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The Easter Rising - The First World War - April 1916

The war in France had delayed moves towards Home Rule for the Irish, as the British Government concentrated it's efforts on the war effort. A group of Irish nationalist extremists decided that as the British were focussed on the Western Front rather than the colonies and dominions, this would be the perfect time to force the issue.

At Easter 1916 a group of Irish nationalists, in an organisation called Sinn Fein, led a rebellion in Dublin. They took control of the cities communications network and main buildings by force and declared Ireland to be a free state. The British government had limited numbers of troops in Dublin at the time, as Irish politicians had generally agreed to support the war effort there seemed to be little need to heavily police a colony that was so close to Britain and, in theory at least, quite secure.

The troops that were in Dublin managed to restore order and the leaders of the Easter Rising were captured, imprisoned and later executed. British fury at the armed rebellion whilst the nation was already at war resulting in the ultimate penalty being brought to bear on the leaders of the uprising.

Sympathies amongst many of the Irish population had, until the point f the executions, lay with the British Home Rule was on the way and armed rebellions would do nothing whatsoever to aid the cause of a peaceful transition towards independence Following the executions support moved to the Sinn Fein movement who, by the 1918 election, became the largest party in Ireland whilst also creating and maintaining a government of Ireland (Illegal as far as the British were concerned but effectively governing the bulk of Ireland from it's creation through to the modern day).

Click here to read about other events that happened on the Home Front or in the Dominions.