The Rising: Ireland: Easter 1916

by Fearghal McGarry

Based on a recently released trove of over 1,700 eye-witness statements, this gripping volume tells the story of the Easter Rising as seen through the eyes of the rebels themselves, capturing in crisp, unflinching detail what the nascent Irish revolution actually felt like. As it chronicles
the activities of members of Sinn Féin, the Irish Republican Brotherhood, Cumann na mBan, and the Irish Volunteers, this compelling volume addresses a range of key questions that continue to divide historians of modern What led people from ordinary backgrounds to fight for Irish freedom?
What did they think they could achieve given the superior forces arrayed against them? What kind of republic were they willing to kill and die for? Fearghal McGarry deftly interweaves the oral history of the rank-and-file revolutionaries of the Rising into a comprehensive, yet powerfully affecting
narrative--one that The Boston Globe called "vivid and compelling" and "a poignant mosaic of idealism, bravery, and humanity."

Genres: History, Ireland, Nonfiction, Irish Literature, European History, War, Politics

396 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Michael C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Remain fascinated by the Irish Easter Rising. This book weaves together the saga using countless eyewitness accounts from all factions involved.

[Aine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read many books about the Easter Rising, but the interesting part of this book was that McGarry concentrated on public opinion instead of on the military and leadership aspects. He also went into detail about the rising, and how it was both portrayed (and fought) outside of Dublin, which very few books go into. It challenges many of the popular perceptions of the Rising (in ways both for and against those who particpated), and the final section in which McGarry speculates on the effects of the revolution on Irish history to the present day is a very interesting read.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not as comprehensive or compellingly written as Charles Townshend's history of the Easter Rising but McGarry's book focuses on particular dimensions that certainly make it important and worthwhile reading on the subject. Includes an excellent collection of suggested further reading.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little dull in terms of writing, but it is full of information. It is also quite detailed and includes discussions about the various uses of the historical event.

[Colin Cloutus · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant work defined by its extensive usage of the Bureau of Military History Witness Statements for (often) page-fuls of references. It deals not just with Dublin but with other minor areas during the Rising such as Galway, Wexford, Cork, and the (in)actions of the Ulster IVF. The build up to the Rising is explained detailed and elaborately, with a fair consideration given to each of the figureheads/leaders of the movement aswell as other fringe groups that would culminate in a slowly brewing 'neo-Gaelic' culture, given platform by the [commonly regarded 'street-threatre' of] 1916.
It does not shy away from occasionally harsh criticism, of both the rebels and witness statements on either side of the conflict and seems to me to have next-to-no bias in its critical commentary. Women particularly are given some special consideration (a seemingly recent hot topic following the centenary) but it is not overdone in a aggressively feminist way, and any aggressive implication are from witness statements themselves, making it a really good insight to oft neglected women's groups like Cuman na nBann (excuse my rusty gaelic) without the reader feeling patronised and attacked for being born male as some sort of prideful vengeance.
Like most non-fiction texts, it can drag when you aren't in the right head-space, but as a point of reference for educational and personal study, I cannot reccomend this book more. While it can occasionally feel like blocks of reworded witness statement tethered into a narrative (with some sub-chapters having the same order of addressed components), the writing is impressively concise and employs precise vocabulary as opposed to unnecessary verbosity. I doubt there is much fat that can be trimmed from this book, and more references are always welcome.

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book's key feature is that it's one of the first major studies to utilize the Bureau of Military History's 1947 compilation of personal witness/participant accounts of the Rising. To that extent, this is close to a must-read for understanding the Easter Rising as it was perceived "on the ground." The account quotations are competently (though not PARTICULARLY deftly) woven into a clear narrative of the Rising and a discussion of its members' motivations. The author is benignly inclined towards the risers but perfectly thoughtful in his discussion of all sides.

I wish I could give this book a 4 or 5, because I love the use of sources and I love Easter Rising history... but the writing is just nothing special and it doesn't offer any new theses (just tweaks to and confirmations of what we already know). There's nothing problematic in the way of style or methodology; just nothing jaw-droppingly elegant in the composition or newly insightful about the conclusions.

Again, though, it's important because it looks to regular non-leader participants' accounts to confirm its assertions. So I give it a 3 1/2, or a Goodreads 3.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very readable account of Ireland's 1916 Rising. The motivations and decisions of the leaders of the rebellion and their opposition (both in England and within Ireland) are discussed but most of the emphasis is on the thoughts and feelings of the regular people involved. Good use of interviews of witnesses and participants made by the Bureau of Military History back in the 1940s but only recently released. Well worth reading if you're interested in this subject.

[Liam Ostermann · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent readable history of the Rising of 1916 - more coming

[Grant · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book, which I should point out I had to read for my Modern Irish History course, was really an intriguing text that brought to light much detail on the Easter Rising in Ireland. While throughout the semester I had to read several texts on Irish history, this was certainly one of my favorites because of how much personal testimony McGarry had relied on to write this. He really used the best available primary sources to create a picture for the reader on all sides of the story as to what was happening before, during, and after the Easter Rising in 1916. What turned out to be a pivotal point in Irish history is written out quite well here by McGarry who spares no ounce of detail in order to give the reader exactly what they deserve. While it can be a bit dry in certain areas and this could have been avoided, I really do think McGarry did a great job with this book. Like other texts I have reviewed on this site, I would say this is not for everybody. You certainly need to have some background knowledge to read this although a novice in Irish history could still pick it up and learn quite a lot. Overall, I was pleased to read this book and I am glad my professor had included it as a core piece of the class.

[Brendan (History Nerds United) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Easter Rising reminds me a lot of John Brown’s assault on Harper’s Ferry.

In a microcosm, both actions relied entirely too much on outside forces to join in the insurrection and greatly overestimated their own strength. Also, the immediate response was very negative. Both were seen as a band of zealots doing bad things for a good reason. Then, attitudes changed greatly.

In the case of the Easter Rising, Irish republicans planned for a general uprising in Ireland against British rule. Ultimately, the vast majority of fighting happened in Dublin and the republicans were defeated. Irish civilians fared the worst, as 209 British/Irish soldiers were killed in total as compared to 260 civilians.

The British were doing well in public opinion until the executions started. The Rising is seen as a major steppingstone to Irish independence like Harper’s Ferry was a steppingstone to the Civil War and the end of slavery.

And as with most things in the discussion of Irish and British relations, it depends where your loyalties lie in how you view the Rising.

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a textbook perfect example of history from below. McGarry does a terrific job explaining the political and social issues context for the Easter Rising, the background of the Volunteers, the motivations of a seemingly hopeless uprising, how the fighting was experienced by the rebels, soldiers and civilians alike and how their aftermath changed the fate of Irish republicanism. McGarry was very wise to let the voices from the era come alive through extensive quotations of the witnesses statements that form the key source of the book. This is academic writing at its very best. I can’t wait for more to come from this author.

[Brian Seibel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very well researched book on the events and feelings of the Irish people.leading up to, during, and after the Rising. Not an easy book to get into if you don't have a fairly deep interest in the event, but well worth the time.spent The Irish government has struggled to find a.valid distinction between those who took up arms in the Rising (celebrated) and the Provos who took up arms in the Troubles (denigrated) both in the name of a unified Ireland. The author gives you all the pieces to understand both the similarities and the crucial differences Highly recommended

[Mitchell Kaufman · Rating 4 out of 5]

McGarry tells a compelling story, based on many first-hand accounts of the 1916 Easter rebellion in Dublin He also discusses why it was doomed to failure but ultimately led to the creation of the modern day Irish Republic.

[Senioreuge · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent work to add insight into the events that shaped Ireland in the early 20th century. The narrative is taken directly from the mouths and testimonies of the combatants.

[Nathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent details of the Rising as viewed through the eyes and words of those who lived it. McGarry's goal is to show why the participants did what they did, using archives of contemporary interviews. He does not try to slant the story to a particular viewpoint, but lets the narrative flow of its own accord.

[Diane Depew · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I've read on the Easter Rising. For me, the author did an excellent job explaining the steps the Irish took at the turn of the 20th century to maintain their cultural identity, as well as the various organizations that developed in part to promote that identity. It was also very interesting how the rising was timed to take advantage of the British being primarily focused in WWI with some of the Irish leadership lobbying Germany for support.

[Gretta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent treatment of the witness statements of 1916. Stories that show the real human element to one of the most seminal periods of Irish history. A most read for anyone interested in the 1916 Rising.