Easter Rising 1916 ​ Background Guide ​ ​ ​

The University of Notre Dame Model United Nations Conference January 31st - February 2nd, 2020

Dear Delegates,

My name is Mike Chmura and I am currently a Sophomore at Notre Dame residing in Marion Burk Knott Hall (the unquestionable best ND dorm), and I am majoring in economics & statistics with a minor in energy studies. In the future, I would like to work either in environmental/economic policy or economic consulting. I am from the Cleveland/Akron area of Ohio and therefore am a big Cleveland sports fan (if anyone says anything bad about Baker Mayfield we’re going to have some issues). I love to ski and play tennis & basketball. I am also a huge dog person. Most importantly, however, I am an avid MUN-er and can’t wait to direct the crisis for this committee.

I was first introduced to Model U.N. during my sophomore year of high school. Since then I have participated in 15+ conferences and spent countless hours engaged in Model U.N.-related activities. I was also a co-chair for NDMUN III last year. In high school, I always found crisis committees to be most interesting, and at least half of my committee experience thus far has been crisis. My favorite crisis committees to participate in were always the ones in which the crisis staff created an interesting and fulfilling arc that didn’t move too fast or stray too far from reality. I aim to use this experience to create an exhilarating and successful experience for everyone in the Easter Rising 1916 committee.

As this committee will function as a crisis (with personal portfolio powers, directives, etc.) it is expected committee participants will have at least a basic understanding of what a crisis committee is. This does not mean you had to have previously participated in a crisis committee. It only means that you should familiarize yourself with some of the main elements of crisis committees. If you have any questions about this, a good resource for you to access is NDMUN’s crisis guide on the NDMUNiv website. In addition, it is expected that delegates will come having researched their character and the general history behind the Easter Rising. This background guide should serve as a general summary, not a sole reference for research. Overall, however, it is most important that everyone comes looking to have a fun and fulfilling experience at NDMUNiv (please don’t stress yourself out over anything).

As always, feel free to email me with any questions you may have about this committee or how crisis ​ committees work in general. I can’t wait to see you all in January for NDMUNiv!

Sincerely,

Mike Chmura [email protected]

Easter Rising 1

Dear Delegates,

My name is Alvaro Carrillo Marcano. I was born and raised in Puerto Rico and have Spanish and Cuban heritage. I am completely fluent in Spanish and English and conversational in French. I am a Sophomore studying Accounting and Political Science at the University of Notre Dame with an end site of becoming a Lawyer specialized in Tax Law. I am passionate in learning how different business strategies, primarily tax incentives, can help companies establish their operations in locations with need of economic development so their efforts can create an environment of dual-economic growth that can translate into aid efforts for low income workers.

When I was a sophomore in High School, I decided to join Model United Nations because I saw it as an opportunity to practice my debating skills. Little did I know that my decision to engage in political debate helped me grow academically and personally at unprecedented levels. This led me to participate as a delegate in numerous types of committees ranging from the Cristero war in 1926, Puerto Rico’s Oversight Board, Council of the Indies, Uber vs Taxis legal complications, Philippines drug war, USA and North Korea’s nuclear tensions, and UNEP. I also served as a member of the dais in an intercollegiate competition at Puerto Rico for the committee of the Russo-Japanese War.

Being a crisis committee, the dais expects the delegates to be well prepared to engage in a dynamic debate that is subject to continuous modification and change. Delegates should thoroughly know their delegation’s history, influence and resources so they can react to the committee’s development in a unique and effective manner. This will be a very interesting and challenging committee that whilst it will have numerous developments, we hope that we can see consistent high-quality contributions by the delegates.

I know that the preparation process can sometimes be overwhelming and confusing; therefore, if you have any questions in respect to the committee, don’t hesitate to contact me via email and remember, have fun! Good luck!

Sincerely,

Alvaro Carrillo [email protected]

Easter Rising 2

Topic: The Dublin Easter Rising

As the main goal of this committee is to mimic a military uprising, this committee will be operating similarly to a “war cabinet.” It will be composed of distinguished Irish republicans, primarily those who, for the factual historical event, took leadership positions in organizing, executing or affecting the Dublin Easter Rising. For those more inexperienced crisis delegates, this committee, upholding typical crisis standards, will be more relaxed in respect to parliamentary procedure. Although parliamentary procedure will still be in effect, committee proceedings will be more centered on (un)moderated caucuses and other forms of debate rather than more formal procedures (i.e. speaker’s list). The delegates’ contributions in the moderated caucus will be crucial in aiding the development and implementation of the Uprising; however, personal directives (crisis notes) will also be a most important tool the delegates will have at their disposal to influence committee outcomes and events. Therefore, it is paramount that the delegates research allies, enemies, and resources their character has under his/her influence to compose purposeful and historically accurate crisis notes that will contribute to a dynamic, spontaneous and fun committee (specific portfolio powers will be communicated during the first committee session). If you still have doubts on the committee's proceedings, please refer to the NDMUN’s crisis guide on the NDMUN IV website, which will give you a general oversight on how the simulation will run.

The crisis for this committee will be centered on the week of April 23, 1916 ‒ the week during which the historical Easter Rising took place. As this committee is a historical crisis, historical figures and settings will heavily influence the events of this crisis simulation. The background for this crisis will be nearly identical to historical events which led up to the historical 1916 uprising. However, there will be a few key historical changes (alternate history) which will be incorporated in order to give this simulation a more realistic chance of success than the historical rising had (more info on specific background history changes is provided in the “Committee Specifics” section). Although this crisis has a historical setup and will draw on historical events to provide a realistic environment, this does not mean all, or even most, decisions and events during the crisis will mirror the historical Easter Rising. The goal for this committee is for members to take actions which are informed by the historical setting, but not identical to historical events. The historical rising ended up in defeat for the Irish Republicans, therefore clearly it would be unwise (hint, hint) for committee members to follow the exact same plans and actions which the historical uprising leaders took. Ultimately, the goal for this committee is to provide a simulation grounded in realistic expectations, but not tied to the historical events and outcomes. This dynamic between history and novelty is designed to create the most fun and interesting simulation possible.

Introduction

Since medieval times, Ireland has been under British rule. Ireland’s history is a direct representation of an extensive military conflict and cultural concoction that led to the development of an undeniably intertwined British state. Although Britain’s interest to increase its influence over the Irish state was once one of its main foreign policy goals from the 13th to the 19th century, time and time again Irish citizens ​ voiced their disapproval. However, as British influence advanced in Ireland, opinions over foreign rule became one of Ireland’s main political issues. This resulted in a divided Irish state by the 20th century ​ Easter Rising 3 composed of those who favored Anglican domination and those, inspired by the American and French revolutions, who supported an independent and home-ruled Ireland.

Religious conflicts Since the prehistoric era, Gaelic ideals, distinguished by “ethnolinguistic traditions native to north western Europe”1, had been a cornerstone of Irish culture. However, with the end of the “nine years war” between the old O’Neill Gaelic Irish family, whose main influence was upheld in Ulster, the most Gaelic region of Ireland, and English forces under Lord Mountjoy, Ireland ceased to be a Gaelic state. In turn, Ireland went through a brutal religious cleansing perpetrated by the English Protestant Church in which Catholics found themselves targets of religious profiling, rivaling the Spanish inquisition. With the expulsion of the O’Neill family, and all large Irish landowners in Ulster, the Protestant English and Presbyterian Scots took control of the most fertile lands in the region. With an overwhelming and newly installed protestant aristocracy, Irish Catholics became victims of religious discrimination by Protestants. Historians describe this event as “the seed… for the modern troubles”2.

By 1692, William III of England, better known as William of Orange, banned all Catholics from office, and by 1695, all Irish Catholics were deprived of Civil Rights. Evidently, these policies took a toll on Irish Catholics; once a predominant and powerful population of Ireland, now found itself in the midst of poverty, starvation, and persecution. No other event than the Irish famine of 1740 better reflects the horrible and outrageous living conditions in which Irish Catholics were forced into by the English Protestant Church. By 1740, due to an irregularly cold winter, Ireland saw the harvest of two of its main crops, potatoes and wheat, greatly hindered. This resulted in a price inflation of goods. With the lack of aid from Great Britain, by April of 1740 the great majority of the Catholic Irish were suffering and dying from starvation: “There is now as great scarcity of provision in this city [Dublin] as ever known, and it is much to be feared all over this kingdom, every kind of food being at vast high prices, which is owing to the great drought we have had ever since last Christmas, there not having been one day’s rain. During that time, forty thousand sheep have died in Connaught within these two months”.3 It is estimated that between 13% - 20% of a population of 2.4 million people died.4

With the success of the American and French revolutions, ideals of liberty, democracy, and fundamental rights gave Irish Catholics an unwavering motivation to seek equal rights to their counterpart Protestants. Hence, by 1789, Irish Catholics and Presbyterian Ulstermen, led by the father of Irish republicanism,

1 Source: https://www.historyofengland.net/british-empire/ireland-the-first-colony. ​ ​ ​ 2 Source: Ibid. ​ ​ 3 Source: George Faulkner, The Dublin Journal, 1740a). ​ 4 Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_Famine_(1740–41) ​ ​ Easter Rising 4 Theobald Tone, began an armed revolution against English rule. Unfortunately, it resulted in heavy casualties and defeat. This led to the establishment of the Act of Union of 1801. Upon approval, “the Irish Parliament was to be abolished, and Ireland thenceforth was to be represented at the Parliament in Westminster, London, by 4 spiritual peers, 28 temporal peers, and 100 members of the House of Commons.5” After years of continuous targeted persecution and injustices through voter suppression, Irish Catholics were struck by another calamity in 1845, denoted by historians as the “Potato Famine.” A fungus-like organism called Phytophthora infestans, spread throughout Ireland, infesting and ruining ​ ​ one-half of the potato crops that year and severely hindering future crops for almost a decade. This resulted “in the death of roughly one million Irish from starvation and related causes, with at least another million forced to leave their homeland as refugees.”6

With growing resentment and lack of military action by the Irish republicans, in 1858 the Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB) was founded by James Stephens and John O’Mahoney, to fight for home rule. Members of this organization, for a time, were nicknamed the Fenians inspired by the Fianna warriors from Celtic Ireland. However, even though home rule movements were flourishing, not all Ireland was in favor of this type of policy. Ulster, Northern Ireland, a predominant protestant region, feverously supported the union with Great Britain.

Irish Disunity Due to the evident rise of English culture and the decline of Irish culture in Ireland, in the midst of the 1880’s a movement called the “Gaelic Rival” gained popularity. It sought to spread awareness of Gaelic culture, sports and language all across the country. Thanks to philologists learning how to read old Irish, typically written before the year 900, the Irish, which were now heavily influenced by English culture, had the opportunity to connect with their past roots by translating ancient Gaelic manuscripts, such as The ​ Annals of the Four Masters7. Gaelic institutions, poets, and journals flourished all around Ireland. In 1842, the patriotic organization named Young Ireland, founded the Nation, a paper that gave poets such as ​ ​ Osborne Davis, Thomas D’Arcy McGee, Richard D’Alton Williams, and Speranza8 the opportunity to expose their Gaelic inspired works. By 1893, Douglas Hyde and Eoin MacNeil had established the Gaelic League with the goal of leading the Gaelic revival by “giving a sense of Irishness back to the people”.9 Hyde’s main vision for the League was to be an apolitical organization; however, due to its nature, it attracted many nationalists. One of the most prominent Irish Republicans to be, Patrick Pearse, was the editor of the Gaelic League’s newspaper “An Claidheamh Soluis” (The Sword of Light).10

5 Source: https://www.britannica.com/event/Act-of-Union-United-Kingdom-1801 ​ ​ 6 Source: https://www.history.com/topics/immigration/irish-potato-famine ​ ​ 7 Chronicles of medieval Irish history. The entries span from the Deluge, dated as 2,242 years after creation to AD 1616. ​ 8 Mother of Oscar Wilde ​ 9 Source: https://www.gaelicmatters.com/gaelic-revival.htm ​ ​ 10 Source: Ibid. Easter Rising 5

Whilst Irish nationalist and cultural movements gained popularity all around the country, up in the north, Ulster Protestants stayed firm with their allegiance to the English throne. As efforts to promote home rule turned to the parliament, Sir Edward Carson11 and James Craig12 utilized the Ulster Covenant to oppose the Third Home Rule bill of 1912 proposed by the British Government. On and before September 28, 1912, the Ulster Covenant had been signed by “237,368 men and 234,046 women”.13 Also, by January, in ​ 1912, Ulster Unionists, one of the biggest unions delegating for non-home rule ideals, began to form a trained military force called the Ulster Volunteers with the disposition of fighting if home rule came into effect. As a response to the Ulster Volunteers, Irish Nationalists founded the Irish Volunteer Army, composed by members of the Gaelic League, Ancient Order of Hibernians14 and Sinn Féin15, with the main goal of “securing and maintaining the rights and liberties common to the whole people of Ireland”.16

11 Leader of the Irish Unionist Party 12 The Unionist MP for East Down 13 Source: https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/about-ulster-covenant ​ 14 Irish Catholic fraternal organization. Members must be male, Catholic, and either born in Ireland or of Irish descent. 15 A left-wing Irish republican political party active in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. ​ 16 Source: Foy, Michael; Barton, Brian (2004). The Easter Rising. Sutton Publishing. pp. 7–8 ​ ​ ​ Easter Rising 6 Dublin Lock-Out Throughout the 19th century, Ireland had almost no industry apart from the booming and developing ​ north-east. This had resulted in staggering levels of poverty in rural areas, which forced working-class individuals to relocate to urban areas, such as Dublin. “In 1911, three-quarters of its work-force were unskilled and virtually unorganized, one-fifth were unemployed as labor was in surplus, and average wage levels were barely half London rates. One-third of the city’s families occupied one room accommodation in decaying tenements; disease and high death rates were endemic.”17 As a response to ​ the overwhelming levels of poverty and poor living conditions bestowed upon the Irish working class by the status-quo, in 1908, James Larkin, general organizer of the British-based National Union of Dock Laborers, established his own union called Irish Transport and General Workers’ Union (ITGWU). By 1913, the union had around 10,000 members, distinguishing it as the biggest and militant union in Ireland, “with its own distinct blend of trade unionism, republicanism and socialism – ‘Larkinism’”.18

In 1913, with labor problems at the front fourth of Irish working class’ disputes, William Marty Murphy, owner of Dublin United Tramway Company (DUTC) and owner of the city’s largest department store, hotel and newspaper, demanded that employees of the DUTC forswear membership of the ITGWU, or they would be dismissed. Therefore, Larkin responded by calling tramway-men in his union to mobilize for protest. Murphy’s company started locking out rebellious workers, which led to the development of massive sympathetic strikes all around the city. After this, Murphy got the support of the employer’s federation to lock out all employees that belonged to Larkin’s union. Violent clashes between the police and workers increased. By January 1914, the workers had lost the dispute and Larkin was forced to leave to the United States. With a power vacuum in Ireland, James Connolly, an Irish republican and socialist leader, came to prominence and founded the Irish Citizen Army to “enable the locked-out men to defend themselves in clashes with the police and to combat the demoralizing impact of unemployment.”19 Even though lower class workers had suffered a defeat, the landscape of employer and employee relations had changed drastically for years to come.

Third Home Rule bill In the 1909 General Election, both Conservatives and Liberals won 272 seats in parliament, while the Home Rule Party, led by John Redmond, won 84 seats. This meant that both sides, Liberals and Conservatives, needed the support of Redmond’s party to form a government. Through a series of

17 Source: https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/easterrising/prelude/pr05.shtml ​ 18 Source: Ibid. 19 Source: Ibid. Easter Rising 7 negotiations, the Liberals were obligated to introduce the Third Home Rule bill in 1912. As the bill gained popularity in parliament, Conservatives campaigned that the Unionist North of Ireland should be treated as a separate entity of Ireland due to its high concentration of Ulster Protestants. This gave forth to the idea of a volatile dual-identity Ireland under parliamentary view. With growing tensions over the Third Home Rule bill, militant groups such as the Irish Volunteer Force (IVF) and the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) started to surge, foretelling a possible civil war.

WWI In August of 1914, the UK confirmed its involvement in WWI to combat Germany. As a consequence, the Third Home Rule bill was put to a halt, and Irish Republicans found themselves in a rather difficult situation. Many of the members of the IVF decided to go to war and fight for the British, joining the 10th ​ and 16th divisions, while a small splinter group stayed at home. Also, many of the UVF joined the war, ​ th along with other Unionists, to become the 36 ​ Ulster Division. ​

In 1915, O’Donovan Rossa, a leading figure of the Irish Republican Brotherhood, died, and in his funeral, Patrick Pearse gave a patriotic and memorable speech. With growing unease within the Irish republican membership, due to the extent of the first world war, Pearse utilized his speech as a platform to urge and promote nationalist ideals to all of his supporters. Utilizing his oratory talent, and with a commoving ending line of “Ireland unfree shall never be at peace”,20 he was able to secure the support of the old Fenian leadership through Tom Clarke. This gave forth to the birth of a younger and more ambitious IRB leadership.

With WWI in full swing and the idea of “home rule” looking less and less attainable, the time was prime for a rebellion. The Irish Rebublican Brotherhood (IRB) and the Irish Citizen Army (ICA), both recognized this opportunity and decided to join forces to plan a major rebellion in Ireland. Before WW1,

20 Source: https://www.rte.ie/centuryireland/index.php/articles/ireland-unfree-shall-never-be-at-peace ​ Easter Rising 8 the military arm of the IRB, the Irish Volunteers, had an impressive 160,000 members.21 The ICA, meanwhile, numbered in the thousands.22 However, the beginning of WWI saw many members from both movements go off to fight in Europe. It is estimated that around 90% of the Irish Volunteers signed up to fight in WWI with the British Army.23 Despite their depleted numbers, those IRB and ICA members who remained in Ireland were some of the most radical and committed to the idea of a Free Ireland.

Current Situation

The current date is April 22, 1916 and the Rising is scheduled for the next day, Easter Sunday. Irish volunteers of the IRB and ICA have received orders to hold “major maneuvers.” To the British and the vast majority of Irish Volunteers, these orders are nothing out of the ordinary— the Irish Republican Brotherhood commonly held parades and protests.24 However, these “maneuvers” will be much different than previous ones. Only a few select Irish Volunteers know of the true plans for the uprising, and this committee will be comprised of the Irish Volunteers in Dublin who are privy to this top-secret information. While the rank-in-file Irish Volunteers are not aware they are about to start a revolution, all volunteers know they must be prepared to take up arms at a moment’s notice. No matter the outcome, this rebellion will be a defining moment in Irish history. Perhaps the oppressive British rule of Ireland is at its end.

In total, there are approximately 2,000 battle-ready members of the Irish Volunteers and ICA currently in Dublin with many more thousands spread throughout the nation. Currently, the IRB and ICA forces greatly outnumber the British forces in Ireland as the vast majority of the British military is bogged down in the trenches of Western Europe. Patrick Pearse has been appointed commander-in-chief of the Irish Volunteer Forces, and volunteers have been busy dispersing weapons and ammunition. The British know something is brewing, but very few British officials believe an impending rebellion as likely.

21 Source: https://irishhistorybitesize.com/easter-rising-irish-volunteer-force/ ​ 22 Source: https://irishhistorybitesize.com/easter-rising-irish-citizen-army/ ​ 23 Source: 1916 The Irish Rebellion (film documentary) 24 Source: https://irishhistorybitesize.com/easter-rising-irish-republican-brotherhood/ ​ Easter Rising 9

Committee Specifics

As previously mentioned, this committee will be comprised of the IRB and ICA leadership in Dublin, and will begin the night before the scheduled rising— April 22, 1916. The first task of the committee will be to draw up specific attack plans and devise other preparatory strategies for the rebellion which will commence the next morning. After the rebellion gets underway, the committee must maintain military and popular superiority as it attempts to secure a Free Ireland.

This simulation will also include some background cases of “alternate history” in order to provide the best realistic chance of success for the committee. The modifications to the background history include: ● The German Arms Shipment: Months before the rising, Sir Roger Casement organized for an arms and ammunition shipment from Germany to aid the uprising. Historically, this shipment was discovered by the British and the ship carrying the weapons was scuttled.25 However, for this ​ simulation, you may assume the arms shipment made it undetected into the hands of the Irish Volunteers. ● Éoin MacNeil’s Countermanding Order: Historically, a countermanding order was issued by IRB chief-of-staff Éoin MacNeil who believed the rebellion was a hopeless proposition after the arms

25 Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/easterrising/insurrection/in02.shtml ​ ​ Easter Rising 10 shipment was discovered 26 This order greatly reduced the turnout for the rebellion. However, since the arms shipment has gone undiscovered, this simulation will not be affected by Éoin MacNeil’s order. ● Character Bios and Responsibilities: Although character positions and responsibilities will mirror history whenever practical, some will be slightly modified so as to improve the balance of power between positions.

Important Note: these cases are in the minority and all background information not specifically classified above as modified will remain true to actual history.

Possible Solutions

This committee will be run as a fluid, free-flowing crisis. Hence, the ending situation will be determined by actions the committee takes and how effective such strategies are determined to be. This simulation could end with the total destruction of the Irish Republican forces, complete freedom for Ireland, or anywhere in between. It really will be up to how effective committee members can be at formulating detailed strategies and responding efficiently to urgent situations which will certainly arise over the course of the committee.

Specifically, delegates may find solutions to issues through the following mediums: ● Military and Logistics: This movement is first and foremost an armed uprising. Military strategy such as troop movement, attack/defense positions, reconnaissance on the enemy, recruitment, weapons/supplies, etc. should be considered. ● Public Relations: The rebellion will not be successful if the population is not on your side. ● Foreign Relations: This may be important for military aid and/or peace negotiations. ● Nation-Wide Coordination: Although this committee will only deal directly with the Dublin uprising, the Easter Rising is a nation-wide event. Coordinating with other groups of rebels around the country may prove helpful. ● Miscellaneous: There are certainly other subjects that may be helpful for the committee to focus on. Be creative!

Bloc Positions

The population of Ireland is generally divided into the following three political ideologies:

● Republicans ○ This is the general bloc to which every member of this committee will belong. This movement, although sometimes aligned with the idea of home-rule, ultimately desires a completely independent Irish State. Many supporters of this movement are militaristic, with the Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB) being the most prominent republican organization. Although initially on-board with the home-rule agenda, this movement

26 Source: Ibid. Easter Rising 11 eventually started to believe more immediate, forceful actions were necessary after the home-rule bill failed to be passed before WWI. ● Moderates- “Home-Rule” ○ This movement gradually gained more popularity throughout Ireland, and even England, during the onset of the 20th century. During the 1910 English Parliamentary elections, the Liberal Party lost its majority and reluctantly decided to ally with the Irish Parliamentary Party (supporters of home-rule) to form a coalition government. As part of the agreement between the two parties, the Liberals helped push through a home-rule bill through the House of Commons. However, the unexpected outbreak of WWI caused a final vote on this bill to be delayed indefinitely. Many Irish who once supported home-rule became disillusioned because of this and looked to more radical movements. ● Unionists ○ Unionists are those who support Ireland’s union with Great Britain. Support for this movement is strongest in Ulster (modern Northern Ireland), but there is support for this across the island, especially among the upper-class. Supporters of this ideology are strongly opposed to the home-rule campaign and especially the idea of an independent Ireland. Supporters of this movement have become progressively more militarized as the home-rule movement gained popularity. In Ulster, unionists formed the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF), a militaristic group dedicated to keeping Ireland united with England by violent means if necessary.

Questions to Consider 1. How will you convince the public your goals aren’t just noble, but also feasible? 2. What are the best strategies to use in order to capture and defend Dublin from a British counter-attack? 3. How will you keep your troops supplied and well-equipped against the advanced English military? 4. What are some foreign allies that may be able to support you militarily or diplomatically? 5. What are some of the key locations in Dublin that the Irish Volunteers should capture and hold? 6. How will you signal to the world that this rebellion should be considered legitimate? 7. How will you communicate and strategize with other republican cells throughout the country in order to effectively capture the entire country?

Position Paper Expectations

**IMPORTANT** A previous version of this background guide incorrectly implied position papers will be required for this committee. Position Papers will NOT be required for award consideration and are ​ ​ NOT mandatory to submit. Writing a position paper will instead be considered OPTIONAL. ​ ​ ​

Primarily, the position paper’s goal is to establish your character’s policy in respect to the matter at hand. Consequently, the dias is seeking to be able to identify in a clear and concise way what’s your character’s stance to the rising political tensions in Ireland, as well as other facts that are unique to your situation. To aid you in your writing process, here are some points we would like to see on your position paper:

Easter Rising 12 ● Concrete initiatives to deal with numerous challenges given forth by Ireland’s inherent political situation. (Use as reference the Questions to consider section) ​ ​ ● General background information of your character ● Character’s relevance with the issue at hand

Recommended Readings and Material ● Three hour movie/documentary on the Easter Rising, created by Notre Dame’s Keough School of Global Affairs and narrated by Liam Neeson (full documentary on Amazon Prime) https://1916.nd.edu/1916-the-irish-rebellion/ ● BBC webpage all about the Easter Rising, great information on the prelude and issues the rebels faced: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/easterrising/index.shtml ​ ● Eight-minute illustrated youtube video on the Easter Rising: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rT8uFIbNrHw ● Easter 1916: 7-part documentary on the major Irish republican leaders of the Easter Rising (full documentary on Amazon Prime) https://www.amazon.com/Easter-1916/dp/B01ETV9LIW ​ ● Rebellion (season one): Fun and easily-bingeable drama series on the Easter Rising. Not meant to be a perfect historical representation of the rebellion (some fictitious characters and events), but it does give a good sense of the city of Dublin and the conditions during the Easter Rising. https://www.netflix.com/title/80094273

List of Committee Members27

Patrick Pearse - Pearse served as Commander-in-Chief of the Irish Republican forces during the Rising. ​ He founded St. Edna’s School— a secondary school for boys which taught the Irish language and culture. A devout Catholic, poet and writer, Pearse possessed a deep pride for Gaelic culture. **The Chair of the ​ committee will hold this position (only symbolic, does not change the powers the Chair holds).

James Connolly - Connolly was the Commandant of the Irish Citizen Army during the Rising. Connolly ​ was a prominent Socialist leader in Ireland. He played a large role in the aftermath of the Dublin lock-out of 1913, creating the ICA to protect members of the working class. Connolly was primarily interested in independence for economic reasons rather than because of a sense of Irish pride.

Éamon Ceannt - A founding member of the Irish Volunteers, Ceannt participated in gun-running and ​ was on the military council which planned the Rising. He served as Director of Communications for the IRB and was placed in command of the 4th battalion of the Irish Volunteers.

Thomas MacDonagh - MacDonagh was a good friend of Patrick Pearse and the first teacher at St. ​ Edna’s school. He possessed a great interest in the Irish language and theatre. MacDonagh was appointed the Director of Training for the IRB and commandant of the 2nd battalion.

27 Sources for the character biographies: https://www.irishtimes.com/1916/people-of-the-1916-rising ; ​ ​ http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/easterrising/profiles/index.shtml and ​ https://irishhistorybitesize.com/easter-rising-key-characters-places-organisations/

Easter Rising 13 Thomas Clarke - The oldest member of this committee, Thomas Clarke was involved with the Irish ​ Republican movement since 1878. He was involved in the Fenian dynamite campaign in England and was subsequently jailed for 15 years after being arrested. After his release, he effectively ran the IRB for many years up until the Rising.

Seán MacDermott -A personal friend and protégé of Thomas Clake, MacDiarmada (went by: ​ “MacDermott”) joined the IRB in 1906 where he served as their chief treasurer. Although suffering from polio, MacDermott served on the military planning committee and was committed to personally participating in the Rising.

Joseph Mary Plunkett - Although Plunkett joined the IRB relatively late (1915), he was still appointed a ​ member of the military planning committee. Plunkett was a close friend of Thomas MacDonagh and an educated poet who previously lived in Italy, Alegeria, and Egypt. He fell ill at the start of 1916 and required an operation days before the planned Rising. Despite this operation, he remained committed to participating in the rising. For the Rising, he served as the Director of Military Operations.

Sir Roger Casement - Perhaps the most unusual Irish Republican, Casement was raised in Ulster as a ​ Protestant and was knighted by England for his work in the Congo and Peru. After returning to Ireland, Casement became involved in Irish republicanism and co-wrote the manifesto of the Irish Volunteers along with Éoin MacNeil. Before the Rising occurred, he traveled to Germany to secure military support for the Rising.

Éamon de Valera - An American citizen and devout Catholic, Valera was taken to Ireland by his Uncle ​ at the age of two where he studied to eventually become a math teacher. He became involved in the Irish Republican movement in 1913 and was appointed commandant of the 3rd battalion for the Rising.

Constance Markievicz - Born into an English Protestant family, Markievicz ended up marrying a Polish ​ noble, thus giving her the title of “countess.” After moving to Ireland, she became concerned with the plight of the poor and joined James Connoly’s ICA. By the time of the rising, Markievicz was the highest ranking Irish republican female.

Edward Daly - Born into a prominent Irish republican family, Edward Daly quickly rose the ranks of the ​ IRB. His sister was married to Thomas Clarke and his father was very well known in Irish republican circles. He was given command of the 1st battalion for the Rising at the young age of 25.

Michael Mallin - One of only two of the Irish republican leaders to serve in the British army, his ​ ​ experiences of British colonialism while on foreign service were said to have turned him to Irish republicanism. He was second-in-command of the ICA under James Connolly.

The O’Rahilly - Michael Joseph O'Rahilly, nicknamed “The O’Rahilly,” became an Irish Repblcan as an ​ ​ ​ adult. He served as the Director of Arms for the IRB. He was known for his courage and lively personality.

Michael Collins - After some time in the civil service in London, Collins moved back to Ireland where he ​ became interested in Irish republican politics. He was the personal aide to Joseph Plunkett at the onset of the Rising.

Easter Rising 14 Seán Connolly - The son of a famous Fenian, Connolly became involved with Irish republicanism at an ​ early age. He joined the ICA and held the rank of captain for the Rising.

Dr. Kathleen Lynn - Lynn was a trained medical doctor and active in Irish Women’s Suffrage, local ​ government associations and the militant, British-based Women’s Social and Political Union. She joined the ICA after becoming interested in Irish republicanism.

Cathal Brugha - Brugha was born into a mixed Protestant-Catholic family. He eventually joined the IRB ​ and rose to the rank of captain. For the rising, he was appointed second-in-command of Ceannt’s 4th battalion.

Seán Heuston - Although one of the youngest leaders of Rising, Heuston was said to be one of the most ​ capable military leaders of the group. He was previously the vice-commandant of the republican youth group Fianna Eireann. Heuston was granted the rank of captain for the Rising. ​ Michael O'Hanrahan - O’Hanrahan was born into an Irish republican family. His family was very ​ involved in the Gaelic Revival and O’Hanrahan became a novelist before the Rising. He was second-in-command of MacDonagh’s 2nd battalion at the beginning of the Rising.

Con Colbert - Con Colbert grew up as one of 13 children in the Western Irish city, Limerick. After ​ moving to Dublin, Colbert became a drill-master at Pearse’s St. Edna’s School. Colbert was given the rank of Captain for the Rising.

Willie Pearse - The brother of Patrick Pearse, Willie was well-known within fenian circles although he ​ didn’t hold as high a position as his brother. Willie was given the rank of Captain for the Rising.

Nurse Elizabeth O’Farrell - O’Farrell was a member of the Cumann na mBan and a practicing nurse. ​ ​ ​ Along with caring for the wounded, O’Farrell served as one of the primary dispatchers for the Republican forces.

References

[1] “About the Ulster Covenant.” Nidirect, 7 Oct. 2019, ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/about-ulster-covenant. ​

[2] Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Act of Union.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia ​ ​ ​ ​ Britannica, Inc., https://www.britannica.com/event/Act-of-Union-United-Kingdom-1801. ​ ​

[3] Foy, Michael; Barton, Brian (2004). The Easter Rising. Sutton Publishing. pp. 7–8. ​ ​

[4] “Gaelic Revival.” GaelicMatters.com, https://www.gaelicmatters.com/gaelic-revival.html. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

[5] George Faulkner, The Dublin Journal, 1740a. ​

Easter Rising 15 [6] “History - 1916 Easter Rising - Insurrection - Sir Roger Casement and the German Connection.” BBC, ​ ​ ​ BBC, http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/easterrising/insurrection/in02.shtml. ​ ​

[7] “History - 1916 Easter Rising - Prelude - Dublin Lockout 1913.” BBC, BBC, ​ ​ ​ https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/easterrising/prelude/pr05.shtml. ​

[8] History.com Editors. “Irish Potato Famine.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 17 Oct. 2017, ​ ​ ​ https://www.history.com/topics/immigration/irish-potato-famine. ​

[9] “History of England.” Ireland - The First Colony - History of England, ​ ​ ​ https://www.historyofengland.net/british-empire/ireland-the-first-colony. ​

[10] “'Ireland Unfree Shall Never Be at Peace'.” 'Ireland Unfree Shall Never Be at Peace' | Century ​ ​ Ireland, https://www.rte.ie/centuryireland/index.php/articles/ireland-unfree-shall-never-be-at-peace. ​ ​ ​

[11] “Irish Citizen Army – Trade Unionists in the 1916 Easter Rising.” Irish History Bitesize, 8 Oct. ​ ​ 2015, https://irishhistorybitesize.com/easter-rising-irish-citizen-army/. ​ ​

[12] “Irish Famine (1740–41).” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 27 Sept. 2019, ​ ​ ​ ​ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_Famine_(1740–41). ​

[13] “Irish Republican Brotherhood – Fighting for Independence.” Irish History Bitesize, 28 Mar. 2013, ​ ​ ​ https://irishhistorybitesize.com/easter-rising-irish-republican-brotherhood/. ​

[14] “Irish Volunteer Force – the Soldiers of the 1916 Easter Rising.” Irish History Bitesize, 28 Mar. ​ ​ 2013, https://irishhistorybitesize.com/easter-rising-irish-volunteer-force/. ​ ​

Easter Rising 16 Appendix

Easter Rising 17

Easter Rising 18

Easter Rising 19

Easter Rising 20