The Easter Rising and its Aftermath (April–November 1916)

Abstract

From February to April 1916, plans had taken shape between the Germans, the rebel leaders in Dublin and their Clan na Gael confederates in America for a gun-running mission to Ireland to coincide with a general insurrection of the Irish Volunteers. It was only when these plans had been all but finalised that Casement — still in Germany but by-passed by both the German Government and the Dublin leaders — discovered what was afoot and persuaded the Germans to transport him by submarine to Ireland in time for the outbreak. Casement was duly set ashore in Tralee Bay on the Irish west coast just before dawn on Good Friday, 21 April. Quite by accident, his small landing-craft was soon discovered and early that afternoon he was captured in the ruins of nearby McKenna’s Fort. Casement had intended to urge that the German aid was inadequate, but even after the German arms ship had been intercepted by a British patrol vessel — also on 21 April — and had scuttled itself, the rebel leaders went ahead with their plans for insurrection. The Rising began on Easter Monday, 24 April, but, owing to a confusion in the Volunteers’ mobilisation orders, it was confined to only a few areas — notably Dublin, where the General Post Office was occupied as rebel headquarters for five days. By 29 April the Dublin Volunteers had surrendered, and all sign of conflict elsewhere was soon quelled.1KeywordsAmerican CitizenAmerican OpinionHome RuleMilitary AuthorityAmerican CriticismThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.