239. Ireland’s Fight For Freedom: The Rise of The IRA (Ep 2)

Empire

Jack Davenport

History

4.6 • 4.1K Ratings

🗓️ 20 March 2025

⏱️ 59 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

The Irish republicans who led the Easter Rising of 1916 are tried for treason by the British government, and sentenced to death. Some are so unwell they have to be tied to a chair to be killed, and the brutality of these executions turns the tide of public opinion in Ireland, increasing support for the Republican cause. The remaining revolutionaries are carted off to prisons and internment camps, where they come up with new ideas for the next fight for independence. The British press has misrepresented the Easter Rising as “The Sinn Féin Rebellion”, but this accidental branding gives the political party a newfound prominence, and its leaders seek to turn it into a national republican organisation. In 1918, during the first British general election where women can vote, Sinn Fein candidates win 73 seats in the Houses of Parliament. But they refuse to go to Westminster. They create their own parliament and declare themselves an independent Irish Republic. Meanwhile, the newly-named Irish Republican Army launches guerrilla attacks on the police force upholding British rule in Ireland. A new war of independence has begun… Listen as William and Anita are joined once again by Diarmaid Ferriter, author of A Nation Not A Rabble, to discuss the significance of the Irish War of Independence. _____________ Empire UK Live Tour: The podcast is going on a UK tour! William and Anita will be live on stage in Glasgow, Birmingham, York and Bristol, discussing how the British Empire continues to shape our everyday lives. Tickets are on sale NOW, to buy yours head to empirepoduk.com. Empire Club: Become a member of the Empire Club to receive early access to miniseries, ad-free listening, early access to live show tickets, bonus episodes, book discounts, and a weekly newsletter! Head to empirepoduk.com to sign up. Email: [email protected] Instagram: @empirepoduk Blue Sky: @empirepoduk X: @empirepoduk goalhanger.com Assistant Producer: Becki Hills Producer: Anouska Lewis Senior Producer: Callum Hill Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	If you want access to bonus episodes reading lists for every series of Empire, a chat community.
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0:43.5	Sign up for your $1 a month trial at Shopify.com slash setup. Hello and welcome to Empire with me Anita Arnond.
1:03.2	And me, William Duremberg.
1:05.2	We are once again joined by the just magnificent Dermot-Ferrater, author of Between Two Hals, the Irish Civil War,
1:12.2	and a Nation Not a Rabble, the Irish Revolution 1913 to 1923.
1:17.5	You've had us absolutely spellbound with your account of what led up to and indeed the Easter
1:23.8	Rising.
1:24.3	For those who might not have heard our last episode, if you haven't, go back
1:28.2	and listen to it. It's really well worth it. I promise to you. But in summary, it was a time in
1:32.8	2016 when Irish nationalist organisations all come together to lead an insurrection, calling
1:38.6	for Irish independence from Britain. They take over key buildings. I mean, I say key buildings.
1:43.3	One of them was a biscuit factory, which was somewhat baffling. The rebels had provisions anyway. Oh, right. They take over key buildings. I mean, I say key buildings. One of them was a biscuit
1:44.1	factory, which was somewhat baffling. The rebels had provisions anyway. Oh, right. They had
1:48.3	a crackers. Yes, if not cheese, they had the crackers. But they took over key buildings and they
1:54.2	fought for six long days before being forced to surrender. What was the response of the people of Dublin and further afield to the
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