Causes of the Easter Rising: New Nationalism Flashcards
What does Martin say about the Rising in terms of New Nationalism?
> Martin says that the Rising was a “Revolution of the Intellectuals” and emphasizes that 3 of the planners were playwrights, and one an intellectual.
What did contemporary news reporting say about the Rising?
> News Reporting in New York called it a “poet’s revolution.”
What does English say about the rising in terms of New Nationalism?
> English says there was a “poetic-intellectual element” within the Rising.
Discuss Patrick Pearse
> Patrick Pearse: Pearse was a long time member and editor of the “Sword of Light”, the Gaelic League’s journal. He believed in Thomas Davis’s “Gaelic Nation”, Wolf-Tone and Emmet Republicanism and Insurrectionism of the Fenians. He strongly believed in the principle of “self-sacrifice” which he had acquired from the folk tale of Cu Chulainn.
Discuss James Connolly
> James Connolly: Connolly was a world renowned Marxist intellectual, believing World War I to be the “crisis of capitalism” that would lead to the workers of Europe overthrowing their bourgeois governments. However when the opposite happened, he descended into “desperation” (Edwards) and tried to organise an insurrection to establish socialism in Ireland. He was convinced by the IRB to hold off and join their rising instead, which he agreed to.
Discuss Plunkett and MacDonagh
> Plunkett and MacDonagh: Both like Pearse were Gaelic League members, “blood sacrifice” believers and Gaelic Nationalists.
What is Dudley Edwards’ view on New Nationalism as the cause of the Rising?
> Pearse’s writings left a great impression on historians, but he was merely a frontman to the puppetmaster; Thomas Clarke.
> It was Clarke and MacDermott who had put Pearse, Plunkett and MacDonagh into the IRB so that control over the IV council was more easily gained.
> Clarke USED Pearse to get what he wanted; he could inspire the stupid youth of Ireland, while he was really the master behind the scenes. Laffan cites that he was the first signatory of the Proclamation as evidence. It was likely Connolly was commander in chief of the Rebels, not Pearse.
