http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2006/07/03/dl0302.xml&sSheet=/news/2006/07/03/ixuknews.html

The following from the above.

Here is a statistic that you won't hear quoted often: more Irishmen died in British uniform during the first two days of the Somme offensive than participated in the Easter Rising. The reason it is rarely cited is that it doesn't really suit anyone.