1916 – Easter Rising leaders: Pádraig Pearse, Thomas Clarke and Thomas MacDonagh were executed by a firing squad in Kilmainham Gaol. The first of the 1916 rebels were shot dead in the Stonebreakers’ Yard at Kilmainham Gaol after being found guilty (without legal defence or jury) of taking part ‘in an armed rebellion for the purposes of assisting the enemy.’ The fact that they were involved in armed rebellion is beyond doubt, but the primary purpose of the Rising was in support of the declaration of ‘the right of the people of Ireland to the ownership of Ireland’ as stated in the Proclamation which Pádraig Pearse read in front of the GPO on 24th April 1916. Executed on this day were: Pádraig Pearse | Dublin born, graduated from the Royal University in 1901 with a degree in Arts and Law. A strong believer in education he founded two schools, Coláiste Éanna and Coláiste Íde, where teaching was through the Irish language. Pearse was a founder member of the Irish Volunteers, and the primary author of the Proclamation of Independence. During the Rising, he fought in the GPO and was Commander in Chief of the rebel forces. ‘Ireland unfree, shall never be at peace.’ –Pádraig Pearse

Patrick Pearse

Patrick Henry Pearse (also known as Pádraic or Pádraig Pearse; Irish: Pádraig Anraí Mac Piarais; An Piarsach; 10 November 1879 – 3 May 1916) was an Irish teacher, barrister, poet, writer, nationalist and political activist who was one of the leaders of the Easter Rising in 1916. Following his execution along with fifteen other leaders, Pearse came to be seen by many as the embodiment of the rebellion.