Face of rebellion, Pádraig Pearse, paid price for beliefs

It was not by chance that Pádraig Pearse was the first rebel court-martialled and killed, writes Ruán O’Donnell

PÁDRAIG PEARSE was, for many contemporaries in Ireland and the US, the public face of the 1916 Rising.

A minor celebrity due to his prominence in Irish language activism and progressive education, Pearse was a frequent participant in political affairs from 1911. His role as president of the Provisional Government of the Irish Republic ensured close attention from his enemies in the aftermath of Easter Week.