Irish Republican Brotherhood

Easter Rising 1916 – Irish Republican Brotherhood

The Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB) was responsible for planning and directing the 1916 Easter Rising.

It was a secret underground movement made up mainly of idealists and intellectuals who wanted independence for Ireland.

Its roots went back to the 19th century when it grew out of the Fenian movement. It was formed in 1858 and believed in the use of force as a way of driving the British out of Ireland.

By the start of the 20th century it had come to lack direction after being weakened by internal disputes over its leadership and its purpose.

IRB was transformed by veteran campaigner Thomas Clarke

Thomas Clarke

That was to change completely from 1910 onwards when the veteran campaigner Thomas Clarke began to exert more influence.

He gained the support of younger more dynamic members and so was able to revitalise the movement.

This transformation was just coming to fruition by 1914 and the outbreak of the First World War.

The Irish Republican Brotherhood saw themselves as an idea whose time had come. They felt they had been presented with a once in a lifetime opportunity to strike for independence while Britain was pre-occupied with fighting in Europe.

The IRB planned to overthrow British rule

Irish Fenian Executive

In 1915, the IRB began to reorganise with a view to overthrowing British rule.

It formed a Military Council comprising of seven members: Thomas Clarke, Sean MacDermott, Patrick Pearse, Eamonn Ceannt, Joseph Plunkett, James Connolly, and Thomas MacDonagh.

These were the men who later signed the document proclaiming the new republican government – an action which meant they were effectively signing their own death warrants once the revolution failed.

Some of them were unlikely revolutionaries: they were writers, poets and philosophers – more suited to trading blows in the debating chamber than on the battlefield.

IRB secrecy led to confusion and disagreement

They had virtually no military experience. In spite of this – or perhaps because of it - they dared to dream that they could overthrow the might of the British Empire. Their naïveté perhaps took them into areas where more experienced military campaigners would have feared to tread.

The IRB Military Council insisted on secrecy and even concealed their plans from the movement’s Supreme Council.

While secrecy was clearly important, it led to confusion and many republicans later came to see it as one of the reasons the insurrection failed.

Easter Rising page links

Main Groups:
Political background
Irish Republican Brotherhood
Irish Volunteer Force

The Fighting:
The Rebel Plan
The Rebels Attack
The British Reaction

Aftermath:
Leaders executed
Public Reaction