The 1916 Rising

Proclamation of the Irish Republic

A photograph of a framed copy of the Proclamation of the Republic, also known as the Proclamation of Independence or Irish Proclamation. It hangs in the GPO in Dublin. The Proclamation was read from the steps of the GPO by Patrick Pearse at the beginning of the 1916 Rising. It was signed by Pearse and six others.

© Defence Forces.

Proclamation of the Irish Republic
© Defence Forces.

Proclamation of the Irish Republic

A photograph of a framed copy of the Proclamation of the Republic, also known as the Proclamation of Independence or Irish Proclamation. It hangs in the GPO in Dublin. The Proclamation was read from the steps of the GPO by Patrick Pearse at the beginning of the 1916 Rising. It was signed by Pearse and six others.

© Defence Forces.

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Until around 1912, Pearse was a moderate nationalist who supported the Home Rule movement and advocated revolution if Home Rule was not achieved. However, by 1913 he had become more radical, and in November of that year he helped to found the Irish Volunteers, later becoming its director of military operations.

In 1914, he was sworn into the highly elite Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB) by Bulmer Hobson. He was elected to the Supreme Council of that organisation in September 1915. He was also on its Military Council and played a major role in the planning of the 1916 Rising.

In 1915, Pearse gave a famous speech at the funeral of the Fenian O'Donovan Rossa in Glasnevin Cemetery. The historic oration ended with the following resounding phrase:

'Ireland unfree shall never be at peace.'

Pearse was nominated by his fellow Proclamation signatories as president of the Provisional Government. In this capacity, he read the 1916 Proclamation aloud outside the General Post Office in Dublin on Easter Monday, 1916.

After a week of fighting, Pearse agreed to surrender unconditionally to prevent further casualties among Dublin's citizenry. He was imprisoned at Kilmainham Jail and tried by court martial. After being sentenced to death, he was executed by firing squad at Kilmainham on 3 May 1916.

Willie Pearse, who was a captain in the Volunteers and remained in the GPO at his brother's side, was executed at Kilmainham on the following day.