P.H. Pearse - 1916 Poster

Rare P.H. Pearse 1916 commemorative poster.

P.H. Pearse ,also known as Pádraig Pearse or in Irish : Pádraig Anraí Mac Piarais; (10 November 1879 – 3 May 1916) was a signatory of the Proclamation, a teacher, barrister, poet, writer, nationalist, republican political activist and revolutionary who was one of the key leaders of the Easter Rising and read the Proclamation outside the GPO in 1916. He was a member of the IRB Supreme Council and Commander-in-Chief of the Irish Volunteers in 1916.

Following his execution along with fifteen others, Pearse came to be seen by many as the embodiment of the rebellion. He had been selected by Thomas Clarke for elevation within the IRB and to write and deliver the oration at O Donavan Rossa's massive funeral in August 2015 where he delivered the famous words:

" Our foes are strong and wise and wary; but, strong and wise and wary as they are, they cannot undo the miracles of God who ripens in the hearts of young men the seeds sown by the young men of a former generation. And the seeds sown by the young men of '65 and '67 are coming to their miraculous ripening today. Rulers and Defenders of the Realm had need to be wary if they would guard against such processes. Life springs from death; and from the graves of patriot men and women spring living nations. The Defenders of this Realm have worked well in secret and in the open. They think that they have pacified Ireland. They think that they have purchased half of us and intimidated the other half. They think that they have foreseen everything, think that they have provided against everything; but, the fools, the fools, the fools! – They have left us our Fenian dead, and while Ireland holds these graves, Ireland unfree shall never be at peace."

Clarke clearly recognised Pearse's nationalist passion  and  his ability to inspire others through his words,  and they were likeminded in their view of the need for armed insurrection and a blood sacrifice to advance the cause of Irish Freedom in the run up to 1916. It's clear that Clarke's sponsoring of Pearse's rise within the IRB was critical, and   Pearse did not dissappoint him, or other leaders, like Seán Mac Diarmada and Thomas MacDonagh, to whom he was very close .

Originally printed and published by O'Loughlin, Murphy and Boland ( the print business of Colm Ó Lochlainn, an active Volunteer, and renowned typographer and printer, later Three Candles Press proprietor ), and using a photo by Lafayette, the originals of these posters are exceptionally rare, most likely printed in the summer or autumn of 1916 with a view to flyposting when sympathies had changed somewhat towards the rebels. Prior to then they would have been vigorously suppressed by the authorities.

The text below the picture simply states "P.H. PEARSE , Executed at Kilmainham, May 3rd, 1916"

A stunning reproduction of this iconic figure and poster on 210 gsm satin art paper , beautifully mounted on a mottled green suede background and set behind glass in a handmade, aged dark mahogany finish frame with a gold gilt sightline.