This is a cheque/check, signed by the Leader of the 1916 Rising, Padraic Mac Piarais (Patrick Pearse).

This is a rare, genuine and original document with an authentic signature.

PADRAIC H. PEARSE 1879 - 1916

Padraic H. Pearse was born in Dublin in 1879. He was a teacher, poet, revolutionary and was the first President of the Irish Republic.

He was a member of the Military Council with Plunkett and Ceannt. He was Commander in Chief of the Easter Week Rebellion in Dublin in 1916. He was a signatory and a reader of the Proclamation. He met James Connolly at 1100 hours on Easter Monday at Liberty Hall and joined him in leading the first contingent to the General Post Office at 1200 hours. He fought in the GPO. He surrendered to the British General, Lowe, at 1530 hours on Saturday 29 April 1916. He was the first leader to be executed at Kilmainham Jail on 3 May 1916.

The Easter Rising 1916

The Rising was planned in May 1915 by the Irish Republican Brotherhood. Patrick Pearse together with Sean MacDiarmada, Thomas Clarke, Joseph Mary Plunkett, Thomas MacDonagh, Eamonn Ceannt were the chief planners. James Connolly who had been planning independent action by the Irish Citizen Army was admitted to the conspiracy.

The rising began on Easter Monday 24 April, when about 1,000 Volunteers and just over 200 Citizen Army seized the General Post Office and other sites in Dublin. A proclamation was read in the name of the provisional government of the Irish Republic. Fighting continued until the insurgents surrendered on 29 April. 64 insurgents were killed along with 132 Crown Forces and about 230 civilians, and extensive use of artillery devastated much of the city centre.