December 10th, 1910: During the second general election of 1910 the Liberals announce that Home Rule and reform of the House of Lords are on their agenda. They retain power, with the 82 Irish Nationalist members holding the balance.
April 14th, 1912: The Belfast-built strikes an iceberg and sinks with the loss of 1,490 lives. "The carried nearly two hundred Irish passengers, and as, with appalling slowness, the names of the survivors are made known, few, indeed, of these appear amongst the number," comments an Irish Times editorial.
September 28th, 1912: Nearly 500,000 Unionists sign the Ulster Solemn League and Covenant against Home Rule at City Hall in Belfast. An Irish Times report notes that Sir Edward Carson when signing the covenant seemed "oppressed with the responsibility of his act". "His face was drawn, indeed haggard, and ghastly pale, especially in the weird, uncanny combination of daylight and electric illumination."
January 31st, 1913: An Ulster Volunteer Force (above, during inspection by Carson) of 100,000 men is organised. Nationalists respond by forming the Irish Volunteers dedicated to the defence of full Home Rule.
August 26th, 1913: The labour leader Jim Larkin calls a strike of the tramway unions, leading to a lockout of workers by Dublin employers. Five days later the Dublin Metropolitan Police baton-charge a crowd at a proscribed rally addressed by Larkin in O'Connell Street. By September, 25,000 workers are locked out for refusing to sign a Dublin Employers Federation pledge directed against the ITGWU.
March 20th, 1914: There is "mutiny" in the Curragh, when 60 members of the Cavalry Brigade under Maj Gen Sir Hubert Gough decide to refuse to enforce Home Rule in Ulster against the wishes of Unionists. The orders are never issued.
May 25th, 1914: The Home Rule Bill is carried in the House of Commons for the third and last time, provoking Unionist attacks on Catholic property in Belfast. On September 18th, the Home Rule Act is placed on the statute book for the duration of the war.
July 26th, 1914: Asgard, navigated by Erskine Childers, lands 1,500 guns into the arms of the Irish Volunteers, and the boys of the Fianna at Howth. Four people are killed when, after failing to impound the imported weapons, troops open fire on a jeering crowd at Bachelor's Walk, Dublin.
August 3rd, 1914: John Redmond in the House of Commons pledges Ireland's support for Britain should she enter the war. In September, Redmond causes a split in the Irish Volunteer movement by calling on members to fight for Britain in the war. More than 49,000 Irish citizens would be killed in action by the end of the war.
May 7th, 1915: Lusitania is torpedoed off the old head of Kinsale. Sir Hugh Lane among the 1,502 drowned.
April 21st, 1916: Sir Roger Casement is captured after landing from his submarine on Banna Strand in Co Kerry, unaware that the carrying a consignment of 20,000 rifles from Germany for the Easter Rising, had been intercepted by the Royal Navy. He is hanged for high treason in Pentonville prison on August 3rd. "Roger Casement's death is a miserable end to a life which for the greater part of its course was honourable and distinguished," comments The Irish Times.
April 24th, 1916: A small force of Volunteers armed with Mauser rifles takes over the GPO and other key buildings in Dublin. They hold out against the British army and the police for almost a week. Martial law is proclaimed by the Lord Lieutenant on April 25th. On April 29th Patrick Pearse makes an unconditional surrender to Brig Gen Lowe, ending a rising in which nearly 200 were killed.
The execution of 15 insurrection leaders and 1,706 deportations help fuel public support for Sinn Fein. Above: de Valera, under arrest after the Rising.
December 14th-28th, 1918: Sinn Fein, standing on an abstentionist platform, secures 73 of Ireland's 105 seats in the general election. Constance Markievicz (below left) is the first woman elected, but does not take her seat in Westminster.
January 21st, 1919: Elected members of Sinn Fein form Dail Eireann, declare independence and adopt a constitution. In April Eamon de Valera is elected President of Dail Eireann. By September, Dail Eireann is declared a dangerous association.
