On September 20, 1914, John Redmond, leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party, delivered his influential Woodenbridge speech in County Wicklow. In this address, Redmond urged members of the Irish Volunteers to enlist in the British Army and fight in World War I. He believed that Irish participation would strengthen the case for Home Rule after the war, demonstrating Irish loyalty and commitment to the Empire. This call to arms led to a significant split within the Volunteers, with a majority forming the National Volunteers and joining the war effort, while a minority retained the original name and remained in Ireland.
