This study examines three distinct aspects of Irish life during the First World War. These are the accommodation of Belgian Refugees, the internment o f ‘enemy aliens’ - mainly Germans and Austrians - and the return of wounded from action in Europe. In each case there were state-led responses to perceived problems. However, in each case self-mobilisation by civil society was also evident. In some cases this mobilisation was prompted by the authorities, but in most others it was started by concerned individuals and groups who set out to provide support to those in need. This study sets out to discover the nature of the self-mobilisation which took place during the First World War in Ireland. It examines the parties involved, the actions they took and the impact of those actions.