The Use of History in the Formation of a Republic

The theme of history in Irish literature is prominent in the Proclamation of the Republic of Ireland, a declaration of the end of British rule by representatives of the fledgling government of Ireland. In the Easter Proclamation, as the Proclamation is also known as, the history of Ireland is used to glorify and empower the people of Ireland. Specifically, the history of Ireland is used to emphasize a tradition of fighting for freedom in order to strengthen the demand for independence. The Easter Proclamation depicts the tradition of resistance as an ancient and long-standing institution by dedicating this Proclamation to “the dead generations” and by stating that the Irish people have asserted their right to freedom via armed conflict six times during the past three hundred years at the time (Proclamation of the Republic, lines 2, 13-14). The Easter Proclamation" also adds legitimacy to its struggle by concisely describing the deliberate planning of the independence movement, the support of foreign powers, and the utilization of opportune timing in its body (lines 5-8). The Easter Proclamation also uses the history of Ireland to discredit the British occupation of Ireland, calling it the “usurpation of [Irish freedom] by a foreign power” and accusing London of creating division between different groups in Ireland (lines 10, 20-21).
The theme of history is utilized artistically in the Easter Proclamation as a glorified struggle between an oppressive foreign empire and a resistive and strong people striving to remove their yoke of oppression. The Easter Proclamation describes the need for Ireland’s children to “sacrifice themselves for the common good” in order to attain freedom, portrayed as an “august destiny” (lines 29-30). The Irish are described as proud and possessing a “full confidence of victory” (line 8). In the Easter Proclamation, the British government is an alien and insidious power trying to create divisiveness among the Irish (lines 10, 20-21). The Easter Proclamation does describe events with historical basis, such as the differences between groups of Irish. While the Easter Proclamation may have exaggerated the extent to which the British may have tried to instill divisiveness among the Irish, the claims are not completely unfounded. Many Protestants emigrated to Ireland as part of a British plan to install a loyal British front on Ireland in order to maintain a foothold on the island (Making the Sense of the Troubles 2). The artistic depiction of the struggle for Irish independence further magnifies the necessity and the high morality of the resistance.

Work Cited
McKittrick, David and McVea, David. Making Sense of the Troubles: The Story of the Conflict in Northern Ireland. Chicago: New Amsterdam Books. 2002.

Clarke, Thomas, MacDiamada Sean, et al. Proclamation of the Republic. 24 April 1916.