The coming revolution : the political writings and speeches of Patrick Pearse

The Coming Revolution An insight into the political thought of one of the main architects of the 1916 Rising and of Ireland's Proclamation of Independence Full description This book is the summation of revolutionary critique, revolutionary propaganda and revolutionary preparatory action of the Irish academic and martyr of the Easter Rising, Pádraic Pearce, in his own words. It also contains his jailhouse poetry on the eve of his death post-Rising. The first essay “ The Murder Machine” details his argument that the existing Irish education system is a means of repression and cannot be reformed, only destroyed and replaced. As an educator and academic Pearce details his experience and proposal for a new system based on the Irish tradition and temperament. It is also a work of a single genius detailing the cause of Irish independence and identity, on the level of any of his British contemporaries’ claims to the opposite effect, with the resources of ancient academies and hundreds of willing peers. His next essays are his reflections on the failed previous national revolutions of Wolfe Tonne and Robert Emmet. Then his exhortations to the Irish people are contained in twelve essays detailing their cause and demanding recruits. Finally, his poetry from jail in calm, loving and resolute defiance before his execution ends the book. "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 seed sown by the young men of ‘65 and ‘67 are coming to their miraculous ripening today. Rulers and Defenders of Realms 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." The Murder Machine 9 -- Preface 11 -- I The Broad-arrow 13 -- Ii The Murder Machine 17 -- Iii 'i Deny' 21 -- Iv Against Modernism 23 -- V An Ideal In Education 26 -- Vi Master And Disciples 30 -- Vii Of Freedom In Education 33 -- Viii Back To The Sagas 39 -- Ix When We Are Free 43 -- How Does She Stand? 49 -- Three Addresses 51 -- I Theobald Wolfe Tone 51 -- Ii Robert Emmet And The Ireland Of Today I 59 -- Iii Robert Emmet And The Ireland Of Today Ii 68 -- An Addendum (august 1914) 76 -- The Coming Revolution 77 -- The Psychology Of A Volunteer 85 -- To The Boys Of Ireland 91 -- Why We Want Recruits 97 -- O'donovan Rossa 103 -- A Character Study 105 -- Graveside Panegyric 109 -- From A Hermitage 113 -- Peace And The Gael 167 -- Ghosts 173 -- The Separatist Idea 203 -- The Spiritual Nation 231 -- The Sovereign People 259. Patrick Pearse. Pearse's skill as an orator is indisputable. His fiery idealism was one of the key motivators that brought the rebels to the GPO in 1916. This collection of his wrting showcase's this skill, but also the complex philosophy that underpinned it. Ranging from his theories of education articulated in'The Murder Machine'(1912), through his orations on the great Fenian leaders of the past: Wolfe Tone, Emmet and O'Donovan Rossa; to his writings on'The Separtatist Idea','The Spiritual Nation'and'The Sovereign People'in the months leading up to the rising; this is a crucial collection for the library of anyone with an interest in Irish history.