1916: The Easter Rising

On April 14, 1916 the Easter rising started when rebels seized a number of strong points in Dublin. They held until blasted from their positions by an overwhelming superiority in numbers and heavy artillery. The subsequent executions of the leaders, along with the arrests, court-martials, and detention of 3,500 people (three times the number of actual participants), won the insurgents sympathy and resulted in an overwhelming desire for freedom among
the public.