Ireland and the War

Britain declared war on Germany on the 3rd of August after it invaded Belgium. Most people thought the war would be over by Christmas.

Carson allowed the Home Rule Bill to pass on the 18th of September but only on condition that it would not begin until the war ended and the question of Ulster was settled.

Carson then called on the Ulster Volunteers to join the British army and fight in the war. He wanted to show how loyal Ulster Unionists were to the cause of the British Empire so that the British would be more sympathetic to their wishes to exclude 6 counties from rule by a Home Rule parliament.

REDMOND AND THE VOLUNTEERS Redmond told the British that the

Irish Volunteers would defend Ireland from attack so that the British army was free to leave Ireland.

After the Home Rule Bill passed he called on Irish Volunteers to join the British army and help Britain in the war.

Why did Redmond ask the Volunteers to join the British army? To show that even if Ireland got Home Rule

it would stand together with Britain against Britain’s enemies. This would show that the British fear that Home Rule would put their security at risk was unfounded.

He thought it would put him in a stronger position in future negotiations with Asquith about Tyrone and Fermanagh. He knew that the Ulster Volunteers were joining up and he did not want the Unionists to gain an advantage.

In 1914 both Nationalists and Unionists supported the war. Irish Catholics wanted to help out and defend Catholic Belgium.

Many Unionists rushed to join the war effort. The War office allowed them to serve together and form one division, it was called the 36th “Ulster” division. It was allowed to use Unionist symbols and was led by UVF officers. The 36th division was decimated in the Battle of the Somme leading to huge loss of life.

The Irish Volunteers split after Redmond’s call for them to join the British army.

Most supported his view and many joined the war effort, especially in the first year.

Eoin Mac Neill was against the policy of fighting with the British Army. He was not in the IRB but he felt that the Irish Volunteers should only fight if the promise of Home Rule was not followed through on, if conscription was introduced or if the British army tried to disarm the Volunteers. In this case they would be fighting against the British Army not with it.

The members of the IRB who were in the Volunteers were against the Volunteers fighting with the British Army.

They wanted to plan a rebellion that would happen during the war. They remembered the old Republican adage “England’s difficulty is Ireland’s opportunity.”

The Irish volunteers were not allowed to form their own division, use Nationalist symbols and few of their officers came from the Volunteers. Most of the Irish Volunteers were massacred at Gallipoli in 1915.

People stop joining up

As the horrific reality of life in the trenches became widely known people stopped joining up.

Britain introduced conscription in Britain but Redmond insisted it could not be brought in to Ireland and would only lead to riots.

Redmond loses influence

As the war continued with no end in sight and Home Rule got delayed for longer people began to wonder if Home Rule would ever become a reality.

People were angry, especially Nationalists who live in Ulster, that partition seemed likely. But Redmond seemed powerless to stop it.

Redmond began to lose influence in London. All the parties in Britain joined together and Carson and Redmond were asked to join the government. Carson agreed but Redmond refused. This gave Carson greater influence than Redmond.

Redmond’s advice on the Volunteers left in Ireland. Redmond told the Chief secretary of

Ireland , Augustine Birrell, to leave the Volunteers who opposed any support for the war alone.

They continued to drill, hold parades and carry out pretend military attacks in Dublin.

The British never attempted to stop any of their activities in the 2 years leading up to the Easter 1916 Rising as a result of this advice.

Ireland during the war!!

1) Explain why Carson and Redmond told the Ulster Volunteers and the Irish Volunteers to join the British army and fight in the first world war.

2) Eoin Mac Neill told the volunteers to stay at home and to fight only in the event of one of three things happening. Who was Eoin Mac Neill and what were the only reasons he could give for the Irish Volunteers fighting?

3) Why did the IRB not want the Irish Volunteers to go and fight in the British army?