Brigade and their deeds make fascinating reading. What I have done in this short history is merely give an introduction to the Third Tipperary Brigade. A comprehensive account of the subject would be a much larger volume. Anyone interested in learning more should acquire the books in my bibliography. All these books contain information on the Third Tipperary Brigade.

I hope you enjoy reading this short account of the Third Tipperary Brigade as much as I have enjoyed writing it. You will find the information in this book interesting, shocking, humorous, thought provoking, sad, questioning and hopefully informative.

In the latter half of the nineteenth century nationalism was sweeping through Europe and Ireland was also being swept along on the tide. In Ireland nationalistic organisations were set up in the late 1800's, the Gaelic Athletic Association (G.A.A.), 1884, the Gaelic League, 1893, and the Anglo-Irish Literary Revival. These organisations restored a sense of nationalism in the Irish people. The G.A.A. promoted the playing of Irish games such as hurling, Gaelic football and handball. The Gaelic League promoted the Irish language and the Anglo-Irish Literary Revival created a body of Irish literature in English, written by people like W.B. Yeats, Lady Gregory, George Moor and others. People flocked to join these organisations where they found a new sense of Irishness and were proud to he Irish again. Up to this the Irish culture was being replaced by the British culture. The Irish were slowly being Anglicized.

Throughout this period, Charles Stuart Parnell and the Irish Party at Westminster were, attempting to secure Home Rule for Ireland. Home Rule meant a parliament in Dublin dealing with Irish domestic affairs and the King/Queen of Britain remaining the King/Queen of Ireland and foreign policy would still be dealt with at Westminster. The vast majority of the Irish people at that time would have been satisfied with Home Rule but there was a small element who wanted total independence for Ireland. Most of these were members of the Irish Republican Brotherhood (I.R.B.) a secret, oath bound organisation whose aim was to gain independence for Ireland, by physical force if necessary. The I.R.B. infiltrated organisations such as the G.A.A. and the Gaelic League and gained positions of power within them.

In 1905, Arthur Griffith founded an organisation called Sinn Féin whose aim was to gain Home Rule for Ireland, and only by peaceful means. Arthur Griffith proposed that the Irish representatives at Westminster should boycott it and set up a parliament in Dublin. He proposed that there be a dual-monarchy (along the lines of the Austro-Hungarian model) in Ireland. This was basically Home Rule by another name. In 1907, Eamonn Ó'Duibhir of Ballagh, Co. Tipperary, brought the Sinn Féin movement to Tipperary. A meeting was held in Dundrum and was addressed by Alderman Walter Cole,