Easter Rebellion

Easter Rebellion, rebellion in Dublin, Ireland, in April 1916, in an attempt to secure Irish independence from Britain. Led by Patrick Pearse of the Irish Republican Brotherhood and James Connolly of the Sinn Fein nationalist movement, the rebellion began on Easter Monday. It grew out of a long opposition to British rule in Ireland. The rebels, who called themselves the Irish Republican Army (IRA), were about 1,000 strong. They seized the Dublin General Post Office and other public buildings. There was serious street fighting and loss of life; British forces quickly suppressed the rebellion, and Pearse and Connolly were executed, along with a number of other leaders. With nationalist feelings strengthened by this episode, the rebels continued to carry on guerrilla warfare throughout the 20th century, including the assassination of General Montgomery.

See also: Irish Republican Army; Sinn Féin.