Patrick Pearse, one of the most important political leaders of the early 20th century and founder of the Irish Revolutionary movement, was thrilled by the carnage of the First World War:

The last sixteen months have been the most glorious in the history of Europe. Heroism has come back to the earth. It is good for the world to be warmed with the red wine of the battlefield. Such august homage was never before offered to God as this—the homage of millions of lives given gladly for love of country.