IRISH PROCLAMATION OF INDEPENDENCE

IRISH PROCLAMATION OF INDEPENDENCE Dublin, April, 24th, 1916

CLASSIFICATION OF THE TEXT

1.- Nature

The text we are about to analyse is a political speech of which a number of copies were printed at the time (it is said that around 1500). The 1916 Proclamation is one of the most quoted documents in Irish history. Full original copies can be extremely valuable – in 2006, one was sold for more than €700,000. A signed copy owned by Sean T O’Kelly, who fought in the Rising and was later president of Ireland, is on permanent display in Leinster House in Dublin. Other copies are displayed in the GPO, the National Museum of Ireland at Collins Barracks, and Trinity College, as well as in other countries.

2.- Localization : place and time frame.

The text was written in 1916 and delivered on the 24th of April 1916. Most historians agree that the Proclamation was read aloud by Pádraig Pearse at Nelson’s Column, where the Spire on O’Connell Street stands today, to start the 1916 Rising. Others say it was read from the steps of the G.P.O.

CLASSIFICATION OF THE TEXT

3.- Author

The document was signed by the seven members of the Provisional Government of the Irish Republic. According to Darragh Murphy (The Irish Times, Wed Sept 23, 2015) No one really knows who wrote the Proclamation, although most believe it was mainly written by Pearse, with help from Connolly.

4.- Audience

The people of Ireland.

CLASSIFICATION OF THE TEXT

5.- Historical context

With the Acts of Union in 1800 (ratified in 1801), Ireland (which had been under some form of English control since the 12th century) merged with Great Britain to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. As a result, Ireland lost its parliament in Dublin and was governed by a united parliament from Westminster in London. During the 19th century, groups of Irish nationalists opposed this arrangement in varying degrees. Some moderate nationalists advocated for home rule, under which Ireland would remain part of the United Kingdom but also have some form of self-government. Several home rule bills were defeated in Parliament in the late 1800s before one finally passed in 1914. However, implementation of home rule was suspended due to the outbreak of World War I (1914-18). Meanwhile, members of a secret revolutionary organization called the Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB), sought complete independence for Ireland and began planning what would become the Easter Rising. They hoped their rebellion would be aided by military support from Germany; however, shortly before the insurrection began, the British detected the ship and it was scuttled by its captain.

ANALYSIS

SUMMARY

The text of the Proclamation of Independence is a rousing call to arms and freely mixes fact with aspiration and idealism. FIRST PARAGRAPH:

• The first words in the proclamation – POBLACHT NA H EIREANN – are the only Irish words used in the document.
• The phrase ‘the Provisional Government of the Irish to the people of Ireland’ signifies that the Proclamation is directed at the people as one entity, as the true heirs of the land.
• The reference to Irish men and Irish women is extremely enlightened for the time, as it hails women as equal to men under the banner of the new Irish Republic.
• The phrase ‘in the name of God’ respects the highly religious nature of the country at the time and was designed to appeal to all God-fearing citizens.
• The ‘dead generations’ is a reference to those who had already lost their lives fighting for independence, invoking the memory of their sacrifice to inspire a new generation.
• To ‘strike for her freedom’ implies that violence will be a necessary tactic to achieve an independent state.

ANALYSIS

SUMMARY

SECOND PARAGRAPH:

• The second paragraph states that this is a revolution that is perfectly timed and that is the culmination of a well-organised and coordinated effort across the IRB (Irish Republican Brotherhood) , the ICA (Irish Citizen Army) and the IVF (Irish Volunteers Force).
• The ‘Exiled Children’ are those who fled abroad during and after the Great Famine, those who left as a rejection of British rule and the members of the organisation Clan Na nGael.
• The ‘gallant allies in Europe’ refers to German support, although this is not explicitly stated. It was this phrase that pushed the rebellion over a line in the minds of the British, elevating it and ultimately leading to the death sentences for the seven men who signed the document. The assertion that the Irish nation, in ‘relying on her own strengths, strikes in full confidence of victory’ was baseless.

ANALYSIS

SUMMARY

THIRD PARAGRAPH:

• This paragraph outlines the rebels’ vision for a new and improved country and justifies the measures taken to achieve it.
• The ‘right of the people to ownership’ is a pivotal sentence, as the issue of land ownership had been a sore point for many since as far back as the 17th century.
• The ‘unfettered control of Irish destinies’ makes it clear that nothing less than total independence would be considered acceptable.
• The leaders of the rebellion legitimised their use of violence by reasoning that they were the latest in a succession of radicals who ‘six times during the past 300 years’ had declared that the use of arms was pivotal to achieving independence from Britain, with the implication being that the Rising was simply the latest manifestation of what was already a firmly established tradition of nationalism.

ANALYSIS

SUMMARY

FOURTH PARAGRAPH:

• The first sentence of the fourth paragraph personifies the Irish Republic, who speaks to the people, claiming the loyalty of every citizen.
• The framework of the new Republic is set out clearly – guaranteeing civil and religious liberties for all and offering equal opportunities and rights to every citizen.
• This newly declared Republic would rise above political and religious tensions and the rules of an ‘alien government’, and every Irish man and women would play their part in the new utopia – a pluralistic and inclusive nation. The signatories offered these progressive ideals to underline their pure intentions.

ANALYSIS

SUMMARY

FIFTH PARAGRAPH:

• It states that violent means are necessary in order to institute a ‘permanent National Government’ that would be fully representative.
• The meaning here is that the signatories envisage an inclusive government that would serve the people of Ireland and act in their collective best interests.

FINAL PARAGRAPH:

• The final paragraph of the proclamation of Independence puts the success of the rebellion in the hands of the ‘Most High God’, meaning that the seven believed that their planned insurrection fell within acceptable moral and religious boundaries.
• The reference to ‘sacrifice’ implies that the rebellion is all part of the greater good, and that loss of life is worthwhile if a free Ireland is the result.
• It is strongly implied that the Rising was not simply politically motivated, but that it was the first step on the way to a huge change both socially and economically.
• It painted an idealistic picture of an independent Irish state that would care about all its citizens equally, a socialist concept that was close to the heart of Connolly in particular.

ANALYSIS

LANGUAGE The language of the Irish Proclamation of Independence is formal, emotive, and authoritative, designed to inspire and unite the Irish people. Below is an analysis of its key features: 1. Formal and Elevated Tone The document uses formal language to convey the seriousness of its purpose. Phrases like “We declare the right of the people of Ireland” and “in the name of God and of the dead generations” evoke a sense of dignity and moral authority. 2. Emotional Appeal The proclamation appeals to the emotions of its audience by referencing Irish history and the sacrifices of past generations. Words like “oppression,” “sacrifices,” and “unflinching loyalty” stir feelings of pride and solidarity. 3. Inclusive Language The use of phrases such as "Irishmen and Irishwomen", “the Irish people as a whole” and “cherishing all the children of the nation equally” reflects a commitment to unity, emphasizing equality across social classes, genders, and religions.

ANALYSIS

LANGUAGE 4. Commanding verbs and direct address The use of imperative verbs like “summon,” “proclaim,” and “pledge” conveys urgency and action. It addresses both Ireland’s people and the international community, broadening its audience. 5. References to Justice and Rights The document highlights universal principles of justice, including the “right to national freedom and sovereignty” and promises to establish a government based on equality and fairness. These references lend legitimacy to their cause. CONCLUSION: Overall, the proclamation’s language is crafted to legitimize the cause, motivate action, and resonate with a wide audience, ensuring its enduring impact. The language is both persuasive and aspirational, crafted to rally the Irish people around the vision of independence and equality.

CONCLUSION

• Initially, many Irish people resented the rebels for the destruction and death caused by the uprising.
• However, in May, 15 leaders of the uprising were executed by firing squad. More than 3,000 people suspected of supporting the uprising, directly or indirectly, were arrested, and some 1,800 were sent to England and imprisoned there without trial. The rushed executions, mass arrests and martial law (which remained in effect through the fall of 1916), fueled public resentment toward the British and were among the factors that helped build support for the rebels and the movement for Irish independence.
• In the 1918 general election to the parliament of the United Kingdom, the Sinn Fein political party (whose goal was to establish a republic) won a majority of the Irish seats. The Sinn Fein members then refused to sit in the UK Parliament, and in January 1919 met in Dublin to convene a single chamber parliament and declare Ireland’s independence.
• The Irish Republican Army then launched a guerrilla war against the British government and its forces in Ireland.
• Following a July 1921 cease-fire, the two sides signed a treaty in December that called for the establishment of the Irish Free State, a self-governing nation of the British Commonwealth, the following year.
• Ireland’s six northern counties opted out of the Free State and remained with the United Kingdom. The fully independent Republic of Ireland (consisting of the 26 counties in the southern and western part of the island) was formally proclaimed on Easter Monday, April 18, 1949.

CONCLUSION

As we've already mentioned, the Proclamation of Independence is a rousing call to arms and freely mixes fact with aspiration and idealism. It draws on references to mythology and history as it outlines the vaulting ambitions of its authors. For its time, it encompassed a notably progressive point of view, pushing for a new political landscape for Ireland based on equality across the spectrum. All seven men were no doubt fully aware that when they signed their names below this extraordinary proclamation, they were also metaphorically signing their own death warrants. As regards the insistent reference to men and women, we have to take into account that this was the era of the suffragettes in the UK and was a time when women across the world were subjugated as a matter of course. Its innate optimism fell into stark relief following the unsuccessful Rising and the death of its main proponents. Over the following years, the energy of the nation was to be almost wholly directed towards the fight for political change, while the issues of economic, social and civil reform, so central to the stated aims of the Proclamation, faded into the background.