Although the Rising was unpopular at the time, by 1917 large crowds were turning out in Dublin to greet rebels as they returned from British internment camps. An act of armed propaganda rather than a serious attempt to seize power, the rebellion changed the course of Irish history. In response, the British authorities executed fifteen of the ringleaders and arrested over 3,000 suspects. The rebellion ended in six days, leaving almost 500 dead and much of the city centre in ruins. Confronted by over 20,000 British troops, many of Irish nationality, the rebels had no chance of military success. On Easter Monday, 24 April 1916, over 1,000 poorly-armed Irish separatists occupied prominent buildings across the centre of Dublin, triggering a week-long battle for what was then one of the major cities of the United Kingdom.
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