Urban Landscape of the Easter Rising

Image result for GPO 1916

Devastation of Sackville Street

The urban landscape of Dublin played a key role in how the 1916 Easter Rising played out. On April 24th, armed insurrectionists rushed the city of Dublin and took the General Post Office (GPO) in an attempt to declare the Irish Republic. What better place to send a message to the world than the center of all message commerce in Ireland. Their choosing of the GPO as their primary base over any other culturally important building is significant to their overall plan of rebellion. The General Post Office represented everything the rebels wanted to destroy. It was the symbol of elite commerce while standing amid slums. (Clair Wills Pg. 8) While many would think that the most ideal place to stage a rebellion would be the Dublin Castle, these rebels had a different idea in mind for their road to martyrdom.

 The city center around the River Liffey was the location of most of the action. The roads of Dublin stretch out from the river in a web work of criss-crossing lines reaching out to the rest of the country. By taking over roads into and out of the city, the rebels were able to strengthen their hold on Dublin, and when British forces first responded to the Rising, they were unable to accurately determine exactly how many rebels there were, which in part led to the British bringing in way more troops than was needed. O’Connell Bridge stretches over the River Liffey and connects the Southside of Dublin to the North. Rebels chose this bridge to hold and buildings around it because it was the closest to the GPO, the single most important building to the rebels. The only issue with this plan was that the British were able the sail the HMS Helga right up the Liffey and shell the city at point blank range. (Hamilton). This is one of the major reasons that the Rising failed and the Rebels had to surrender or die.

 

The concept of “two Dublins” plays into effect here because most of the general public had no idea that the Rising was going to take place. So, on the surface there was the general populace who were completely oblivious of the brewing revolutionary sentiments. They were far too busy worrying about their own lives and their poverty to spare any thought towards the whole of Ireland and its place in the world. However, below the surface, tensions were brewing. Rebels were growing restless within the British hold and were frustrated with the control Britain was exerting over the Irish and longed for freedom for their country. These tensions fed the fire that would eventually lead to the Rising.Image result for GPO 1916

The leaders and members of the rebellion knew they were going to die with the Rising, and yet they still saw their deaths as necessary for their country. Many would die during the fighting while others would be executed for their involvement with the Rising. This did not deter them from their goals. “Connolly himself said ‘we are going to be slaughtered’. When asked was there any chance of success he responded ‘none whatsoever’.” While some would argue that this was a ridiculous notion, the rebels knew exactly what they were doing and how they would do it.

Image result for GPO 1916Inside the GPO after the Rising

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