{{Short description|Irish revolutionary (1881–1916)}} {{Use Hiberno-English|date=February 2024}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2024}} {{Redirect|William Pearse|the Australian MP|William Silas Pearse}} {{Infobox military person | birth_date = {{Birth date|df=y|1881|11|15}} | death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|1916|5|4|1881|11|15}} | birth_place = Dublin, Ireland | death_place = Kilmainham Gaol, Dublin, Ireland | death_cause = Execution by firing squad | image = williepearse.jpg | caption = | allegiance = Irish Republic | branch = Irish Volunteers | service_years = 1913–1916 | rank = Captain | battles = Easter Rising | memorials = {{ubl|Pearse Street|Dublin Pearse railway station<ref name="journal.ie">{{cite web|url=https://www.thejournal.ie/irish-rail-1916-2-2744978-Apr2016/|title=The 15 Irish railway stations named after the executed 1916 leaders|website=thejournal.ie|date=30 Apr 2016|access-date=6 Mar 2026}}</ref>}} }} '''William James Pearse''' ({{langx|ga|Uilliam Seamus Mac Piarais}}; 15 November 1881 – 4 May 1916)<ref>Piaras F. Mac Lochlainn, ''Last Words'', The Stationery Office (Dublin), {{ISBN|0-7076-0101-0}}, pg.76</ref> was an Irish republican executed for his part in the Easter Rising. He was a younger brother of Patrick Pearse, a leader of the rising.
==Background== Willie Pearse was born in Dublin and throughout his life lived in the shadow of his brother to whom he was devoted and with whom he formed a particularly close relationship.<ref>Seán Farrell Moran, ''Patrick Pearse and the Politics of Redemption'', 1994</ref>
Pearse inherited his father's artistic abilities and became a sculptor. He was educated at the Christian Brothers School, Westland Row. He studied at the Metropolitan School of Art in Dublin under Oliver Sheppard. He also studied art in Paris. While attending the Kensington School of Art in London<ref name="IrishCentral">{{cite web|url=https://www.irishcentral.com/roots/history/william-pearse-1916|title=On This Day: William Pearse, Easter Rising rebel, was born|website=irishcentral.com|date=15 Nov 2025|access-date=22 Mar 2026}}</ref> he gained notice for several of his artworks. Some of his sculptures are to be found in Limerick Cathedral, the Cathedral of St. Eunan and St Columba, Letterkenny and several Dublin churches.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rootsweb.com/~fianna/history/east1916.html#wmp|title=Easter Rising – 1916|website=rootwebs.com|date=10 Sep 2018|access-date=22 Mar 2026}}</ref> He was trained to take over his father's stonemason business, but gave it up to help run St. Enda's School which Patrick had founded in 1908. He was involved in the arts and theatre at St. Enda's, and aided the overall running of the school.
==Easter Rising== Pearse followed his brother into the Irish Volunteers and the Republican movement. He took part in the Easter Rising in 1916, always staying by his brother's side at the General Post Office. Following the surrender he was court-martialled and sentenced to death. It is believed that he was only executed because of being Patrick's brother. However, he had signed some orders as "acting chief of staff" which may have exaggerated his role. And he had pleaded guilty at his court-martial, the only one of the executed to do so. Willie was executed on 4 May, the day after his brother.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nli.ie/1916/exhibition/en/content/executed/williepearse/|title=The Executed William Pearse|website=National Library of Ireland|access-date=22 Mar 2026}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dib.ie/index.php/biography/pearse-william-willie-a7248|title=Pearse, William (‘Willie’)|last=Murphy|first=William|website=Dictionary of Irish Biography|date=Oct 2009|access-date=22 Mar 2026}}</ref>
==Commemoration== There are many more public commemorations of Patrick Pearse than of Willie. In 1966, Dublin's Westland Row railway station was renamed Pearse Station to honour both Willie and Patrick.<ref name="journal.ie"/> Pearse Street (previous Great Brunswick Street), in Dublin, were renamed in honour of both, having been their birthplace.{{sfn|Bennett|2005|p=189}} Willie Pearse Park in Crumlin, opened in 1949, is named after him.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dublincity.ie/parks-and-nature/dublin-city-parks/visit-park/willie-pearse-park|title=Willie Pearse Park|website=dublincity.ie|date=22 May 2018|access-date=22 Mar 2026}}</ref> While many streets and roads in Ireland bear the name Pearse; few name Willie, but there is a Pearse Brothers Park in Rathfarnham. The bridge over the Dodder river on the Rathfarnham Road, between Terenure and Rathfarnham is named after them and carries a plaque depicting the brothers in profile. Brothers Pearse Athletic Club, founded in Rathfarnham, is named after the two brothers.
A number of Gaelic Athletic Association clubs and playing fields are named after both Pearses, and at least one after Willie: * Armagh: Annaghmore Pearses GAC; Pearse Óg GAC and its grounds, Pearse Óg Park, Armagh * Cork: CLG Na Piarsaigh, Cork * Dublin: Willie Pearse Park, the grounds of Crumlin GAA * Kerry: Dromid Pearses GAC; Kilflynn Pearses HC (defunct) * Limerick: CLG Na Piarsaigh, Limerick * Louth: CPG Na Piarsaigh, Dundalk * Monaghan: Ballybay Pearse Brothers, and its grounds, Pearse Park * Tyrone: Dregish Pearse Og GAC; Fintona Pearses GAC; and Galbally Pearses GAC * Wicklow: Pearses' Park, Arklow * London: Brother Pearse's GAC, London * Yorkshire: Brothers Pearse GAC, Huddersfield * Padraig Pearses GAA club Woodmount County Roscommon.
==References== {{Reflist}} * Ní Ghairbhí, Róisín, ''Willie Pearse'', Dublin: O'Brien Press, 2015. * {{cite book|title=The Encyclopaedia of Dublin|first=Douglas|last=Bennett|publisher=Gill & Macmillan|year=2005|isbn=978-0-717-13684-1}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Pearse, Willie}} Category:1881 births Category:1916 deaths Category:Artists from County Dublin Category:Executed participants in the Easter Rising Category:Irish republicans Category:Irish revolutionaries Category:Members of the Irish Republican Brotherhood Willie Category:Irish people of English descent Category:Executed people from County Dublin