The Irish Volunteer was first printed on 7th February 1914 and was used to communicate orders and directions to the Volunteers as well as highlighting the activities of specific units to inspire others. It was useful for disseminating pro-Irish propaganda and whipping up nationalist fervour in its readers. In addition, it was used as an effective training and educational tool, as it regularly contained numerous reprints of Irish Legends, poetry and ballads, as well as training notes and articles on all practical aspects of drill and operational matters, while also containing notes on the activities of Cumann na mBan and Fianna Éireann. The Irish Volunteer continued in print under Eoin Mac Neill's Irish Volunteers until just before the Easter Rising on 22nd April 1916, having been used to issue orders for manoeuvres on Easter Sunday.