1916 – War and Revolution
1916 – a year to most
Remembered for slaughter of the Somme
Youth sacrificed by generals incompetence
Against the odds sent to die
Little hope of winning
1916 – a year to most
Remembered for the glory of Easter Week
Youth sacrificed by generals idealism
Against the odds the generals went to die
Death itself was the winning.
The difference between the Easter Week rebels and the other conflicts at the time in 1916 was that the generals were the ones to die when it was all over. That shows the truth and the passion of the rebellion as opposed to the war itself, and lies behind its mythical status today and the long term success of the separatist cause…
Of course, not all Irish were on the separatist side, whether through conviction or circumstances, amny were fighting under the British flag.