Padraig Pearse (1879-1916)
Born in Dublin in 1879 on Great Brunswick Street (now Pearse Street) and educated by the Christian Brothers at Westland Row, before taking a scholarship to the Royal University (University College Dublin) to study law. In 1898 Pearse became a member of the Executive Committee of the Gaelic League. He graduated from the Royal University in 1901 with a degree in Arts and Law. He was later called to the bar.
From his early school days he was deeply interested in Irish language and culture. He joined the Gaelic League in 1895 and became editor of its paper, An Claidheamh Soluis (‘sword of light’). He lectured in Irish at University College Dublin. To advance his ideal of a free and Gaelic Ireland he founded a bilingual school for boys, St Enda’s, at Cullenswood House, Ranelagh, in September 1908. He later moved the school to a larger location in Rathfarnham in 1910.
Initially, Pearse was a supporter of Home Rule but his outlook on Irish freedom was to become more radical and when the Irish Volunteers were formed in November 1913, he was elected a member of the provisional committee and later the Director of Organisation. In July 1914, Pearse was involved in the smuggling of weapons and ammunition through Howth in Co Dublin which were stored at St Enda’s.
Pearse’s graveside oration at O’Donovan Rossa’s funeral in 1915, ended with the much quoted words, ‘Ireland unfree shall never be at peace’, and was influential in the build up to the Easter Rising. One of the founder members of the Irish Volunteers, and the author of the Proclamation of Independence, Pearse was present in the GPO during the Rising, and was Commander in Chief of the Irish forces. After surrendering to save further civilian casualties, he was executed holding a crucifix on May 3, 1916 at Kilmainham, and was buried in quick lime at Arbour Hill.
Thomas MacDonagh (1878-1916)
A native of Tipperary, MacDonagh trained as a priest but like his parents became a teacher, and was on the staff at St Enda’s, the school he helped to found with Padraig Pearse. A gifted poet, writer and dramatist, in 1909 he was a founding member of the Association of Secondary Teachers of Ireland and also was active in setting up the Irish Women’s Franchise League in 1911 which promoted Irish nationalism and the cultural revival.
He joined the Irish Volunteers in November 1913, becoming a member of the provisional committee and taking part in the Howth gun-running. MacDonagh believed Irish freedom would be achieved by what he called “zealous martyrs”, hopefully through peace but, if necessary, by war.
Although a member of the IRB from April 1915, he was not co-opted to the Military Council until early April 1916, and so had little part in planning the Rising. He is believed, however, to have contributed to the content of the Proclamation.
As one of the four Dublin battalion commandants, MacDonagh was in charge at Jacob’s biscuit factory in Bishop Street. His two most senior officers were Major John MacBride and Michael O’Hanrahan. Survived by his wife Muriel Gifford and his children Donagh and Barbara, MacDonagh was executed by firing squad at Kilmainham Jail on May 3.
Thomas J Clarke (1857-1916)
Born on the Isle of Wight to Irish parents, Clarke’s father was a sergeant in the British army. As a young man, he joined Clan na Gael and served 15 years in British jails for his role in a bombing campaign in London. He was released in 1898, and spent nine years in America. He returned to Dublin in 1907 setting up a tobacconist’s shop on Great Britain Street (now Parnell Square), before being co-opted onto the IRB Military Council which was responsible for planning the Rising.
Clarke was also Chairman and a Trustee of the Wolfe Tone Memorial Committee, which organised the first pilgrimage to his grave at Bodenstown, Co Kildare in 1911.
The first signatory of the Proclamation of Independence because of his seniority and life-long devotion to the cause of Irish independence, Clarke was with the group that occupied the GPO. He married Kathleen Daly, niece of the veteran Fenian John Daly, and had three children. Clarke faced the firing squad at Kilmainham on May 3, 1916, age 59.
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