GALLANT SONS Irishmen and the First World War

EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE PACK Leaving Certificate Resources GALLANT SONS Leaving Certificate Resources (History) Teachers’ Notes

Working with Primary Source Materials

The first hand accounts of the Irishmen who served in World War One, and those of their families, provide the historian with valuable primary evidence about the effects of war at an individual and local level – on the battlefield and at home in Ireland.

Published documents, such as handbills and posters, give us an insight into the politics of recruitment. The documents in this exhibition provide students of Leaving Certificate History with an opportunity to practise their skills as historians. (Teachers may also wish to customise the ‘Power of Persuasion’ activity to this end.)

The Easter Rising meets World War One Mary Martin’s 1916 diary, written as a letter to her son who was missing in action, puts the events of 24 April 1916 in the context of an Irish family living in the shadow of the war. It reminds us that the Easter Rising was not the only event of that year to impact on Irish lives. Her account is also useful as it records the immediate aftermath of the Rising and its impact on day to day life in Dublin.

A facsimile extract from her diary is in the discovery box for you to photocopy for students. A related activity sheet encourages students to explore her account and to reflect on their existing knowledge of the Easter Rising.

Mary Martin’s 1916 Diary

Encouraging the Volunteers to Volunteer The discovery box contains two facsimile documents for you to photocopy for students. The first is a handbill, published in 1914, after the split in the Volunteers, and addressed to the majority, pro-Redmond Irish National Volunteers. The second is the recruitment poster featuring John Redmond.

Divide the class into small groups, giving each group a copy of the documents and each student a copy of the activity sheet. Students should work together to find answers; if time permits, it may be valuable to regroup at the end of the activity and compare the groups’ findings.

Handbill GALLANT SONS Leaving Certificate Resources (History) Activity Sheet One

Mary Martin’s Diary

Mary Martin wrote her 1916 diary as a letter to her son, Jack, a soldier who had been missing in action since December 1915. It details her attempts to get word of him and her desperate concern for his wellbeing. The diary also provides an account of life in Ireland during the war and of the events of Monday 24 April – or, the Easter Rising.

Read through the extract and answer the questions below. 1. Where did Ethel and Violet spend the day on Monday 24 April?

Mary Martin’s 1916 Diary 2. What did Ethel and Violet ‘discover to their cost’?

3. How does Mrs Martin refer to the state of Dublin? From what you know of the Rising, do you think her account is exaggerated?

4. Which buildings does Mrs Martin identify as being occupied by the rebels?

5. Give three examples of how the events of the Rising affected the day to day life of Mrs Martin and her family.

6. How does Mrs Martin’s account compare to others – personal and official – that you have read about the Rising? Based on your knowledge, would you say that she is a reliable ‘witness’? GALLANT SONS Leaving Certificate Resources (History) Activity Sheet Two

The Power of Persuasion

This handbill was published in 1914 as an appeal to the Irish National Volunteers to enlist in the British Army. Tom Kettle was an Irish MP, poet and Volunteer. He joined the Royal Dublin Fusilliers and was killed in action in September 1916.

Read the document and then answer the questions below. 1. “This handbill was published before the split in the Volunteer movement.” Is this statement true or false? Give a reason for your answer.

2. In fewer than fifteen words, sum up the core message of this handbill.

Handbill

3. Would you say that this document was factual? Give a reason for your answer.

4. “This document appeals to volunteers on a personal and emotional level.” Find five pieces of evidence in support of this statement. GALLANT SONS Leaving Certificate Resources (History) Activity Sheet Two continued

The Power of Persuasion

This recruitment poster was published in Dublin in 1915. Examine the poster and answer the following questions. 1. What is the poster’s core message? In what way does it echo the handbill’s message?

What will your answer be?

2. How does the poster communicate its message to its target audience? Do you think that it is persuasive?

3. As arguments for enlisting in the army, which document do you think is the more effective?