Leaving Cert History: The Rise of Sinn Fein

Founding of Sinn Fein

1. Leader Arthur Griffith

2. In 1907 the Dungannon Clubs and Cumann na nGaedheal merge to form the Sinn Fein League.

3. In 1908 the Sinn Fein League merge with the National Council to become Sinn Fein

4. Slow growth for Sinn Fein, abstentionism and public support for Home Rule.

5. Before 1916 moderates supported the IPP, republicans supported the IRB. Sinn Fein did not affect national politics.

Prisoner Releases

1. After 1916 Rising over 3,500 republicans arrested. Many ended up in internment camps.

2. Prison camp at Frongoch, Wales became known as the ‘Sinn Fein University’.

3. Republicans in prison set about organising the nationalist campaign.

4. Griffith reorganised Sinn Fein and republicans began to join.

Sinn Fein Reborn 1916

1. After Rising shift in opinion from support for Home Rule to support for Irish Independence.

2. British government mistakenly dubbed the Easter Rising the ‘Sinn Fein Rising’.

3. Within a year of the Rising membership of Sinn Fein had increased ten-fold.

4. Prisoners released from internment become more involved in the nationalist movement.

Early Electoral Success

1. February 1917 Count Plunkett elected as an independent candidate in the North Roscommon by-election. Plunkett is heavily backed by Sinn Fein.

2. Sinn Fein win further by-elections in Longford and with Eamon de Valera in Clare.

3. Sinn Fein establishes itself as the leading nationalist party in Ireland.

4. Large numbers of Irish Volunteers join Sinn Fein.

5. At Sinn Fein Ard-Fheis deValera is elected President of Sinn Fein and of the Irish Volunteers. For the first time the political and military wings of nationalism are under one leader.

The Irish Convention

1. Lloyd George establishes the Irish Convention to accommodate Home Rule.

2. Attended by Ulster Unionists, Irish Parliamentary Party and some independents.

3. Boycotted by Sinn Fein and Labour Party.

4. Unionists state ‘nothing in any way binding would be done without consultation with the Ulster people’. This restricted possible agreement

4. Redmond dies in March 1918.

5. Convention ends in April without agreement.

The Conscription Crisis

1. April 1918 British Government introduced conscription to the army in Ireland.

2. Opposed by IPP, Sinn Fein, Church, Labour Party and the Trade Unions.

3. Large anti-conscription rallies held around the country. 2 million people sign anti-conscription pledge.

4. Trade Unions organise a 24 hour general strike on 23 April 1918 against conscription.

5. Thousands more join the Irish Volunteers.

6. British government abandon conscription.

The German Plot

1. On 17 May the British Government ordered the arrest of key leading members of Sinn Fein including de Valera, Markievicz and Griffith.

2. The British claimed that Sinn Fein were attempting to get weapons from Germany.

3. Nationalist organisations like the Gaelic League, the Irish Volunteers and Sinn Fein are banned by Government.

4. The Irish public did not believe the British claims of German intervention.

5. British Governments actions increase support for Sinn Fein.

General Election 1918

1. The Representation of the People Act 1918 gives the vote to all men over 21 and all women over 30. Increases Irish electorate to nearly 2 million voters.

2. World War One ends on 11 November 1918. British government calls General Election for December.

3. The Labour Party are persuaded not to contest the election (‘Labour must wait’.)

4. Sinn Fein campaigns on withdrawl from Westminster (abstention) and establish an independent Irish Republic.

4. Sinn Fein win 73 seats, Ulster Unionists win 26 seats, IPP win 6 seats.

Rise of Sinn Fein

Making of Martyrs