Patrick Henry Pearse – Irish poet

Patrick Henry Pearse was an Irish poet, educator, lawyer and revolutionary nationalist. He was one of the leaders of the Easter Rising in 1916. From his youth he was an active participant of Celtic Revival, wrote poems in Gaelic. In 1908, he became the founder of St. Enda’s College. In 1913 he became a participant and one of the founders of the Irish Volunteers and later joined the Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB). In 1916 Patrick actively participated in the preparation of the uprising against British rule. He is one of the authors of the Proclamation of Independence of Ireland. In fact, Pearse was proclaimed president of the Provisional Government and Commander in Chief of the republican troops.
Patrick Henry was born on November 10, 1879 in Dublin. His father, James Pearse, an Englishman, worked as a bricklayer and sculptor. In the 1850s he founded his own business associated with building and finishing works. Patrick had two sisters and a brother. In addition, James Pierse had four children (Emily, James, Agnes and Amy – the last two daughters died in infancy) from his first marriage. His mother, nee Margaret Brady, was Irish. Since childhood Patrick was fascinated by Irish language as well as the legends and stories about Irish heroes.

In 1901 he graduated from the Royal University.
In 1903, he became an editor of An Claidheamh Soluis (The sword of light) newspaper. At the same time, Pierse began to write poems and stories – in both English and Irish.
Patrick believed that language was an important part of national identity. In 1908, he with the support of his brother and Thomas McDonagh, became the founder of St. Enda’s College, an experimental secondary school for boys.

Pearse – Irish poet and educator

In November 1913 Pierse took part in the creation of the Irish Volunteers. At the end of 1914 Pierse was responsible for military operations in the organization.
In 1915, he traveled around the country with speeches and lectures, promoting the idea of a free and republican Ireland.
In 1916 he was a leader of the Easter Rising against the British. On Easter Monday, April 24, 1916, the rebels occupied buildings in the center of Dublin and proclaimed the Irish Republic.
Patrick Henry Pearse was executed on May 3, 1916 in Dublin. The executed leaders of 1916 became popular martyrs for the cause of Irish liberty, and the Easter Rising opened a struggle with Britain that won independence for most of Ireland in 1921.