Letter from William Pearse to Seán T. O'Kelly, 21 April 1916

Foo, Bar; Bar, Foo

Letter from William Pearse to Seán T. O'Kelly, 21 April 1916

1 IRISH VOLUNTEERS Headquarters:- 2, Dawson Street Dublin 21st April, 1916. Capt. SeÃ¡n T. O'Kelly Sent at 5pm DUBLIN BRIGADE: EASTER MANOEUVRES. 1916 You will report yourself to me at temporary Head-
quarters, Beresford Place at the hour of 4 p.m. on
Sunday next, 23rd inst. (Easter Sunday) and hold yourself
in readiness to act on the Staff of Commandant P.H. Pearse
Acting G.O.C Dublin Brigade, during the Easter Manoeuvres. You will provide yourself with a bicycle, a Street
map of Dublin City, A road map of the Dublin District and
a field message book. you will carry full arms
ammunition, full service equipment (including overcoat)
and rations for eight hours. You will acknowledge receipt of this order by
returning, by hand, to meet me at St.Enda's College, Rath-
farnham, the annexed form duly filled in and signed. William Pearse
capt
Acting Chief of Staff

This is a mobilisation order sent by William Pearse (1881-1916) to Seán Thomas O'Kelly (1882-1966) on 21 April 1916. The order is a personal order for O'Kelly, signed by 'Acting Chief of Staff' Willie Pearse, and was for the planned manoeuvres on Easter Sunday, 23 April. Unbeknownst to the rank and file, these manouevres were to be used as a cover for the beginning of the Easter Rising but were countermanded by Eoin MacNeill, chief of staff of the Irish Volunteers, when he became aware of the plans. The Rising then went ahead on 24 April with significantly reduced numbers. It informs O'Kelly that he is to be prepared to act on the staff of P.H. Pearse, 'Acting G.O.C. Dublin Brigade' and instructs him on the equipment and rations he should bring.William Pearse was a sculptor and brother of Patrick Pearse, one of the leaders of the Easter Rising. William held the rank of captain on the headquarters staff of the Dublin Brigade of the Irish Volunteers. O'Kelly was a politician and later president of Ireland. In 1916 he was also a member of the Irish Volunteers and Irish Republican Brotherhood and served as aide-de-camp to Patrick Pearse during the Rising. William Pearse was executed for his part in the Rising on 4 April. O'Kelly was arrested and imprisoned until December 1916.

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How to cite

Letters 1916, published by the Austrian Centre for Digital Humanities, Vienna, 2026 (https://letters1916static.github.io/letters1916-static/item__0071.html)