The Irish Volunteers were formed in 1913 to protect the Home Rule bill then going through parliament from the threat posed by the unionist leader Edward Carson and his newly formed Ulster Volunteer Force. Alternatively, the Irish Volunteers were formed in 1913 by the Irish Republican Brotherhood, using respected constitutionalists as an unwitting front, with … Read more
One enthusiastic supporter of the new Volunteer movement was Maurice Moore, a retired colonel of the Connaught Rangers. Moore was more concerned with the military than with the political aspect of the Volunteers, and was soon appointed chief inspector. Two others were Tom Kettle and his brother Larry, both members of the radical Young Ireland … Read more
In March 1902, Lieutenant General J.P. Redmond was buried with full military honours in Guildford cemetery. Officers past and present of his old regiment, the Glosters, sent a ‘magnificent wreath’, and a military carrying party from the 61st bore his body to the graveside. But, despite appearances, this was no ordinary old soldier’s funeral. After … Read more
The Ulster Volunteer Force (1913–20) was a paramilitary organisation created in January 1913 in response to the campaign against Home Rule. The UVF soon had 90,000 members; it was mainly led by retired British Army officers and trained by reserve non-commissioned officers. The members were well equipped compared to their southern opponents, the Irish Volunteers; … Read more
Sir,—I welcome the call, from the historians at the 16 May History Ireland ‘Hedge School’, for critical analysis of the ‘decade of centenaries’ events from 1912–22. I have been reflecting on this for some time, having been reminded of some unanswered questions when editing the 1998 UCD Press re-publication of my father Joe Johnston’s 1913 … Read more