An Analysis of the Easter Sunday of 1916 and the Rule of Britain in Ireland

The day had come when the citizens of Ireland stood up to British authority. On Easter Sunday 1916, the Irish used physical force to counter Britain, which occurred mainly in Dublin. There was an uprising of Irish nationalists that were against the rule of Britain in Ireland. Although there was no thought that the British could be defeated. The goal was to crash a considerable blow that would fret beyond the Rising. The Irish only intended to open Irelands door of freedom so that it may never be closed again.

The British Parliaments objective was to eventually obtain complete control over Ireland These are some of the reasons why the Rising took place.

"The coming and the presence of the English had deprived us of life and liberty. Their ways were not our ways. Their interests and their purposes meant our destruction. We must turn back again the wheels of that infamous machine which was destroying us. We must get the English out of Ireland".

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The British forces consistently dismantled the Irish from their positions while bitter street fighting took place in Dublin. Approximately a thousand Irish men and women set out to capture Irelands freedom on that April morning. Within six days the rising ended. The Irish had to surrender after losing too many men. Afterwards the British brought the leaders of the uprising before trial.

Most of the leaders like Thomas McDonagh, Patrick Pearce James Connolly and Thomas Clark were all executed by a firing squad. Expect for de Valera, who was not executed because he was an American and could not be killed by the British government.

Others that were connected with the rebellion were faced with long prison terms. Micheal Collins one of the members was put in prison and not released until May of 1918. The uprising was one of the many events that led the establishment of the Irish Free State. The proclamation of the Irish

Republic was plastered all over Ireland and is said be the fundamental document of the IRA. After the executions took place many citizens were raged and filled with sympathy. From then many organizations formed that would oppose British rule. A small party of nationalists was created known as the Sinn Fein party. The new Sinn Fein party won overwhelmingly outside the province of Ulster. Also That day, two Royal Irish Constabulary members were shot by a group of Irish volunteers. Following in August 1919, the volunteers took the oath of alliance to the Sinn Fein and became the Irish Republican Army. There were many common characteristics between the IRA and the Sinn Fein.

As a result of the talks between the IRA and the Sinn Fein the Anglo-Irish treaty was put in place. Establishing that twenty-six countries outside Northern Ireland were now Irish Free states. It did not give them ultimate freedom, but enough until they could get total independence. Therefore the IRA and the Sinn Fein split. Michael Collins led the pro-treaty, for those who favored the treaty. Opposite Eamon De Valera lead the Sinn Fein, not excepting anything less. The two ended up fighting within each other and violence was even used. The war finally ended when the IRA called a cease-fire.

The Irish Republican Army was dedicated to ending British rule in Ireland and claim a independent Irish republic. The citizens wanted to gain full control over their own country. They wanted to feel free without the interference of an alien government. Nothing could stop the Irish Republican Army from achieving their goal. When passive talks would not work they turned to violent tactics. The Easter Rising of 1916, the Anglo-Irish treaty, the partition and Michael Collins are all contributing factors to the creation of the IRA.