they turned around and fired at the first car. Those were the first shots I heard. I noticed three or four of them firing. Source 1 Historian’s view Today two theories exist as to what happened in Croke Park. At a time when there was considerable infiltration of the GAA by the IRA, the authorities claimed that the first shots were fired by IRA men hiding in the crowd of spectators in order to create a panic and evade arrest. The alternative theory is that Auxiliary/RIC forces went to Croke Park in reprisal for the attacks that morning on British secret service men at the hands of Collin’s squad. According to the RIC/Auxilary witness accounts, on their arrival at Croke Park a number of civilians appearing to be a picquet (on duty, on guard), were seen outside at the entrance close to the turnstiles and began firing at the forces as they dismounted from their convoy. It is this piece of information that is central to the authorities according blame to the civilians.

33. Source 3 Witness Statement 22 On Sunday 21st inst., I was on duty outside the main entrance [to] Croke Park in Jones’s Road … three small Crossley lorries pulled up in Jones’s Road. There were about ten or 12 men dressed in RIC uniforms in each. When they got out of the cars they started firing in the air which I thought was blank ammunition, and almost immediately firing started all round the ground. Some of the men who got out of the lorries went into the field and others remained on the road Source 3 Opinion of Military Court of Inquiry I consider that the first shots were fired by members in the crowd, and that these shots led to the panic. I consider that the firing on the crowd was carried out without orders, was indiscriminate (random), and unjustifiable, with the exception of any shooting that took place inside the enclosure.

34. Peace Criticised at home and in America IRA running short of arms and ammunition British Government Sinn Féin The people wanted peace The war was costing a great deal of money • De Valera agreed terms of ceasefire with Lloyd George • Ceasefire on 11 July 1921

35. The Anglo-Irish Treaty, 1921 Why wasn’t de Valera on the Irish delegation? Delegations British delegation Lloyd George Churchill Chamberlain Birkenhead Irish delegation Griffith Collins Barton Duggan Gavan Duffy Aims • To achieve a republic • To prevent a border, or partition between North and South • To keep Ireland within the British Commonwealth

36. The Terms of the Anglo-Irish Treaty, 1921 1. Ireland would be known as the Irish Free State. 2. Ireland would still be a dominion (part of) the British Commonwealth. 3. The King of England would be represented in Ireland by a Governor-general. 4. Members of the Dáil and Seanad (Senate) would take an oath of allegiance to the Irish government and the King of England. 5. Britain would have the use of three ports (the ‘Treaty ports’) – Berehaven, Cobh and Lough Swilly. 6. A Boundary Commission would be established to decide on the border between the north and south of Ireland. Signed by delegations on 6 December, 1921

37. Treaty Debates and Result

38. For and Against the Treaty Source 1: A print attributed to Countess Markievicz Source 2: A Pro-Treaty poster

39. The Irish Civil War Freedom to achieve freedom Failure to achieve a republic Disagreements over the Anglo-Irish Treaty Causes of the Irish Civil War British Government pressure Take-over of the Four Courts General Election results

40. The Fighting Begins • Fighting in Dublin • Government attack on Four Courts • Victory in Dublin • The Munster Republic • Republicans retreat behind line from Limerick to Waterford • Both cities captured by government forces • Ships used to land troops in southern port • Republicans retreat to the countryside • Death of Griffith and Collins • Griffith by brain haemorrhage • Collins in ambush at BéalnaBláth • Cosgrave and O’Higgins took over Free State government

43. Guerrilla Warfare and the End of the Civil War • Republicans now used guerrilla warfare • Not as successful as in War of Independence • Why? • Most people supported the Treaty • Free State troops knew countryside just as well as Republicans

44. The Consequences of the Irish Civil War

45. The Foundation of Northern Ireland • Government of Ireland Act 1920 • Divided (partitioned) the country • Parliament in Northern Ireland • Control over internal affairs of Northern Ireland • Dominated by Unionist Party James Craig

46. Conflict between Unionists and Nationalists • Unionists opposed to united Ireland • Feared Catholics wanted to destroy Northern Ireland • Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) and B-Specials • Special Powers Act • Sectarian riots • More Catholics killed than Protestants • Catholics lost jobs, e.g. Harland and Wolff • IRA campaigned in North until start of Civil War

47. Visit … Glasnevin Cemetery and Museum to learn more about the key historical figures who are buried here. The Garden of Remembrance, Parnell Square, Dublin Kilmainham Gaol, Dublin Independence Museum, Kilmurray, Co. Cork.