REACTION AFTER THE RISING

1. REACTION AFTER THE RISING • During the Rising Irish people were confused by what was happening. They did not know what was going on. • It interfered with normal life in Dublin. The trains stopped running, the post was not delivered and the main newspaper THE IRISH INDEPENDENT could not be published. • Different rumours spread round Dublin about what was happening. • 1) It was a German revolution • 2) It was a socialist revolution. • 3)It was the Sinn Feiners

2. When people began to get a clear idea about what had happened after the fighting stopped most people in Ireland were against the Rising. • Unionists saw it as a stab in the back of Britain when they were fighting a war and in need of help. • Some Nationalists were completely against the Rising because of the death and destruction. They threw things at the Volunteer prisoners as they were marched through Dublin. • Other Nationalists were against the violence but admired the bravery of the rebels.

3. THE BRITISH RESPONSE • Redmond and Dillon (Home Rule leaders) told Asquith and the British government that executions could turn people from been against the Rising to supporting the rebels. • Asquith ignored their advice, he gave General Maxwell a free hand to punish anyone involved in in the Rising in any way. • Around the country thousands of people were arrested as “Sinn Fein sympathisers”. The police picked out 186 people to be put on trial as leaders of the rebellion.

4. OPINION IN IRELAND SWINGS BEHIND THE REBELS • They were tried by secret court martial and 86 were sentenced to death. • They started executing the ringleaders on the 3rd of May in batches of 3. Pearce and Clarke were the first two executed. More executions happened on 4,5,8 and 9 of May. • No-one knew how many were going to be killed or when the executions would happen as the trials were carried out in secret. No-one knew who was going to be next and people began to support the rebels.

5. The Home Rule leaders (Redmond and Dillon) persuaded Asquith to stop the executions. Connolly was the last to be executed on March 12th. (15 were executed) • Those who were spared, including De Valera and W. T. Cosgrave and Countess Markievicz were given life sentences. • The rest of those who were arrested were either freed or interned without trial in Britain.

6. HOME RULE DISCUSSIONS • Redmond told Asquith that the only way to stop the growing popularity of the rebels was to put Home Rule into force. • Lloyd George was sent to Ireland to talk to Redmond and Carson to try to solve the issue of Ulster and partition. • He persuaded Redmond to accept partition for 6 counties by telling him it would only be temporary. • He persuaded Carson to accept Home Rule for the 26 counties by telling him partition would be permanent. He gave Carson a written promise.

7. PEOPLE TURNING AGAINST HOME RULE • The Home Rule party was losing popularity because • 1) Home Rule though passed in 1914 had not come into force. • 2)The Rising and executions won sympathy for extreme nationalists. • 3) Redmond’s acceptance of Home Rule. • But the Home Rule party was still strong because nationalists who supported the Rising had no party to support as most Sinn Feiners were interned in Britain.

8. THE GROWTH OF SINN FEIN

9. When Redmond found out he had been tricked he turned the deal down. However people in Ireland now knew that Redmond had accepted partition and agreed to give up Tyrone and Fermanagh that had a nationalist majority. This turned many people against the Home Rule party.