Sick of it already - Ireland's hypocrisy about the Easter Rising.
To say that the second decade of the 20th century was important for Ireland can safely be classed as the understatement of the year. It was pivotal in Irish history, with the Dublin Lockout of 1913 kicking of a series of uprisings that would lead to Irish Independence from the UK by 1922. Among these events, the 1916 Easter Rising has gained a special place in Irish history and lore. Every major player in Irish politics during the first first two thirds of the 20th century took part or could claim more or less esoteric connections to those who fought in that uprising. The fact that the Easter Rising was a tactical clusterfuck of the highest order is tactfully overlooked, as is the fact that it was an abject and total failure. Still, the heroes of the rising, Michael Collins, James Connolly, Eamon de Valera and others are lifted onto a pedestal, idealised almost to the point of canonisation. The annual commemoration of the Rising is the climax of the political year and sees everyone ...