National Volunteers practise, Dublin ,1914

Context: In the years before 1916, the organisers of the Rising quietly recruited men who already had military experience, particularly Irish veterans of the British Army and disciplined members of the Irish Volunteers. Training was deliberately low-key: drilling took place openly under the guise of volunteer exercises, while more serious preparation was handled by trusted Irish Republican Brotherhood officers within the ranks. Rather than mass conscription, the rebellion relied on careful selection, secrecy, and ideological commitment, ensuring that those chosen were willing to act despite overwhelming odds.