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PROFILE WILLIE MARGARET PATRICK A boy in the MARY BRIGID shadow of Clockwise from top left: Willie Pearse; one of his drawings; Willie and his siblings; a roll book from CBS Westland Row in 1891 showing his name; Leanne Blaney his brother outside Pearse & Sons monumental sculptors on Pearse street, Dublin. Loyal to the very end, William ‘Willie’ Pearse’s ARTHUR CARRON contribution to the Rising was humble but shouldn’t be forgotten, writes Leanne Blaney EW understood the concept resembled baby-talk. Their tendency to Patrick Pearse: The Triumph of Failure MacNeill’s countermand it was Willie who of ‘blood sacrifice’ better dress flamboyantly (Willie often wore that Willie gave up his ambitions to be a issued many of the orders that the Rising than Willie Pearse. Though kilts) set them apart and served to both sculptor and instead dedicated himself to would continue to Irish Volunteer leaders, his name was not among endear and alienate them from their peers. assisting Patrick and Thomas MacDonagh including Captain Séan T O’Kelly. the seven signatories of the Earmarked to succeed his father as a with their new school. Wholly unsuited for the battlefield, F 1916 Proclamation, he made monumental sculptor, Willie had spent As an art teacher and a keen Willie would remain by Patrick’s side numerous sacrifices during his 34 year his childhood visiting and working in the dramatist (he and Mary Brigid formed throughout the Rising. Having cycled existence for his ‘blood’, namely his workshops of the family business. However a small theatre company, the Leinster with him to the GPO on Easter Monday, brother Patrick. His dedication earned as William Murphy noted in his Dictionary Stage Society), he was responsible he acted as Patrick’s aide-de-camp among him imprisonment, a court-martial of Irish Biography profile of Willie Pearse, for encouraging his pupils to express the 400 Volunteers present in the GPO. and eventually an execution in the following the unexpected death of his their Irish identity creatively. From His sympathetic nature also led a number stonebreakers yard of Kilmainham Gaol on father in 1900 he continued his studies 1913 onwards, Willie acted as assistant of others, including James Connolly, to 4 May 1916. abroad and left Patrick in charge of the headmaster, freeing Patrick to devote his confide in him. Born on 15 November 1881 in the family business. time and efforts towards the nationalist According to the mythology that home at 27 Great Brunswick Street (later Willie assumed control when he cause. emerged in the aftermath of the Rising, to be renamed Pearse Street), William returned to Dublin and quickly developed When Patrick became involved in the when the decision to surrender was James Pearse (‘Willie’) was the second a reputation as an able sculptor with work IRB Military Council and plans began eventually made, only Willie and son born to Englishman James and his showcased in Royal Hibernian Academy to be drawn up for the Rising, Willie — MacDermott refused to cry. Such stoicism, second wife, Margaret (neé Brady). From and Oireachtas exhibitions. Examples of known as Captain WJ Pearse to members Dudley Edwards argues, reappeared early childhood he was devoted to his his work, including Éire Óg, for which his of the Irish Volunteers and the IRB— was when he was the only one of those court- elder brother Patrick Henry and hours favourite subject, a young girl called Mabel drafted in to assist his brother. In spite of martialed to plead guilty. were spent playing the role of altar boy Gorman modelled, still exist. However, In prison, the brothers were denied the to Patrick’s priest while their two sisters plans for a sculpture to commemorate SNAPSHOT opportunity of a proper goodbye due to Margaret and Mary Brigid acted as Wolfe Tone — drawn up when he served on WILLIAM ‘WILLIE’ PEARSE ill-timing. Instead Patrick acknowledged members of the congregation. the executive committee of the Wolfe Tone Willie’s devotion, with the ode ‘To My The close ties between the brothers were and United Irishmen Memorial Committee Born: Dublin, 15 Nov 1881 Brother’ and in one of his final letters reinforced in 1891 when they were enrolled in 1898, alongside Bulmer Hobson, Séan Educated: Westland Row CBS; when he wrote: ‘No one could ever have in the Christian Brothers School on nearby MacDermott and Tom Clarke — were never Dublin Metropolitan School of had so true a brother as you’. Westland Row. Willie, with his artistic realised. Art; Kensington School of Art temperament and limited academic The family business closed in 1910 Leanne Blaney is a social and transport ability, was frequently ill-favoured by owing to a downturn in trade and the Affliliation: Irish Volunteers historian who recently completed her his teachers and Patrick became his need to raise capital to invest in Patrick’s Career: sculptor and PhD in the School of History (UCD). protector. As adults the two would remain new school for boys, St Enda’s. Having stonemason, teacher, St Enda’s Her research focuses on 20th century exceptionally close, holidaying together unsuccessfully applied for a job at the (from 1908) Irish and Northern Irish history with a in the west of Ireland and conversing in a Dublin Metropolitan School of Art, Ruth particular focus on cross-border relations private language which, to close friends, Dudley Edwards observed in her work Died: Kilmainham, 4 May 1916 during the early 20th century 16 October 2015 I Irish Independent Irish Independent 1916 Collection | 11.