SEÁN MAC DIARMADAA great Irishman and a great Leitrim man

The 1916 Easter rising

There was a society called the Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB) the wanted to separate from Britain.

The leaders were Mac Diarmada, Pearse, Connolly, Clarke, Mac Donagh, Ceannt and Plunkett.

On Easter Monday they set up headquarters in the General Post Office in Dublin and proclaimed an Irish Republic.

After five days of fighting the Irish rebels surrendered and the leaders above were executed.

Headquarters of the 1916 Rising: G.P.O. O’ Connell Street

SEAN MAC DIARMADAS EARLY LIFE Sean was born in Kiltyclogher in north Leitrim in

1884.He lived in a thatched cottage which remains as a

monument to him. Sean ran away from home when he was a

teenager.He then spent two years in Glasgow.He then came back to Belfast and joined the

secret council(Belfast circle)IRB.In 1907 Sean was elected to head of Sinn Fein.Sean was the first man in Leitrim to go house to

house canvassing and organising for Sinn Féin.

Seán’s Home

Seán’s home at Laughty Barr, Kiltyclogher, Co. Leitrim

Sean Mac Diarmada’s Organisations Sean Mac Diarmada worked as a barman in

Belfast He joined the ancient order of

Hibernians(A.O.H.) 1906 he joined Sinn Fein and the Gaelic League Mac Diarmada was promoted to the supreme

council of the I.R.B 1910- he became the manager of the

newspaper Irish Freedom 1913- became a member of the Irish Volunteers 1915- he became a secretary of the I.R.B. and

became a secret military of the I.R.B

Sean was a quiet gentle person. He was very fond of his family. He was extremely patriotic. He was great at organising men and

events. He was part of secret organisations so

was very trustworthy He had polio and walked with a cane and

endured a lot of pain.

Sean Mc Diarmada’s personality

Proclamation of the Irish Republic

Mc Diarmada and the Rising

Easter 1916 was the time fixed for the beginning of the ill-fated rising. The Volunteers were unsuccessful in their attempts and were forced to surrender by the British forces.

He played a big part in the Easter Rising as a leader. Sean MacDiarmada fought in the G.P.O., where he was attached to the headquarters staff under James Connolly.

It was Sean MacDiarmada that read Padraig Pearse’s letter of surrender to those in the G.P.O.

Sean Mac Diarmada was executed by firing squad on May 12th, 1916.

Here is Seán’s final letter Kilmainham Prison

DublinMay 11th 1916 .

My Dear Daly ,

Just a wee note to bid you Goodbye. I expect in a few hours to join Tom and the other heroes in a better world . I have been sentenced to a soldiers death - to be shot tomorrow morning . I have nothing to say about this only that I look on it as a part of the day's work . We die that the Irish nation may live . Our blood will rebaptise and reinvigorate the old land . Knowing this it is superfluous to say how happy I feel .I know now what I have always felt , that the Irish nation can never die . Let present day place hunters condemn our action as they will , posterity will judge us aright from the effects of our action . I know I will meet you soon , until then GoodBye . God guard and protect you and all in No. 15 . You have had a done trial , but I know quite well that Mrs. Daly and all the girls feel proud in spite of a little temporary and natural grief , that her son and the girls , their brothers as well as Tom are included in the list of honours . Kindly remember me especially to Mrs. Clarke and tell her I am the same Seán that she always knew .

God Bless you allAs everSincerely Yours

Seán MacDiarmada. "

A great Irishman

Seán Mc Diarmada was not only a great Leitrim man but a great Irishman.

He is often forgotten because of the quiet way he went about his work for the freedom of Ireland.

Our County football grounds are named after him- Páirc Seán Mc Diarmada- and football teams, a school, many streets and a Dublin Bus Station are also named after this great Irishman.

Monument at Kiltyclogher Crossroads