From The Irish Volunteer, June 20, 1914.
The extraordinary development of the Irish Volunteers makes it a matter of some interest to set down now some of the facts of its origin. There is a little urgency too, inasmuch as already misleading statements are being widely circulated. The first meeting held in Dublin to consider the proposition to found a Volunteer force open to all Irishmen was called by Ua Rathghaille by a circular letter addressed to a small group of Nationalists. The circular was an invitation ‘to meet Mr. Eoin MacNeill’ to discuss the matter. The meeting was duly held, Eoin presiding, and the opening statement by him as well as much of the subsequent discussion was in Irish.
It was unanimously decided, come what might, to establish the Volunteers.
The next and several subsequent meetings of the Provisional Committee were strengthened by the addition of others known to sympathise with the project. A certain city Rifle Club supplied quite a group of members. Messrs. Eoin MacNeill (founder of the Gaelic League) and Laurence J. Kettle, son of the redoubtable ‘A. J.,’ agreed to act as hon. secretaries.
The movement was publicly launched on Tuesday, 25th November, in the Rotunda Rink, Dublin, amidst great enthusiasm. The speakers included P. H. Pearse, Eoin MacNeill, Alderman Kelly, and Luke O’Toole (G.A.A.)
Drill began immediately. Halls were engaged; ex-army men volunteered their services; a proper system of recording attendances, etc., was devised, and the halls became models of orderly work carried out with perfect seriousness and the utmost decorum.
Other large centres, catching Dublin’s enthusiasm, began to move. The Provisional Committee’s appeal aroused wide interest. Demand for speakers became more and more frequent. All Ireland seemed anxious to hear the new gospel preached by the men who first began the good work. Many members of the Committee deprecated over much oratory. If Eoin MacNeill had had his way even the initial meeting would have been unrelieved by a single oratorical display. In this land of talk it was deemed impossible to do without some public speaking. But for this public speaking it must be claimed that it did not end in mere applause: it ended in drill. Public speaking on Volunteer platforms is now beginning to end in money down for guns. The day of the mere orator is happily coming to a close. A day of real working is dawning.
Events now marched in rapid succession. An official gazette was printed off to meet the numerous inquiries for information which began to pour in. In Dublin the ex-army men who had offered their services were kept busy. To relieve the general pressure of work a Special Committee was appointed to look after the organisation of the City and County of Dublin. Close on the heels of this Committee came a similar one to deal with Provincial Organisation. Other Committees were appointed to deal with finance, uniform, rifle ranges, etc., etc. Every member was given a special duty. Then came the offer of co-operation to establish a weekly journal to be the medium of communication between the Provisional Executive and the Volunteers throughout Ireland.
Needless to say, the founders had troubles of various kinds to contend with. Some persons professing to speak in the name of organised labour were openly hostile from the beginning. The attitude of other large bodies in Ireland was, to say the least of it, critical and suspicious. The Provisional Executive held on its way, improved its organisation, obtained a secretary, rented central offices, and refused to be side-tracked or bullied into any departure from the object which linked together its rather varied membership. That object was the establishment of a Volunteer force to defend the rights and liberties of the whole people of Ireland.
Sufficient has been written to indicate the task which faced the founders of the greatest movement in Ireland to-day. The attitude of the Nationalist Press, the Irish Party, the Ancient Order of Hibernians, the local public men may not now be discussed. For to-day the fact of real significance is that every force in Nationalist Ireland is now lined up behind the Irish Volunteers. For this great achievement, history will give honour where honour is due. To-day the movement is full of possibilities which one may not even confide to a friend; they are only possibilities. Given strict adhesion to the principles enunciated in the first manifesto; given discipline in the ranks, loyalty to their leaders, confidence in themselves and the Irish Volunteers, when trained and armed, will have Ireland’s fate in their hands.
ÉAMONN CEANNT.