The extraordinary development of the Irish Volunteers makes it a matter of some interest to
set down now the facts of its origin. There's a little urgency too, in as much as already
misleading statements are being widely circulated.
The first meeting held in Dublin to
consider the proposition to found a Volunteer force open to all Irishmen was called by Ua
Rathghaille* by a circular letter addressed to a small group of nationalists. The circular
was an invitation to meet Mr Eoin MacNeil to discuss the matter. The meeting was duly held,
Eoin presiding, and the opening statement by him as well as much of the subsequent
discussion was in Irish. It was unanimously decided, come what may, to establish the
Volunteers. The next and several subsequent meetings of the Provisional Committee were
strengthened by the addition of others known to sympathise with the project.
A certain city
rifle club supplied quite a group of members. Mr Eoin MacNeil (founder of the Gaelic League)
and Laurence J. Kettle, son of the redoubtable A J, agreed to act as Honorary Secretaries.
The movement was publicly launched on the 25th of November in the Rotunda Rink, Dublin,
amidst great enthusiasm.
The speakers included Padraig Pearse, Eoin MacNeil, Alderman Kelly and Luke O'Toole (GAA).
Drill began immediately. Halls were engaged; ex-army men volunteered their services; a
proper system of recording attendance, etc, was devised, and the halls became models of
orderly work carried out with perfect consciousness and the utmost decorum.
Other large centres, catching Dublin's enthusiasm, began to move. The Provisional Committee
Appeal aroused wide interest. Demands for speakers became more and more frequent. All
Ireland seemed anxious to hear the new gospel preached by the men who began the good work.
Many members of the Committee deprecated over much oratory.
If Eoin MacNeil had had his way even the initial meeting would have been unrelieved by a
single oratorical display. In this land of talk it was deemed impossible to do without some
public speaking. But for this public speaking it must be claimed that it did not end in
mere applause. It ended in drill. Public speaking on Volunteer platforms is now beginning
to end in money down for guns. The day of the mere orator is happily coming to a close. A
day of real working is dawning.
Events now marched in rapid succession. An official gazette was printed off to meet the
various inquiries for information which began to pour in.
In Dublin the ex-army men who had offered their services were kept busy. To relieve the
general pressure of work a special committee was appointed to look after the organisation
of the City and County of Dublin. Close on the heels of this committee came a similar one
to deal with Provincial organisation. Other committees were appointed to deal with finance,
uniforms, rifle-ranges, etc. Every member was given a special duty. Then came the offer of
co-operation to establish a weekly journal to be the medium of communication between the
Provisional Executive and the Volunteers throughout Ireland.
Needless to say the founders had troubles of various kinds to contend with. Some persons
professing to speak in the name of organised labour were openly hostile from the beginning.
The attitude of other large bodies in Ireland was, to say the least of it, critical and
suspicious. The Provisional Executive held on its way, improved its organisation, obtained
a secretary, rented central offices and refused to be sidetracked or bullied into any
departure from the objects which linked together its rather varied membership.
That objective was the establishment of a Volunteer force to defend the rights and
liberties of the whole people of Ireland. Sufficient has been written to indicate the task
which faced the founders of the greatest movement in Ireland today. The attitude of the Nationalist Press, the Irish Party, the Ancient Order of Hibernians,
the local public men may not now be discussed.
For today the fact of real significance is that every face in Nationalist Ireland is now
lined up behind the Irish Volunteers.
For this great achievement history will give honour where honour is due. Today the movement
is full of possibilities which one may not even confide to a friend. They are only
possibilities. Given strict adhesion to the principles enunciated in the first manifesto;
given discipline in the ranks, loyality to their leaders, confidence in themselves and the
Irish Volunteers when trained and armed will have Ireland's fate in their hands.
* Michael Joseph O'Rahilly (1875-1916) was a member of the Gaelic League and Irish
Volunteers who was killed in the GPO during Easter Week, 1916.
© Searc's Web Guide 1997-2008
|
