A Divided Kingdom: Comparisons of British and Irish Recruiting
A Divided Kingdom: Comparisons of British and Irish Recruiting
This chapter analyses recruiting differences within Ireland and between Britain and Ireland.In recent years, historians have focused on similarities, notably concerning the issue of agricultural recruitment, which was poor across the board. The greater Irish dependence upon agriculture explained much of the gulf between Ireland, Ulster and Britain. Another apparent similarity was the trajectory of enlistment over time, with a 1914 peak followed by substantial decline. Moreover, the geographic, class mould of pre-war recruiting was supposedly broken in both Britain and Ireland. All three arguments are reassessed. Was Ireland transformed, in a sudden, terrible war, into being at one with Britain’s commitment to the war effort, or would the burden of history ensure that her destiny was instead one of disunity?
Keywords: differences, Britain, Ireland, agriculture, trajectory, enlistment, geography, class, disunity
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