The Irish Volunteer - Óglach na hÉireann, Volume 2 - Number 44

The editor of The Irish Volunteer and President of the Irish Volunteers, Eoin Mac Néill, was not aware of the plans of the Irish Republican Brotherhood for a Rising and was against offensive action. 

However he did support armed action if the British government tried to disarm or otherwise suppress the Volunteers or if it tried to impose conscription. 

This issue has articles showing that the Volunteers were alert to both possibilities. A letter from the Anti-Conscription Committee calls on Nationalist Ireland to organise at once against conscription. 

And the Headquarters Bulletin reports that the Volunteer Executive has issued directions to every Irish Volunteer that in the final resort it is his duty to “lose his life rather than suffer himself to be disarmed”.  

• Picture as it appeared in the paper – DRILL DISPLAY – 1st prize winners: Part of A Company, 4th Battalion, Dublin Brigade, at a tournament held at St. Enda’s College on 5th September 1915. Back row: Seán Tracy, Paudge O’Broin, Gabriel Murray, Brian McCormack, Seán O’Broin and Henry Murray. Front row: Gerald Murray, Fred Schweppe, Pat Mason, Ed McNamara, Louis McDermott and Denis Dunne. 

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