A History of Ireland in Song

Patrick Pearse

Patrick Henry Pearse (1879-1916), also known as Pádraig Pearse, or Pádraig Ó Piarais. Born in Dublin. He founded the all-Irish Scoil Éanna in 1908 and was heavily involved in the Gaelic League. In 1913, he joined the IRB and was Commander-in-Chief during the 1916 Rising. He was also first President of the Irish Republic and a signatory of the Proclamation of the Republic. Executed on 3rd May 1916.

Pearse's most famous words are from the closing of his speech at the graveside of O'Donovan Rossa:

Life springs from death: and from the graves of patriot men and women spring living nations. The Defenders of this Realm have worked in secret and in the open. They think that they have pacified Ireland. they think that they have purchased half of us and intimidated the other half. They think that they have forseen everything, think that they have provided against everything; but 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.

To which one can only comment that Pearse was not only patriot and poet, but, as it turns out, prophet.

An interesting thing is that the English composer Arnold Bax, who was greatly influenced by Gaelic music, composed in 1916 a piece commemorating Pearse's death entitled "In Memoriam Patrick Pearse". It received its premiere in London in... 1997! And they say the Irish hold long grudges.

Selected writings

The Rebel

The Murder Machine

Some Aspects of Irish Literature

Ghosts

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