William (‘Willie’) Pearse (1881–1916), was born in Dublin, the younger brother of Patrick Pearse. He followed his father by becoming a sculptor, and taught art at St Enda’s. A close confidant of Patrick, he was a keen member of the Irish Volunteers and served as a captain on the GPO headquarters staff during Easter week.He played a relatively minor role in the rising, and was unexpectedly executed on 4 May 1916.
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William Pearse's biography is taken from the book 1916 Portraits and Lives published by the Royal Irish Academy. Patrick Pearse's biography is taken from the book 1916 Portraits and Lives published by the Royal Irish Academy. 100 prints of the 42 portraits and 3 scenes from the book, signed and numbered by the artist David Rooney, are available to order while quantities last. The original portraits from the book have been acquired for the State Collection by the OPW and will be on exhibit in 2016 at Kilmainham Gaol, Dublin. Read more 1916 biographies.
