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 Memorabilia from The 1916 Easter Rising, its Prelude and Aftermath.
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Irish Volunteer & Irish National Volunteer Movements
Irish National Volunteers Irish National Volunteers
Irish National Volunteers & Irish Volunteers shoulder titles
 
The Volunteers were formed in response to the formation of the Ulster Volunteer Force by Edward Carson and James Craig the same year. The Ulster Volunteers were founded by (exclusively) Protestant Unionists in the northeast in order to prevent the enactment of the Home Rule Act. It was seen that with armed men in Ulster threatening force to counter Home Rule, a similar force would be prudent to pressure Britain in the other direction. To this end Eoin MacNeill published an article The North Began, arguing for the necessity of such a force. His friend The O'Rahilly encouraged him to follow through with this idea, and on November 11, 1913, at Wynn's Hotel in Dublin, ten prominent nationalists sat down to plan the formation of the Volunteers, among them were Patrick Pearse, Eamonn Ceannt, and Sean MacDermott
I

Irish Volunteer Officer's Uniform.

Comprising tunic with complete buttons, peaked cap with white metal badge, stamped inside, belt, holster and bandolier.

Irish Volunteers Uniform 1
Photograph compliments of the "Ceallach Collection"
IIrish Volunteers Uniform 2
Irish Volunteer Button  Irish Volunteer Button 
Modern Irish Volunteer buttons with "P", "T" on back

Bellow are some Irish Volunteer buttons of the era
IV Button Irish Volunteer Button
   
Irish Volunteer Button IV Button Back
   
Volunteer Button IV Button
   
Volunteers Buckle One of the many examples of the Irish Volunteers Belt buckle
   
 
The Irish Volunteers & National Volunteer Movements badges are shown below
Irish Volunteers Bage 1 Irish Volunteers Bage 2
Irish Volunteer badge struck in silver Irish Volunteer enamel tricolour badge
   
Irish Volunteers Bage 3 Irish Volunteers Bage 4
1916 Reversible Button Hole Badge depicting an Irish Citizen Army volunteer outside the GPO (Dublin) In Gaelic lettering on the face it states "eireocaimid aris" (we will rise again) along with 1916.  On the rear the buttonhole has 1916 filled in enamel.
   
Waterford Regiment of the Irish Volunteers Cap Badge  Dublin reg National  Volunteers Badge
Waterford Regiment of the Irish Volunteers Cap Badge  Dublin Regiment of the National Volunteers Cap Badge 
The Irish National Volunteers Badge The Irish National Volunteers Button hole Badge
National Volunteers Badge National Volunteers Badge
   
star shaped badge star shaped badge
star shaped badge possibly of the era(More Details Required)
   
Irish Volunteers Front  Irish volunteers Back
Button hole badge of the Irish Volunteers made of brass with dark green enamel inlay.  This example of the badge had a pin added later , the photograph of the back is how it should look.
 
Óglaigh na h-Eireann Cap Badge
Óglaigh na h-Eireann Cap Badge Front Óglaigh na h-Eireann Cap Badge back
The Defence Forces cap badge (1924) is based on the badge of the Irish Volunteers that was designed by Professor Eoin McNeill. It was adopted by the volunteers as the official badge in 1914.
The "FF" in its centre signifies "Fianna" the third centaury ancient military organisation and " Fáil" meaning destiny..
11923 Gold Plated Command  Staff Officer 1923 Gold Plated GHQ Staff Officers example with red enamel inlay
1923 Gold Plated Command  Staff Officers example with blue enamel inlay 1923 Gold Plated GHQ Staff Officers example with red enamel inlay
   
Dublin Brigade Cap Badge Dublin Brigade Cap Badge
Above is a brass & silver example of the Dublin Brigade Cap Badge
rish Volunteer Recruiting Poster  First meeting of the Irish Volunteers in the Rotunda Hospital November 25th 1913 
Irish Volunteer Recruiting Poster   First meeting of the Irish Volunteers in the Rotunda Hospital November 25th 1913 
   
Irish Volunteers Membership Card  Irish Volunteers Membership Card
   
Irish Volunteer Mobilisation Order  Irish Volunteer Mobilisation Order 
   

National Volunteers

The outbreak of the First World War in August 1914 provoked a serious split in the organization. Redmond, in the interest of the Home Rule Act 1914 now on the statute books, encouraged the Volunteers to support Britain's War commitment under the Triple Entente and join the proposed Irish Brigade of the new British Army divisions, an action vigorously opposed by the founding members. The majority however supported the War effort and the call to restore freedom to "small countries" in Europe and left to form the National Volunteers and fight in Irish regiments side by side with their volunteer counterparts from the northeast. Unlike them however, they were not allowed their own officers and were commanded by Englishmen
   
National Volunteers Postcard 1 National Volunteers Postcard 2
   
National Volunteers Postcard 3 National Volunteers Postcard 4
   
   
   
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