Easter Rising Ends: Ireland's Rebellion Ignites Independence
Patrick Pearse and other Irish nationalist leaders surrendered unconditionally on April 29, 1916, ending the Easter Rising after six days of fighting in Dublin. The rebels had seized the General Post Office and several strategic buildings but were overwhelmed by 16,000 British troops with artillery support. The city center was devastated. In the weeks that followed, General John Maxwell ordered the court-martial and execution of 16 rebel leaders by firing squad. The executions, carried out over ten consecutive days at Kilmainham Gaol, transformed public opinion from hostility toward the rebels to sympathy and then support for independence. The executed leaders became martyrs whose sacrifice fueled the Irish War of Independence that began in 1919.
April 29, 1916
110 years ago
Key Figures & Places
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