Essay On What Did The Proclamation Offer The People Of Ireland
Irish History Assignment
(a) What did this proclamation offer the people of Ireland?
The Proclamation of Poblacht Na hEireann was read by Patrick Pearse outside the GPO during the 1916 rising. The document itself was issued by the Irish Volunteers and The Irish Citizen Army. The Irish Republican brotherhood calling itself “The Provisional Government” proclaimed Ireland’s independence from Britain. The proclamation was read out to the Irish people, it begins by addressing The “Irishmen and Irishwomen”. The proclamation acknowledges Ireland as a country, and praises its people and their efforts. The proclamation also states many ideas and offers to Irish people. “We declare the right of the people of Ireland to the ownership of Ireland”, this shows the belief that Ireland should be ruled by no other …show more content…
country and it offered the Irish people their land, their country and also their freedom. It offered them a control of the country and the formation of a republic. “The Republic guarantees religious and civil liberty, equal rights and equal opportunities to all its citizens”, the proclamation offered more than just a free state and a new government. It also promised the freedom of religion and equal rights. This would be a massive change in Irish people’s rights compared to under the British control. The offer of Equal rights for men and women would be the first mention of gender equality as women were unable to vote under British law. The people of Ireland were assured by the proclamation that the provisional government will represent all the people and it will carry out its military and its civil affairs for the good of the country. The proclamation also gave the people of Ireland belief. The leaders spoke for Ireland though the proclamation. It marked more attempts of efforts to gain independence through the rising and through armed forces and called for the Irish nation to join together for this “common good”.
(b) What impact had the Rising on political thinking in Ireland at the time?
After the rising had finished we can clearly see the change in political thinking around Ireland. The rising had many effects on Ireland and Britain as countries but it also would play a major role in how politics would change. By looking back before the rising we can compare how decisions made then differ to the decisions that were made after the rising and it shows how the political thinking in the country had changed. Before the rising ‘the Irish party insisted upon an act covering all Ireland with inbuilt safeguards for protestant interests, while the Ulster Unionist Council and still more emphatically the landlord dominated Irish Unionist Alliance demanded unaltered preservation of the Union.’ This disagreement between the two sides would continue and an agreement could not be reached.
There was to be more disagreement in 1916 when Home rule was misunderstood by Redmond and Carson. Redmond and the nationalists believed that the taking of the 6 counties was only temporary and that they would be granted full home rule after the war in Europe had ended. Carson however saw home rule as being permanent and that the 6 counties would stay under British control. However by the end of the rising there were significant changes in the way home rule was viewed, the political thinking had changed. ‘The summer and autumn of 1916 saw the beginning of a far-reaching transformation of nationalist attitudes in Ireland. Many who had accepted the argument that home rule was the limit of what was practically attainable now began to think that separatism was not an entirely wild
dream.’ There were more changes involving the political thinking in Ireland after the rising. Many sources believe that during the rising, the rebels were condemned by the Irish public. They did not view them as hero’s and questioned their methods. This can be believed as many Irish families had loved ones fighting for the British army in the War. However when the rising ended and the leaders were executed the public opinion and thinking changed. The introduction of Martial law on April 25th also changed public thinking in favour of the rebels. The British government responded with the release of the remaining prisoners. The main change in political thinking came from the political party Sinn Fein. Sinn Fein became head of the volunteers and took credit for the events. There was a massive change from Redmond’s time. ‘De Valera and Griffith agreed upon a revised version of the Sinn Fein constitution which won general acceptance.’ In 1918 Sinn Fein won the general election with 47% of the votes cast. This was a clear sign that political thinking had changed, mainly due to the executions and the fear of conscription. The growing popularity for Sinn Fein spread across the country and caused problems for the other political parties, none more so then the Irish parliamentary party which would collapse in 1918. The popularity for Sinn Fein continued to grow as De Valera replaced Arthur Griffith and Michael Collins appointed minister for finance. The rising had many impacts on politics in Ireland and the events had a major role in how the political thinking of the country would change. The rising made people realise that a change was needed. Sinn Fein would benefit from the change in thinking and De Valera was key to their rise. They promised the people what they wanted and they opposed the British government. These new ideas brought about by the events of the rising would changed the political thinking of the country.
Bibliography
Foster, The Oxford Illustrated History Of Ireland, (Oxford, 1993)
Townshend, Making Sense of Easter 1916, (Wordwell Ltd.Stable)
Wheatley, Nationalism and the Irish Party: Provincial Ireland 1910-1916, (Wordwell Ltd.Stable)
(a) What did this proclamation offer the people of Ireland?
The Proclamation of Poblacht Na hEireann was read by Patrick Pearse outside the GPO during the 1916 rising. The document itself was issued by the Irish Volunteers and The Irish Citizen Army. The Irish Republican brotherhood calling itself “The Provisional Government” proclaimed Ireland’s independence from Britain. The proclamation was read out to the Irish people, it begins by addressing The “Irishmen and Irishwomen”. The proclamation acknowledges Ireland as a country, and praises its people and their efforts. The proclamation also states many ideas and offers to Irish people. “We declare the right of the people of Ireland to the ownership of Ireland”, this shows the belief that Ireland should be ruled by no other …show more content…
country and it offered the Irish people their land, their country and also their freedom. It offered them a control of the country and the formation of a republic. “The Republic guarantees religious and civil liberty, equal rights and equal opportunities to all its citizens”, the proclamation offered more than just a free state and a new government. It also promised the freedom of religion and equal rights. This would be a massive change in Irish people’s rights compared to under the British control. The offer of Equal rights for men and women would be the first mention of gender equality as women were unable to vote under British law. The people of Ireland were assured by the proclamation that the provisional government will represent all the people and it will carry out its military and its civil affairs for the good of the country. The proclamation also gave the people of Ireland belief. The leaders spoke for Ireland though the proclamation. It marked more attempts of efforts to gain independence through the rising and through armed forces and called for the Irish nation to join together for this “common good”.
(b) What impact had the Rising on political thinking in Ireland at the time?
After the rising had finished we can clearly see the change in political thinking around Ireland. The rising had many effects on Ireland and Britain as countries but it also would play a major role in how politics would change. By looking back before the rising we can compare how decisions made then differ to the decisions that were made after the rising and it shows how the political thinking in the country had changed. Before the rising ‘the Irish party insisted upon an act covering all Ireland with inbuilt safeguards for protestant interests, while the Ulster Unionist Council and still more emphatically the landlord dominated Irish Unionist Alliance demanded unaltered preservation of the Union.’ This disagreement between the two sides would continue and an agreement could not be reached.
There was to be more disagreement in 1916 when Home rule was misunderstood by Redmond and Carson. Redmond and the nationalists believed that the taking of the 6 counties was only temporary and that they would be granted full home rule after the war in Europe had ended. Carson however saw home rule as being permanent and that the 6 counties would stay under British control. However by the end of the rising there were significant changes in the way home rule was viewed, the political thinking had changed. ‘The summer and autumn of 1916 saw the beginning of a far-reaching transformation of nationalist attitudes in Ireland. Many who had accepted the argument that home rule was the limit of what was practically attainable now began to think that separatism was not an entirely wild
dream.’ There were more changes involving the political thinking in Ireland after the rising. Many sources believe that during the rising, the rebels were condemned by the Irish public. They did not view them as hero’s and questioned their methods. This can be believed as many Irish families had loved ones fighting for the British army in the War. However when the rising ended and the leaders were executed the public opinion and thinking changed. The introduction of Martial law on April 25th also changed public thinking in favour of the rebels. The British government responded with the release of the remaining prisoners. The main change in political thinking came from the political party Sinn Fein. Sinn Fein became head of the volunteers and took credit for the events. There was a massive change from Redmond’s time. ‘De Valera and Griffith agreed upon a revised version of the Sinn Fein constitution which won general acceptance.’ In 1918 Sinn Fein won the general election with 47% of the votes cast. This was a clear sign that political thinking had changed, mainly due to the executions and the fear of conscription. The growing popularity for Sinn Fein spread across the country and caused problems for the other political parties, none more so then the Irish parliamentary party which would collapse in 1918. The popularity for Sinn Fein continued to grow as De Valera replaced Arthur Griffith and Michael Collins appointed minister for finance. The rising had many impacts on politics in Ireland and the events had a major role in how the political thinking of the country would change. The rising made people realise that a change was needed. Sinn Fein would benefit from the change in thinking and De Valera was key to their rise. They promised the people what they wanted and they opposed the British government. These new ideas brought about by the events of the rising would changed the political thinking of the country.
Bibliography
Foster, The Oxford Illustrated History Of Ireland, (Oxford, 1993)
Townshend, Making Sense of Easter 1916, (Wordwell Ltd.Stable)
Wheatley, Nationalism and the Irish Party: Provincial Ireland 1910-1916, (Wordwell Ltd.Stable)