1916

There's a supplement in Irish Times newspaper today on the 90th anniversary of 1916 Easter Rising, that great touchstone of Irish Republicanism.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter_Rising

"...a militarily unsuccessful rebellion staged in Ireland against British rule on Easter Monday in April 1916. Nevertheless, despite its military failure, it can be judged as being a significant stepping-stone in the eventual creation of the Irish Republic."

Interesting stuff.

Will probably spark debate along well-worn lines.Did they have a mandate ? No.
Was the Sinn Féin victory in the 1918 Westminster election a retrospective vindication ? Maybe.The Provisional IRA - and their anti-treaty predecessors in 1921 etc - take their inspiration from the Easter Rising seeing it as the birth of the Republic, and are not swayed by issues of democratic mandate etc.Of course the Free Staters fought alongside them in 1916 and yet were content(?) to sign the Treaty.One major legacy of the Civil War was the creation of two major political parties who contended politically thereafter.