‘A Land Beyond the Wave'

Despite the role played by the diaspora in shaping Irish nationalism, historians of Irish nationalism—even those who warn against the evils of ‘exceptionalism’ and ‘geographical solipsism’—generally adopt the nation-state as their primary unit of historical analysis. ¹ Similarly, studies of diasporic Irish nationalism usually overlook the impact of the phenomenon on Ireland. ² Accounts of the revolution in Ireland are also typically framed within national or regional parameters despite historians’ awareness of the importance of socioeconomic, cultural and political factors that transcend these geographical boundaries. ³ In some respects, this tendency towards insularity is surprising: a small country with a large diaspora, forming part of a multinational state and global empire, Ireland was highly susceptible to external influences. Although sometimes depicted as inward-looking, Irish nationalists were keenly aware of the opportunities provided by international developments, often proving effective in exploiting these to advance their objectives. Arthur Griffith, the founder of Sinn Féin and the key ideologue of the Irish Revolution, provides an obvious example. He began his long career as an editor and newspaper owner as a young man in South Africa where he backed the Boers in their struggle against Britain, and he went on to lend his support to independence movements throughout the empire. In 1906 the first issue of Griffith’s newspaper, Sinn Féin, featured articles on events in nine countries over four continents, while his blueprint for achieving Irish independence was modelled on the Austro-Hungarian empire’s dual monarchy. ⁴ Taking the Easter Rising as a case study, this essay considers how a greater awareness of these transnational connections may enhance our understanding of Ireland’s revolution. It does so by exploring three aspects of the 1916 rebellion: (1) the significance of the movement of people between national boundaries; (2) the influence of transnational cultural exchange; and (3) the rebellion’s international impact.