Pádraig Henry Pearse
Photo: Pearse family (Pádraig is standing at the left)
Aged 31 at the time of the 1911 Census
Born: 10 November 1879
Executed: 3 May 1916
Census 1911 Address: 20.2 Harold grange (Whitchurch, Dublin)1
The 1911 Census return for Pádraig Pearse was completed in Irish and Pádraig recorded himself as the head of the household. Pádraig was 31 years old and entered his occupation as a school headmaster. Also on the Census return are his mother Margaret (51) who was a widow, his sister Margaret (32) and his brother William (29) who was a sculptor. The Census return included two other people: Margaret Brady, (40), Pádraig’s cousin, and Wilfred MacLoughlin (22), who was recorded as the son of Padraig’s half-sister.
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Dublin/Whitechurch/Haroldsgrange_/57855/
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/reels/nai000133850/
Pádraig Henry Pearse was born in Dublin in 1879. His father James was an English stone-mason, who was originally from Birmingham, and his mother Margaret was from Co. Meath. Pearse was educated by the Christian Brothers in Westland Row, Dublin and developed an interest in the Irish language and culture. He became involved in the Gaelic League which gained him a reputation in Irish nationalist circles. His middle class background afforded him the opportunity to go to University College Dublin where he received a BA in 1900, the same year he enrolled as a barrister at King’s Inn. He was called to the bar in 1901 but only took one case2.
Photo: Pádraig Pearse in barrister robes
In 1908, Pádraig Pearse founded St. Enda’s College in Rathmines (for boys) and Coláiste Íde (for girls) to educate pupils along bilingual lines3. Thomás MacDonagh and Con Colbert, who were key figures of the Rising, taught at the school and were among those later executed. Pearse’s nationalism had a strong spiritual basis and he was a devout Catholic. Pearse was a poet and steeped himself in the literature and art of ancient Ireland. He published a number of poems, plays and short stories. His evolution to political extremism was very slow as he was more interested in cultural nationalism than political.
St. Enda’s, the school he started in Rathmines, was re-opened in Rathfarnham as a boarding school in 1910. This new school had much bigger premises with extensive grounds, was expensive to maintain and was often in financial difficulties. Pearse was made a member and director of the Provisional Committee of the Irish Volunteers when they formed in 1913. Pearse recruited a number of pupils and teachers from the school to the Volunteer organisation.
“On the formation of the Rathfarnham Company (E of the IV Battalion) those of us ex-pupils still in residence in the College became members. P.R. Pearse was elected Captain and the Company was generally known afterwards as "Pearse's Own4".
In 1914, on a fund raising trip to America, Pearse met John Devoy and other Fenians. He impressed these Fenians so much that they helped him to raise sufficient funds to maintain the school. They also influenced him to more radical republicanism. In 1914, he allowed St. Enda’s to be used as a storage facility for arms and ammunition landed during the gun-running at Howth and Kilcoole5. On 1st August 1915, Pearse was given the task by Thomas Clarke of delivering the oration at the funeral of Jeremiah O'Donovan Rossa, a founding member of the Fenians. He gave a funeral oration that inspired many.
“The Fools, the Fools, the Fools! – They have left us our Fenian dead – And while Ireland holds these graves, Ireland unfree shall never be at peace.” Pádraig Pearse, Glasnevin Cemetery. 1st August 19156.
Pearse was highly ambitious within the Irish Republican Brotherhood and was part of the inner circle, playing a major part in the planning for the Rising. Pádraig Pearse’s ideology was that of blood-sacrifice for the cause of Irish nationality and this he managed successfully to spread among his fellow conspirators, Seán Mac Diarmada and James Connolly. Pádraig worked closely with Thomas Clarke in the IRB and Thomas chose him to be spokesperson for the Rising.
Pearse outlined secret plans for the Irish Volunteers around the country to Diarmuid Lynch of the IRB, in early January at St. Endas.“These Brigades were to occupy on the Volunteer manoeuvres which had been decided on for the Easter week-end, viz.: Cork to hold the County to the south of the Boggeragh mountains - left flank contacting the Kerry Brigade which was to extend eastwards from Tralee; Limerick was to contact the Kerry men on the south and those of Limerick - Clare - Galway to the north. Limerick, Clara and Galway were "to hold the line of the Shannon to Athlone7".
Pádraig Pearse was largely responsible for drafting the Proclamation and he read it on the steps of the GPO on Easter Monday, 24th April 2016. “Pearse was not really a military man, although he was able to carry men with him by his eloquence and poetic temperament8”. Though Pearse’s position was that of Commander-in-Chief, it was Connolly who gave the orders to the rebels. After six days of fighting at the GPO, Pearse issued the order to surrender. Together with Elizabeth O’Farrell, he presented the formal surrender to General Lowe at the top of Moore Street.
"In order to prevent the further slaughter of Dublin citizens, and in the hope of saving our followers, now surrounded and hopelessly outnumbered, the members of the Provisional Government present at Headquarters have agreed to an unconditional surrender, and the commandants of the various districts in the city and country will order their commands to lay down arms". P.H. Pearse. 29th April 19169.
At his Court Martial on the 2nd May, he admitted to being Commandant General in Chief of the Forces of the Irish Republic and President of the Provisional Government. Pádraig Pearse, who was executed by firing squad on 3rd May 1916 in Kilmainham Gaol, was one of the first of the rebels to be executed. He faced his death by whistling all the way to Kilmainham yard10. He is buried in Arbour Hill Cemetery Dublin, which is also the burial place of his brother Wiliam and others who were executed. In his will he bequeathed £144 12s and 11d to his mother Margaret11.
Photo: British Army note on executions of Pádraig Pearse, Thomas MacDonagh and Thomas Clarke on 3 May 1916
Pádraig and his brother William were born in Great Brunswick Street in Dublin and this street was renamed in 1926 as Pearse Street to honour them. There are Pearse Roads in a number of places, including Ballyphehane in Cork, (which also has Pearse Place and Square). A number of Gaelic Athletic Association clubs and playing fields in Ireland are named after Pádraig or his brother: CLG Na Piarsaigh in Cork and Limerick; Pádraig Pearse's Gaelic Athletic Club, Ballymacward and Gurteen and Pearse Stadium, Salthill, Galway. Westland Row Station in Dublin was renamed Pearse Station in 1966 after the Pearse brothers.
St. Enda’s, the former school of Pádraig Pearse, is now the Pearse Museum managed by the Office of Public Works. It was donated to the people of Ireland by his sister Margaret following her death in 1968. Today, Pearse's funeral oration is considered one of the most important speeches in 20th century Irish history. The manuscript of this speech is held in the Pearse Museum, Rathfarnham, Dublin.
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Other reference:
Go to Thomas James Clarke
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