Ireland has a big celebration to look forward to this Easter. It’s now a hundred years since the famous 1916 Easter Rising too place and all over the country there are going to be celebrations, parades and events taking place, the biggest parade happening in Dublin 24–29 April.
Last week when we created our 1916 Rising Revolutionists t-shirts we did not expect such a great reaction and good sales too, so I thought today I would create a little post with 10 facts about the rising. Also go here to check out the official programme for the Centenary celebrations, happening around the country.
We also created an Info-graphic to the right, just for fun so be sure to share it. And check out our t-shirts below. They are selling well so thank you to our visitors and returning fans of our website.
Also, if you buy a t-shirt be sure to send us in a photo and we will add you to our site in a gallery. And subscribe to us for our latest news on all of our designs to come through out the year.
10 Facts About the 1916 Easter Rising
1. April 24th, 1,200 Irish Volunteers and Citizen Army members took over strong points in Dublin city
2. By Friday, April 28, the number of British troops rose to about 19,000 while the Irish Republic groups had only amassed 1,600 fighters due to mass confusion over the date of the Rising.
3. 64 Irish rebel casualties. 132 British officers perished. 254 civilians dead with 2,000 injured.
4. 16 leaders executed, Padraig Pearse, James Connolly, Thomas Clarke, Thomas MacDonagh, Sean MacDermott, Joseph Plunkett & Eamonn Ceannt, Roger Casement, Con Colbert, Edward Daly, Seán Heuston, Thomas Kent, John MacBride, Michael Mallin, Michael O’Hanrahan, William Pearse. 3,000 more arrested
5. The order to surrender from Pearse, was carried by a nurse, Elizabeth O’Farrell, to the other strongholds, which were still under rebel control.
6. Connolly was so badly injured; he was carried to his execution on a stretcher and tied to a chair to face the firing squad.
7. Joseph Plunkett married his fiancée, Grace Gifford, at Kilmainham Gaol, eight hours before his execution.
8. Did you know that the rebels were responsible for the world’s first-ever radio broadcast?
9. The Walker brothers, Michael and John, two of the rebels, were Olympic cyclists?
10. Women played a key role in the Rising with over 200 members of Cumann na mBan, the women’s auxiliary branch of the Irish Volunteers, fighting for Irish independence.
Sixteen Dead Men
O but we talked at large before
The sixteen men were shot,
But who can talk of give and take,
What should be and what not
While those dead men are loitering there
To stir the boiling pot?
You say that we should still the land
Till Germany’s overcome;
But who is there to argue that
Now Pearse is deaf and dumb?
And is their logic to outweigh
MacDonagh’s bony thumb?
How could you dream they’d listen
That have an ear alone
For those new comrades they have found,
Lord Edward and Wolfe Tone,
Or meddle with our give and take
That converse bone to bone?
– W. B. Yeats
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