| Ireland was
undergoing a nationalist revival during
Pearse’s early years. Parnell’s call for Home
Rule gained momentum and Irish culture emerged
from centuries of oppression with the work of
Yeats and Joyce. Pearse supported the work of
the Irish Party in Westminister initially by 1913
had become convinced that armed intervention was
nedded to secure Irish independence. He joined
the Irish Republican Brotherhood and within a
year became one of it’s principle leaders in
planning a rebellion. The date was set - Easter
Sunday 1916. The volunteer force was mobilised
and guns were on their way from Germany. With
only two hours to go the gun-carrying German ship
was intercepted by the British Navy and one of
the leaders issued an order cancelling the
rising. Despite the turnout of only seven hundred
men Pearse went ahead a day later and proclaimed
the formation of an Irish Republic and a
Provisional Government from the steps of the Post
Office in Dublin.
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