Sean MacDiarmada

Sean MacDiarmada was one of the seven signatories of the Easter Rising proclamation as well as one of the most influential leaders. He was very passionate and was a part of several important movements of the time including the Irish Republican Brotherhood, and The Gaelic League, as well as managing a nationalist newspaper called Irish Freedom.

His enthusiasm and zeal for Ireland was partially inspired by his father who was a part of a group that opposed the local government. Additionally, he grew up surrounded by reminders of Irish suffering, such as remnants left behind during the famine. These constant examples of the horrors the Irish had endured inspired him with an unshakeable passion for his country. He was determined to put an end to the oppression and hardship that had constantly plagued Ireland. However, he had his own share of troubles; Sean MacDiarmada contracted polio in 1912. This caused him to walk with a cane afterwards, but he did not allow that to stop him from continuing to work towards an independent Ireland.

Although he did not actually do much physical fighting, he was present at the general post office during the Rising. Even though he was said by the British to be one of the most dangerous men in the rebellion, he almost managed to escape imprisonment by blending in with the crowd. However, he was recognized and captured along with the other leaders.

From the beginning, he firmly believed that the cause was worth dying for, even going so far as declaring in a speech that “The Irish patriotic spirit will die forever unless a blood sacrifice is made in the next few years.” He echoed this sentiment before his execution when he declared “I feel happiness the like of which I have never experienced. I die that the Irish nation might live.”

In a letter written the day before he was executed, Sean MacDiarmada described his undying faith in nationalism and his belief that future generations would look upon the rebels as heroes, even though many Irish people of the time saw them as traitors. He had no doubt that his blood and that of the other rebels would revitalize the nation and spur the Irish citizens into taking action. This idea inspired him so much that he was overjoyed at the prospect of becoming an essential part of the history of his beloved country.