Home Rule to 1916 review questions and answers

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1. Explain what was meant by Home Rule.
This was a political idea that began in the 1870’s which demanded that Ireland should have a Parliament of it’s own in Dublin. This Parliament would take care of things that directly affected Ireland but the really big decisions on issues such as taxation and defence would still be taken in London.

2. What is meant by a Nationalist?
A nationalist is someone who wants Ireland to have independence from Britain. The majority of Nationalists were Catholic.

3. Who was the founder of Sinn Fein and what were their aims?
Sinn Fein was founded in the early 1900’s. The leader was Arthur Griffith. He wanted Irish elected representatives to reuse to take their seats in a London Parliament. He wanted them to set up a government in Dublin. He was opposed to any use of violence.

4. What is meant by Unionist?
A Unionist is someone who wanted Ireland to remain part of the UK. The majority were Protestant and they were strongest in the province of Ulster.

5.Why were Ulster Unionists so opposed to Home Rule?
Ulster Unionists believed that breaking the link with Britain would result in an economic loss for Ulster. They also believed that “Home Rule is Rome Rule”. By this they meant that they feared that a Parliament in Dublin would be Catholic dominated and would discriminate against Protestants.

6. What was the Ulster Solemn League and Covenant?
This was a very serious document signed by a huge number of people in Ulster in which they said NO to Home Rule and pledged to do everything possible to defeat it.

7.Why were the UVF set up?
This was the Ulster Volunteer Force set up by Edward Carson in 1912 and prepared to use force to defeat Home Rule.

8. What was the Larne gun-running?
This was when the UVF imported a large consignment of guns and ammunition illegally from Germany in early 1914 . The cargo arrived at night into the port of Larne, north of Belfast.

9. Why were the Irish Volunteers set up and by whom?
They were set up in Dublin in opposition to the UVF by a man called Eoin MacNeill.

10. What happened to the Irish Volunteers at the start of WWI?
A split developed in the ranks. A majority heeded the call of the leader of the Irish Home Rule Party, John Redmond, to go and fight on the side of Britain in WWI in order to defend the rights of small nations such as Belgium. However, a small minority totally refused to fight on the side of Britain. They kept the name Irish Volunteers.

11. Who were the three main organisers of the 1916 rising?
Patrick Pearse, Sean MacDermott and Thomas Clarke.

12. Outline the key events of the 1916 Rising.
Easter Rising 1916

Easter Monday 1916 – rebellion began
GPO and 6 other buildings captured by Volunteers
Proclamation of republic read to public
British caught by surprise
Huge army reinforcements sent to Dublin
Volunteers outnumbered 20/1 in 2 days
British army surround city
Volunteer positions attacked
British had superior weaponry
Gun-boat “Helga” shells the GPO
Dublin city centre destroyed
Hundreds killed – British, Volunteers, civilians
Connolly badly wounded
Pearse ordered surrender on Saturday
British arrest over 3000 people
Over 1800 sent to prison camps in Britain
Great public anger – destruction – civilian deaths
Sentenced to death – 15 executed
Summer 1916 – huge change in public opinion
Anger over secret trials and executions
Martial law continued in Dublin
Dead leaders become heroes within weeks

13. Why was the Easter rising a military fáilure?
It failed for a number of reasons. Firstly, the rebels were easily surrounded and isolated one by one by the British forces. Also the British had far superior weaponry and outnumbered the rebels by 20 to 1.

14. Why did public opinion towards the Irish Volunteers change after the Easter Rising.
The main leaders of the Rebellion were executed. This created a huge change in public opinion. Many people began to feel great sympathy for the dead leaders and within a very short time they were being treated as heroes.