Council to ask for return of 1916 surrender letter

DUBLIN City Council is to write to the British government calling for the return of a surrender letter 1916 leader Padraig Pearse handed to a British army general after the Easter Rising.

Sinn Féin councillor Christy Burke is demanding the return of the handwritten document given to General WHM Lowe after Pearse agreed to an unconditional surrender on April 29, 1916.

He also wants an all-party Dublin City Council delegation to go to the British National Archives to check for more 1916 artefacts. Last night Cllr Burke said he was very pleased his motion at the council meeting was moved without objections, allowing for a letter to be sent to the British Ministry of Defence.

Cllr Burke said having the surrender document returned was important, particularly for young people who did not know much about the Rising.

"It's the only properly handwritten letter left, and we're going to have a museum, and he was a leader, so I think it's appropriate that we have our history.

"It's important that all aspects of the Rising are on display in the museum."

The motion the councillor had put before Dublin City Council said: "This council calls on the Irish Government and the Minister for Defence to request from the British government and the British Ministry of Defence, the handwritten letter by Padraig Pearse, Commander-in-Chief of the Irish Volunteers in Moore Street at Easter 1916.

"This letter should be preserved when returned, and placed in archives or a museum as part of the collection of historic 1916 artefacts."

The Marino councillor says although the British claim the surrender note is part of their history, its rightful resting place is in Ireland.

Cllr Burke wants the letter put in an Easter Rising museum planned for Moore Street in Dublin, where Pearse and his fellow volunteers finally surrendered.

The building became a brief headquarters for the Rising leaders after they abandoned the GPO on Friday, April 28, 1916.

Pearse made the decision to surrender with Thomas Clarke, Joseph Plunkett, Sean MacDermott and William Pearse when they were gathered round the bed of wounded James Connolly.