Physical force republicanism

Physical force Irish republicanism is the recurring appearance of a non-parliamentary violent insurrection in Ireland between 1798 and the present. It is often described as a rival to parliamentary nationalism which for most of the period drew the predominant amount of support from Irish nationalists.

Physical force Irish republicanism has usually been marked by a number of features:

The physical force mantra emerged in 19th century Anglo-Irish literary societies that began with Gaelic revivalism. The movement of mainly aristocratic distinguished figures conversed on vexed question of Irishry, irishness, cultural identity, the meaning of nationalism, and its outward expression through theatrical displays, street performances, catholicity, and the formation of a meaningful dialogue with idealism. But the ultimate conclusions they reached moved inexorably towards freedom being achievable only through the use of violence or physical force. Where Jansenissistic priests did help was in the constructive truths behind doors hiding secrets, persons wanted, providing shelter, sustenance, and forgiveness; remission of sins for physical force.

Another important strand of thinking that supported the illumination of irishness was the concept of manliness. To many the idea of oppression by tyranny was shameful. It was a man's duty to resist, and his honour depended on it. This could be found in the associative likeness of a 'Green Ireland' that endeavor was to undermine Englishness, taking a borrowed culture, de-anglicizing, to move Ireland closer to her island roots. The evocative use of force was a co-dependent of the physical geography of the Emerald Isle; its lush green pastures, and mountainsides fed by constant rainfall all year round.

The Catholic church was integral element towards establishing a national identity for irishness. But the church remained pacific; priests abhorred physical force, eschewed its happening, shunned the company of the 'men of violence'. Attempts by the church leaders to reconcile the challenge to its spiritual dominance in a New Ireland, with accommodation of the long struggle of many of its parishioners for freedom aced as a condign judgement. Condemnatory declarations exacerbated contradictory messages to the population driving the movement underground. That the IRB was founded in the United States of America provoked legitimatism to counteract the universality of non-violent Christendom. This was doctrinaire, secretive, as befitted its extreme physicality.

The most prominent physical force rebellions and campaigns were:

It was the Volunteers of 1782 which would launch a paramilitary tradition in Irish politics; a tradition, whether nationalist or unionist, that has continued to shape Irish political activity with the ethos of "the force of argument had been trumped by the argument of force". Irish republicanism an offspring of the Volunteers of 1782, owes much to influences of both the American and French revolutions.

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