Ever since the Norman invasion of Ireland by Henry II in the middle ages Ireland
and England, later Britan, were in a state of conflict. This conflict had settled
down by 1914 with violence becoming far rarer, although both sides were well
armed. However the beginning of the war heralded a new stage in the Irish
conflict. The first world war had a very significant impact and it is fully true to say
that WWI had a significant impact on Ireland. Some of the factors that effected
Ireland that were caused by WWI are the Easter rising, the Anti conscription
campaign, the rise of Sinn Fein, and the position of the Ulster Loyalists. Overall
however WWI had a significant impact on Ireland with the Easter rising being the
most significant event that impacted Ireland as a result of the war.
Firstly the easter rising had a significant impact on Ireland. The Easter rising was
an armed revolt, predominantly in the city of Dublin, which led to thousands of
casualties among both combatants and civilians and huge amounts of damage
being done to the city. This was significant as it was the first armed rising since
the Fenian rising and resulted in a battle between British forces and rebels which
was made possible by WWI. In the aftermath of the rising many leaders of the
rising were executed by the British without a proper trial. This turned many in
Ireland away from the British as they had executed their countrymen without a
trial, which helped increase support for the republican cause. However it can be
argued that before the war began the Loyalists and the Nationalists were
stockpiling arms for a conflict in Ireland. This means that an armed conflict or
revolt would have occurred in Ireland whether or not the war began and that the
Easter rising or something like it would have happened if WWI never happened. In
evaluation the easter rising was a more significant impact of the first world war
than the Anti conscription campaign. Whilst it is true that the anti-conscription
campaign was seen as a republican cause and increased the support of the
republicans by a significant amount, the only reason the republicans were able to
gain the spotlight in the anti conscription campaign was because of British
newspapers calling the easter rising a republican/Sinn Fein uprising and thus
giving more support to the republicans as a result, which gave them the support
base they needed.
Secondly the anti-conscription campaign is another way the First World War had a
significant impact on Ireland. The anti-conscription campaign united many of the
most powerful groups in Ireland such as the Republicans, the Nationalists, the
and England, later Britan, were in a state of conflict. This conflict had settled
down by 1914 with violence becoming far rarer, although both sides were well
armed. However the beginning of the war heralded a new stage in the Irish
conflict. The first world war had a very significant impact and it is fully true to say
that WWI had a significant impact on Ireland. Some of the factors that effected
Ireland that were caused by WWI are the Easter rising, the Anti conscription
campaign, the rise of Sinn Fein, and the position of the Ulster Loyalists. Overall
however WWI had a significant impact on Ireland with the Easter rising being the
most significant event that impacted Ireland as a result of the war.
Firstly the easter rising had a significant impact on Ireland. The Easter rising was
an armed revolt, predominantly in the city of Dublin, which led to thousands of
casualties among both combatants and civilians and huge amounts of damage
being done to the city. This was significant as it was the first armed rising since
the Fenian rising and resulted in a battle between British forces and rebels which
was made possible by WWI. In the aftermath of the rising many leaders of the
rising were executed by the British without a proper trial. This turned many in
Ireland away from the British as they had executed their countrymen without a
trial, which helped increase support for the republican cause. However it can be
argued that before the war began the Loyalists and the Nationalists were
stockpiling arms for a conflict in Ireland. This means that an armed conflict or
revolt would have occurred in Ireland whether or not the war began and that the
Easter rising or something like it would have happened if WWI never happened. In
evaluation the easter rising was a more significant impact of the first world war
than the Anti conscription campaign. Whilst it is true that the anti-conscription
campaign was seen as a republican cause and increased the support of the
republicans by a significant amount, the only reason the republicans were able to
gain the spotlight in the anti conscription campaign was because of British
newspapers calling the easter rising a republican/Sinn Fein uprising and thus
giving more support to the republicans as a result, which gave them the support
base they needed.
Secondly the anti-conscription campaign is another way the First World War had a
significant impact on Ireland. The anti-conscription campaign united many of the
most powerful groups in Ireland such as the Republicans, the Nationalists, the
