Constance Markievicz -The Revolutionary

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Easter Rising 1916

In 1913, a force called the Irish  Volunteers was set up. Its aim was to gain freedom in Ireland from British rule. Women were not allowed to join the Irish Volunteers. Instead women could join a group called 'Cumann na mBan'. The Irish Volunteers and the Irish Citizen Army began to work together for the cause of freedom.
Irish Volunteers. Image courtesy of Jim Collins.


The First World War had broken out and not long afterwards the Irish Volunteers split into two groups - the Irish Volunteers who pledged to support Britain in the First World War and the National Volunteers who started to plan a rebellion against Britain. This rebellion was called the 1916 Rising.

On Monday 25th April 1916, Easter Monday, the rebellion began in Dublin. Constance was second-in-command of a regiment in St. Stephen's Green.

Surrender



Constance fought as a soldier for an entire week until the order came from Patrick Pearse

Padraig Pearse

Padraig Pearse was a teacher, poet, writer, nationalist and political activist. He was one of the leaders of the Easter Rising in 1916. This photograph was taken in New York in 1914.

Image courtesy of the Pearse Museum

  to surrender. Constance surrendered on the 30th April 1916.