IMPORTANT PLAYERS

 
Irish Citizen Army:
The Irish Citizen Army formed in Dublin in 1913. It was created during the Dublin Labor dispute, in 1913, to enable the locked-out men to defend themselves in disputes with the Dublin Metropolitan Police. The IRA constitution states that its members were to “work for an Irish Republic and for the emancipation of labor. The Citizen Army was based around the union building, Liberty Hall, and was the first military force in Ireland to accept women as full members.
The Irish Republican Brotherhood:
A secretive revolutionary body committed to using force to establish an independent Irish Republic. They were previously known as the Fenian movement in the 1850s and 60s. Their watchword was “soon or never” and their aim was to overthrow British rule in Ireland and create an Irish Republic. The organization had a failed Rising in 1867 which caused it too lose support. Easter Rising was organized by the Supreme Council of the IRB, and following the council Michael Collins reorganized the organization. During the War of Independence the IRB lost authority with the increase in popularity of the IRA. During the Civil War members of the IRB split, ultimately ending the IRB.
The Irish Volunteer Force
An organization established in 1913 “to secure and maintain the rights and liberties common to the whole people of Ireland.” He Irish Volunteer Force was formed in response to the Ulster Volunteers, an organization of Protestant Unionists in the north in order to prevent the enactment of Home Rule. Since it originated, the Volunteers were heavily influenced by the IRB. With the breakout of WWI, the Irish Volunteer Force split. Some members, led by the leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party, John Redmond, left to join the British Army. This was opposed by the founding members of the Volunteers; however, the majority left and took the name “National Volunteers”. Those who remained took the name “Irish Volunteers”, and remained neutral in the war. The remaining Irish Volunteers returned back under the control of the IRB.
Pádraic Henry Pearse (1879-1916)

Son of an English man and Irish woman, Pearse was born in Dublin and educated from the Christian Brothers in Westland Row, and attended the Royal University in 1901. Pearse originally supported the Home Rule Movement, but was soon convinced that independence would only be attained by sacrifice. Pearse was recruited by the IRB in 1912 and later became a member of the Military Council of the organization. He played a lucrative role in planning the Rising, arranging for the German arms, negotiating with Connolly, instructing and organizing volunteers, and deceiving British authorities. He was station at the GPO during the 1916 Rising and captured. He was executed May 3, 1916 in Dublin at Kilmainham Gaol.

James Connelly (1868-1916)
Born in Scotland, Connelly joined the British army at the age of 14. In 1896 he accepted a job in Dublin as an organizer for the Socialist Society. Here Connelly founded the Irish Socialist Republican Party and soon after established a newspaper, the Workers' Republic. After a brief period in the States and Belfast, Connelly returned to Dublin to help during the 1913 Lockout and was instrumental in founding the Irish Citizen Army. Connelly was part of the secret talks in planning for the 1916 Rising, in January of 1916 he reached an agreement with the IRB Military Council to cooperate in the insurgence the following Easter. The day before the Rising the council’s members appointed him vice-president of the Irish Republic and Commandant-General, Dublin Division, Irish Army. He and was present at the GPO alongside Pearse Monday morning at the start of the revolt. During the Rising he was badly wounded and captured by British troops. He was executed at Kilmainham Gaol, on May 12, 1916, strapped to a chair because he was too weak to stand up.
Eamon de Valera (1882-1975)
One of the few leaders able to escape execution after the 1916 Rising, De Valera went on to lead the country as Prime Minister and represent it as president for the next fifty years. De Valera, a militant nationalist, enlisted in the Irish Volunteers in 1913. During the Rising he was commandant at Boland’s Bakery. Upon surrender he was captured and sentenced to death. He was never killed but spent a year in prison. In October of 1917, after he was released, he was elected President of the Sinn Fein party and of the Irish Volunteers. On April 1, 1918 he was made president on the first Dial. (Government set up by members of Sinn Fein upon winning the majority of parliamentary seats given to Ireland by England) Due to a disagreement with Sinn Fein over a Treaty which would allow the republic of Ireland to separate from Northern Ireland, De Valera resigned as president following its ratification by the Dail. De Valera thought separating Ireland would make it impossible to ever unify and increase the likelihood of civil war. He went on to form a new party, Fianna Fail. In 1932 Fianna Fail won power which continued for 16 years with De Velera as president. He retired in 1973 and died on August 29, 1975.
Michael Collins (1890-1922)
Born in County Cork, Collins moved to London in 1906 to work at the Board of Trade. As he developed an interest in Irish Politics he joined the IRB. Upon obtaining knowledge of the Rising he returned home to take part in the revolt. After Easter week he was imprisoned for a short time and released in December of 1916. He immediately started to rebuild the IRB. In 1917 he was elected to the executive of Sinn Fein, as well as effectively controlling the Irish Volunteers. He was appointed Minister of Home Affairs and Minister of Finance for the newly created Dáil Éireann in 1919. During the Irish Civil War Collins became the Commander-in-Chief of the Free State Army and helped plan military Strategy which enabled pro-treaty troops to succeed. Collins was shot dead at Béal na mBláth County Cork on August 22, 1922.