Pearse brothers were doers, says Kiberd

The ruling elite of early 20th century Dublin observed six commandments in addition to the 10 kept by everyone else, Padraig Pearse noted. Mr Damien Kiberd, chairman of the Ireland Institute, said Pearse called them the "Commandments of Respectable Society".

Speaking at the opening of the newly restored Pearse family home in Dublin yesterday, Mr Kiberd set them out.

"Thou shalt not be extreme in anything - in wrongdoing lest thou be put in jail, in rightdoing lest thou be deemed a saint. Thou shalt not give away thy substance lest thou become a pauper. Thou shalt not engage in trade or manufacture lest thy hands become grimy. Thou shalt not carry a brown-paper parcel lest thou shock Rathgar. Thou shalt not have any enthusiasm lest solicitors and clerks call thee a fool. Thou shalt not endanger thy job."

Pearse and his younger brother, William, were sometimes portrayed as naive, romantic and unduly idealistic, Mr Kiberd said. "There is no doubt that they were motivated by the highest of ideals, even when as young boys they swore an oath in this house that they would lead the next great phase of the Irish revolution.

"But the Pearse brothers, and Patrick Pearse especially, were doers, not dreamers," he said, and listed Pearse's achievements over his 36 years - among them editing numerous publications, active membership of the Irish Republican Brotherhood, working as a barrister, headmaster and publisher, writing and being first president of the provisional government of the Irish Republic.

"How is it possible to describe a young man with the efficiency to achieve so much as an incurable romantic?" he asked. "If anything, it was Connolly, with his dreams of occupying the Mansion House and his bristling impatience for revolt, who was the romantic adventurer whose wildness of heart actually terrified Pearse."

Mr Kiberd received a resounding applause in response to his expression of pleasure at hearing a "positive reference" to Pearse on RTE radio yesterday morning - "the first time Pearse has been spoken of positively by the national broadcaster since 1966", he said.

The brothers knew they faced grave risks, Mr Kiberd said, "but they did not knowingly construct their own martyrdom. They remained cheerful, confident and upright even after the failure of the rebellion."