Hope and fear. World War I, conscription and the Irish Revolution (1916-1918)

Easter Week 1916 is unanimously regarded as a watershed, a turning point in twentieth-century Irish history, not only in nationalist mythology, but also in unionist and northern Irish collective memories. Historians have argued that the rebellion paved the way for the transformation of Ireland and contributed to the political victory of Sinn Féin during the four electoral contests in 1917. Nonetheless, right in the middle of the First World War, fears of being drafted into the British Army significantly infuriated civilian populations. Drawing on unsolicited diplomatic correspondence from France’s representatives and secret reports from Intelligence Officers of the Royal Irish Constabulary, this article seeks to demonstrate that Britain’s determination to implement conscription to Ireland frightened civilian populations, gave rise to nationwide discontent, and contributed to the victory of Sinn Féin in 1917. It evidences that fears of compulsory military service played a significant role in the transformation of Ireland and in the terminal eclipse of the Irish Parliamentary Party in December 1918.