Home > Eoin MacNeill

MacNeill was born in Glenarm, County Antrim. He was educated in Belfast at the Queen's College, Belfast. MacNeill had an enormous interest in Irish history and immersed himself in the study of it. In 1893 he founded the Gaelic League with Douglas Hyde. He became editor of its newspaper - Gaelic Journal. In 1908 MacNeill was appointed professor of early Irish history at University College Dublin.

Through the Gaelic League MacNeill met members of Sinn Féin. He became chairman of the council that formed the Irish Volunteers in 19131913 is a common year starting on Wednesday. click on link for calendar) Events January-March January 30 House of Lords rejects Irish Home Rule Bill February 1 New York City's Grand Central Station opens as the world's largest train station. February 3 Th. He later became chief of staff. MacNeill was vehemently opposed to the idea of an armed rebellion as he saw little hope of success. However, the Irish Republican BrotherhoodHistory of Ireland The Irish Republican Brotherhood IRB played an important role in the history of Ireland. It was the chief group advocating armed revolt during the campaign for Ireland's independence from the United Kingdom during the latter half of the went ahead with its plans of an armed rebellion with the co-operation of James ConnollyFor the Olympic athlete, see James Connolly (athlete James Connolly ( June 5, 1868 May 12, 1916) was an Irish nationalist and Labour leader. He was born in Edinburgh, Scotland to Irish emigrant parents. He left school for working life at the age of 11, bu and the Irish Citizen ArmyThe Irish Citizens Army or ICA, is a small band of trained members for the defense of worker’s rights. The army rose out of the great strike of the Irish Transport and General Workers Union in 1913. Called the Lockout of 1913, the strike fought for the re. Pádraig Pearse and some other Volunteer members supported this move also. Easter Sunday, April 23April 23 is the 113th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (114th in leap years). There are 252 days remaining. Events 215 BC A temple is built on the Capitoline Hill dedicated to Venus Erycina to commemorate the Roman defeat at Lake Trasum. 303 Sain, 19161916 is a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar) Events January 1 -The first successful blood transfusion using blood that had been stored and cooled. Impressionist Monet paints Water Lilies'. January 8 Allied forces withdraw from, was the day the revolution was to be staged. MacNeill heard about this the previous Thursday and was reluctantly persuaded to agree. However, on learning of the arrest of Roger CasementSir Roger David Casement ( September 1, 1864 August 3, 1916) was a British diplomat by profession and a poet, Irish revolutionary and nationalist by inclination. Exposing Belgian brutality in the Congo Casement joined the British consular service in 1892 and the interception of German arms he ordered an immediated end to the rising. Pearse, Connolly and the others all agreed that they must go ahead with the rising - it began on Monday, April 24, 1916. After the surrender MacNeill was arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment.

MacNeill was released in 1917 and was elected MP for the National University of Ireland. In 1921 he supported the Anglo-Irish Treaty. Following this he became Minister for Education in the first government of the Irish Free State. In 1924 a Boundary Commission was set up to renegotiate the border between Northern Ireland and the Free State. MacNeill represented the Free State, however, he resigned after a report on its findings was published in a newspaper. In December 1925 the Free State government agreed with the British government that the boundary included the entire six counties. This angered many nationalists and MacNeill was the subject of much criticism. He was forced to resign as minister and he lost his Dáil seat in 1927.

He retired from politics completely and became Chairman of the Irish Manuscripts Commission. He published a number of books on Irish history. In his later years he devoted his life to scholarship.

Eoin MacNeill died in Dublin.