Important people and organizations

The list focuses on Irish and British leaders and people who are mentioned in the songs, which are linked to when applicable. I have also linked helpful podcasts about people, organizations, or others (like the 1916 Proclamation).

Important People:

The seven signatories of the 1916 Irish Proclamation:

  • Éamonn Ceannt (1881- 8 May 1916)
    • Co-founder of the Irish Volunteers.
  • Thomas Clarke (1857- 3 May 1916)
    • amongst other positions, primarily the Treasurer of the Irish Republican Brotherhood.
  • James Connolly (1868- 12 May 1916)
    • Founded the Irish Socialist Republican Party and one of the founders of the Irish Citizen Army and lead the Dublin forces who occupied the GPO during the Rising. The last of the leaders to be executed, and was executed sitting down due to wounds received during the Rising. Podcast episode, part one, part two
  • Seán MacDiarmada (1884- 12 May 1916)
    • Member of the Gaelic League, Irish Republican Brotherhood, managed the Irish Freedom Newspaper, and a member of the provisional committee of the Irish Volunteers.
  • Thomas MacDonagh (1878- 3 May 1916)
    • Founded St. Edna’s School in Dublin with Patrick Pearse, another leader of the Rising, director of training for the Irish Volunteers, on the military committee of the Irish Republican Brotherhood, and commander of the Second Battalion of Volunteers. Podcast episode part one, part two
  • Patrick Pearse (1879- 3 May 1916)
    • Member of the Executive Committee of the Gaelic League (1898), editor of An Claidheamh Soluis (Gaelic League Newspaper), founding member of the Irish Volunteers and Commander in Chief of the Irish Forces during the Rising, author of the Irish Proclamation of Independence. Podcast episode part one, part two
  • Joseph Mary Plunkett (1887- 4 May 1916)
    • Editor of the Irish Review, helped establish an Irish national theatre, member of the Irish Volunteers and Irish Republican Brotherhood and appointed Director of Military Operations for the Rising.

Other executed leaders of the Rising: Roger Casement (3 August 1916), Con Colbert (8 May 1916), Edward Daly (4 May 1916), Seán Heuston (8 May 1916), Thomas Kent (9 May 1916), John MacBride (5 May 1916), Michael Mallin (8 May 1916), Michael O’Hanrahan (4 May 1916), William Pearse (younger brother of Patrick Pearse, executed 4 May 1916)

Heads of state of Ireland (1919-1985):

  • Irish Republic (1919-1922)
    • Cathal Brugha, served 21 January 1919 – 1 April 1919
    • Eamon de Valera, served 1 April 1919 – 9 January 1922
    • Arthur Griffith, served 10 January 1922 – 12 August 1922
      • Treaty supporter, founder of Sinn Fein
    • Michael Collins, served 16 January 1922 – 22 August 1922
      • Anti-treaty, chairman of the Provisional Government
    • W. T. Cosgrave, served 22 August 1922 – 6 December 1922
  • Irish Free State (1922-1936)
    • Governer-generals
      • Tim Healy, served 6 December 1922 – 31 January 1928
      • James McNeill, served 31 January 1928 – 1 November 1932
      • Domhnall Ua Buachalla, served 27 November 1932 – 11 December 1936
    • Presidents
      • W. T. Cosgrave, served 1922 – 1932
      • Eamon de Valera, served 1932 – 1948
  • Republic of Ireland (1938 – 1985)
    • Presidents
      • Douglas Hyde (Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael), served 25 June 1938 – 24 June 1945
      • Seán T. O’Kelly (Fianna Fáil, Independent), served  25 June 1945 – 24 June 1959
      • Éamon de Valera (Fianna Fáil), served 25 June 1959 – 24 June 1973
      • Erskine Hamilton Childers (Fianna Fáil), served 25 June 1973 – 17 November 1974
      • Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh (all-party nomination), served 19 Decmeber 1974 – 22 October 1976
      • Patrick Hillery (Fianna Fáil, independent), served 3 December 1976 – 2 December 1990
    • Taoisearch (prime minister)
      • Éamon de Valera (Fianna Fáil), served 29 December 1937 – 18 February 1948, and again 13 June 1951 – 2 June 1954, and again 20 March 1957 – 23 June 1959
      • John A. Costello (Fianna Gael), served 18 February 1948 – 13 June 1951, and again 2 June 1954 – 20 March 1957
      • Seán Lemass (Fianna Fáil), served 23 June 1959 – 10 November 1966
      • Jack Lynch (Fianna Fáil), served 10 November 1966 – 14 March 1973, and again 5 July 1977 – 11 December 1979
      • Liam Cosgrove (Fianna Gael), served 14 March 1973 – 5 July 1977
      • Charles Haughey (Fianna Fáil), served 11 December 1979 – 30 June 1981, and again 9 March 1982 – 14 December 1982
      • Garret FitzGerald (Fine Gael), served 14 December 1982 – 10 March 1987

Other important figures:

Selected Prime Ministers of Great Britain (1916-1985):

L – Liberal, C – Conservative, Lab. – Labour

  • H. H. Asquith (L), served 8 April 1908- 5 December 1916
    • Widely unpopular during the war – however he navigated a politically turbulent time dealing with world war, women’s rights, and Home Rule.
  • David Lloyd George (L), served 6 December 1916- 19 October 1922
    • Government responsible for the Government of Ireland Act that set up two ruling governments – one in Dublin and one in Belfast. Realized military “victory” in Ireland was not obtainable or popular after WWI, so in mid-1921 he led the British delegation in negotiations and signed the Anglo-Irish Treaty which created the Irish Free State.
  • Neville Chamberlain (C), served 28 May 1937 – 10 May 1940
    • Ireland remained neutral during WWII, and the Military Training Bill exempted Northern Irish citizens from compulsory military service.
  • Winston Churchill (C), served 10 May 1940 – 26 July 1945
    • Churchill’s relationship with Ireland was complicated, especially as a supporter of Britain’s Empire. He supported Home Rule in 1912, but he also sent the “Black and Tans” into Ireland in 1920 when he was Secretary of War. He wanted Ireland to join the Allies in the Second World War, and wanted Ireland to have a close relationship with Great Britain (which could be seen as undermining Irish freedom).
  • Clement Attlee (Lab), served 26 July 1945 – 26 October 1951
    • Irish Trade Pact 1948
  • Harold Wilson (Lab), served 16 October 1964 – 19 June 1970
    • In 1969, he sent British troops into Northern Ireland stirring up further unrest and violence. Marks the start of the period called “The Troubles”.
  • James Callaghan (Lab), served 5 April 1976 – 4 May 1979
    • Time in office dominated by the Troubles, which sparked referendums on the devolution of Scotland and Wales, which would have made Scotland and Wales independent states.
  • Margaret Thatcher (C), served 4 May 1979 – 28 November 1990
    • Irish Hunger Strikes in prison, Brighton Bombings (an attempt to assassinate Thatcher), Anglo-Irish Agreement

Important Organizations:

Irish Republican Brotherhood

Founded in 1858 was a secret organization dedicated to creating an independent democratic republic in Ireland. This organization was dissolved in 1924.

Irish Socialist Republican Party

A political party in Ireland founded in 1896 by James Connolly. Its aim was to establish a workers’ republic. The party split in 1904.

Gaelic League

The Gaelic League, or Conradh na Gaeilge, is a social and cultural organization which aims to promote the Irish language in Ireland and abroad. Formed in 1893.

Irish Citizen Army

The Irish Citizen’s Army (ICA) formed in 1913 (active until 1947) and was a small paramilitary organization mostly composed of trade union volunteers and was mainly active in Dublin. They allied with the Irish Republican Army during the Easter Uprising of 1916, and many members of the ICA also joined the Irish Republican Army.

Irish Volunteers

The Irish Volunteers (Irish Volunteer Force, Irish Volunteer Army) formed in 1912, but split in 1914 over support of the war effort on behalf of the British. During World War I, they were allied with the ICA and after the treaty most members had become part of the ICA, Irish Republican Army, or the anti-treaty IRA.

Irish Republican Army

The Irish Republican Army was officially formed in 1917 and was composed of Irish Volunteers who did not enlist with the British Army during World War I. After the ratification of the treaty in 1922, the group split between those who supported the treaty and those who did not – forming one faction group. The anti-treaty IRA existed in one form or another until 1969, and split into factions again mainly over the violence in northern Ireland. Listed are the factions: Official IRA/OIRA, Provisional IRA/PIRA, Continuity IRA/CIRA, and the Real IRA/RIRA.

Sinn Fein

The political party of Irish republicanism.

Black and Tans

An organization of constables part of the Royal Irish Constabulary, arrived in Ireland in 1920 in order to provide reinforcements in the Irish War of Independence. They were disbanded in 1922. Also known for their brutality, the term still triggers negative emotions. They are immortalized in the song “Come Out Ye Black and Tans”.

UVF and the UDA, podcast part one, part two

The Ulster Volunteer Force formed in 1965 but started their activities in 1966. The group undertook an armed campaign of almost thirty years during The Troubles. It declared a ceasefire in 1994 and officially ended its campaign in 2007, although some of its members have continued to engage in violence and criminal activities. The group’s main goal was to combat Irish republicanism, specifically the IRA.

The Ulster Constitution Defence Committee (UCDC) was established in Northern Ireland in April 1966. The UCDC was the governing body of the loyalist Ulster Protestant Volunteers (UPV). The UCDC coordinated parades, counter demonstrations and paramilitary activities.

I mention these two groups here, as well as in the timeline, to demonstrate that violence was committed by both pro-unification supporters and pro-Northern Ireland supporters.