The Irish Easter Rising of 1916

On Easter Monday, 24 April 1916, a small group of Irish republicans seized the General Post Office and other buildings in Dublin and proclaimed an Irish Republic. The rising was poorly supported and was crushed within a week by British forces. Fifteen of its leaders, including Pádraig Pearse and James Connolly, were executed in the days that followed.

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The executions turned Irish public opinion sharply against British rule. Sinn Féin won most Irish seats at the 1918 general election, refused to attend Westminster, and set up an Irish parliament in Dublin in 1919. The Irish War of Independence (1919–1921) followed, ending in the partition of Ireland and the creation of the Irish Free State.

You may be asked the year of the Easter Rising (1916), or where the rebels proclaimed the Irish Republic (Dublin's GPO).

Test yourself on this topic

These questions from the official-format question bank cover the same material. Tap any question to see the correct answer and a short explanation.

1. What is the name of Irish people who favoured complete independence from the UK in the 19th century?
2. What were the Irish people who favoured complete independence from the UK known as?
3. During the reigns of Elizabeth I and James I, the English government encouraged Scottish and English Protestants to settle in which Irish province?
4. What is the name given to the conflict between those wishing for full Irish independence and those wishing to remain loyal to the UK government?
5. In 1776, ______ colonies of the British Empire decided to declare their independence
6. By which year did the English rule an area around Dublin called the Pale?

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