Irish Citizen Army chief James Connolly co-opted a member of IRB Military Council

A daily notebook, Monday to Friday, recalling the events of the day 100 years ago, leading to the Easter Rising and noting the commemorations this spring.

January 4th, 1916:

The Irish Times reports that Shannon floods subsided nine inches. Its editorial, reflecting its strong unionist sympathies, expressed the hope Ireland would not be excluded from the Compulsory Service Bill due to be put to the Commons today – "Irish Unionists would resent such exclusion as an ignominy". "It is high time for the Irish people to realise that their contribution to this war for the life of Ireland does not end with a gift 100,000 brave men to the fighting forces of the Allies. We must find another 100,000 men if the Army wants them; we must accept our full share of economy and sacrifice. Mr Redmond will not be able – we hope that he will not try – to find a single sound argument for the exclusion of Ireland from a great measure of Imperial safety." If Redmond fails to stand by England the whole Home Rule "must be seriously prejudiced".

Yesterday James Connolly, O/C Irish Citizen Army, (pictured) is co-opted a member of Irish Republican Brotherhood Military Council. Padraig Pearse attends meeting today of the central executive of the Irish Volunteers at HQ, Dawson Street, where the business of reorganising and arming the Volunteers is to be raised by Tomás McDonagh.

Dublin’s Municipal Council hears Alderman Sherlock appeal against cuts in the Education budget: “Surely if the Government trusted Ireland in the trenches – and Irishmen as shown at Suvla Bay [pictured] and Salonika deserved to be trusted – the Government ought to trust Irish men in respect to this matter and respect should be paid to the opinion of Irishmen when they asserted that public education in Ireland should not be neglected or starved.” (hear, hear)

In Belfast, the corporation discusses letter to Tramway Committee from the National Amalgamated Union of Labour protesting against the employment of women as conductors. After a patriotic speech defending the possibility of replacing men called away to war, it is proposed the councillors sing God Save the King. They do.

War news – 350 spies arrested in Salonika. P&O liner Geelong sunk – all aboard saved, but estimates put losses from the Persia sunk earlier off Alexandria by submarine at 200-300. Eighty-six casualties in daily casualty list.

The IT’s “Training Intelligence” from the Curragh reports that “Anthony’s Lop For’ard, Swiss Roll, Palmless, Sequoia, Pemberton and Beauvril cantered six furlongs