Irish Rebellion Research Paper

Words: 542
Pages: 3

This investigation discusses “To what extent did the Great War influence the outcome of the 1916 Irish Rebellion?” and will analyse the opportunities the war provided for an insurrection. Whether WWI was a hindrance to the Irish nationalist movement or an aid will be explored, while analysing the perspectives of the revolutionaries and the public. The rebellion movement as a whole encompasses the civil wars and spans from 1916-1922, but this investigation will focus on the Easter Rising of 1916. Thus, The Easter Rising: Revolution and Irish Nationalism and Collected Works of Padraic H. Pearse are sources of particular value to this investigation, due to the insight they give into the implications of war on the rebel movement both through political …show more content…
His high-ranking position indicates he had insight into the inner workings of the rebel movements and how the war influenced them. Additionally, these writings provide an exceptional representation of nationalist views, as many of them were used as tools to foster support. The purpose and origin of this source increase its value, as these works illustrate the intentions of the rebels and further one’s understanding of the Irish rebellion. However, this source does have limitations due to its origin and purpose. Since only Pearse’s writings are included, the interpretation is very one-sided, especially considering there were varying nationalist perspectives that had different principles and plans. Furthermore, since these works were written in 1916, they have a lack of hindsight and a revisionist perspective is valuable when assessing the impact of the war. Also, the purpose of Pearse’s speeches was to elicit sympathy for the rebels, there is no explicit information about the war’s influence. Therefore, to determine the impact of the war on the rebel movement, historian’s must analyse Pearse’s work with historical judgement, making their own interpretation which limits the accuracy and value of the