Eoin MacNeill

Eoin MacNeill (May 15, 1867 - October 15, 1945) was an Irish scholar and revolutionary.

Related Topics:
May 15 - 1867 - October 15 - 1945 - Irish

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MacNeill was born John McNeill 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.

Related Topics:
Glenarm - County Antrim - Belfast - Queen's College, Belfast - Irish history - 1893 - Gaelic League - Douglas Hyde - 1908 - Early Irish history - University College Dublin

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He was brother to James McNeill, the last Governor General of the Irish Free State before the position was abolished by De Valera.

Related Topics:
James McNeill - Governor General - Irish Free State

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Through the Gaelic League MacNeill met members of Sinn Féin. He became chairman of the council that formed the Irish Volunteers in 1913; he later became its chief of staff. MacNeill was vehemently opposed to the idea of an armed rebellion, except in resistance of any British suppression of the Volunteers, seeing little hope of success in open battle against the empire. However, the Irish Republican Brotherhood went ahead with its plans of an armed rebellion with the co-operation of James Connolly and the Irish Citizen Army. Pádraig Pearse and some other Volunteer members supported this move also. Easter Sunday, April 23, 1916, was the day the revolution was to be staged. MacNeill heard about the plans the previous Thursday, and when informed that German arms were about to be landed in Ireland, he was reluctantly persuaded to agree, believing British action was now imminent. However, on learning of the arrest of Roger Casement and the interception of the promised German arms he countermanded the order for 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.

Related Topics:
Sinn Féin - Irish Volunteers - 1913 - Irish Republican Brotherhood - James Connolly - Irish Citizen Army - Pádraig Pearse - Easter Sunday - April 23 - 1916 - Roger Casement - April 24

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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 the six counties of Northern Ireland still under British jurisdiction and the Free State. MacNeill represented the Free State. However, the British reneged on their agreement to transfer nationalist areas to the Irish Free State and MacNeill resigned after a report on the commission's proposed changes (which were miniscule) was published in a newspaper. In December 1925 the Free State government reluctantly gave in to British government insistence that the boundary remain as it was. 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.

Related Topics:
1917 - MP - National University of Ireland - 1921 - Anglo-Irish Treaty - Minister for Education - Irish Free State - 1924 - Northern Ireland - December - 1925 - British government - Dáil - 1927

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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.

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Eoin MacNeill died in Dublin, Irish Free State, of natural causes at the age of 78. He is also the grandfather of the current Minister for Justice, Equality & Law Reform, Michael McDowell.

Related Topics:
Dublin - Irish Free State - Minister for Justice, Equality & Law Reform - Michael McDowell

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