Throughout Pearse’s life he made many attempts to promote Irish Nationalism. The aim of this assignment is to look at this along with his role in the Gaelic League, education, Irish volunteers and the Rising while also discussing his oration at the graveside of O ‘Donovan Rossa.
Pearse born in 1879 was a central figure in Irish History. During his childhood he accepted Ireland as part of Britain but at the same time being sympathetic to the Home Rule Movement. He had a great love of Irish history which he first developed at school along with the Irish language which showed him becoming passionate about nationalism.
Patrick Pearse was more interested in what he was learning about Ireland as a nation and the Irish language. He joined the Gaelic league in 1896 at 17yrs old. This was an organisation that wanted to promote the Irish language and Irish literature. By 1899 he became ‘Conductor of Competitions’ at the League’s annual Galas, the Oireachtas and became assistant editor of the Leagues journal An Claideamh Soluis and in 1903 became editor.
Pearse was an educationalist even though he had a law degree. England had an impact on Ireland and the Irish people which Pearse could not accept. He showed great concern for the Irish culture rather than Irish politics. Pearse thought that Irish history and culture should be mandatory subjects in Irish schools and colleges. He was modern in the fact that literature could not be built on folk tales. He criticised the Irish education system, which he dubbed ‘The Murder Machine’. He wanted to create a new Irish society which emphasised the development of individualism. Pearse founded his own bilingual school St Enda’s in Dublin in 1908. Pearse thought that it was going to be a long process in saving the Irish nation and that an Irish school could play a pivotal role. Pearse did not feel that Ireland would become independent
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