“The Fools, the fools! They have left us our Fenian dead”

“As one generation took the baton from another” History Ireland

In August 2015 we mark the 100th year anniversary of the death of prominent Fenian, Jeremiah O’Donovan Rossa. His funeral, which took place on the 1st August 1915 saw an unknown man step forward from the crowd and make a graveside oration which would influence a nation. This would rouse Irish republican feeling and would be a significant element in the lead-up to the Easter Rising of 1916. That man was Pádraig Pearse.

“The Fools, the Fools, the Fools! – they have left us our Fenian dead – And while Ireland holds these graves, Ireland unfree shall never be at peace.” Pádraig Pearse, Glasnevin Cemetery. 1st August 1915.

2015 will once again see the now famous oration delivered by Pádraig Pearse at the grave of Jeremiah O’Donovan Rossa on 1st August, 1915 re-enacted daily at 2.30pm by an actor dressed as Pearse in full Irish Volunteers uniform (August 2015 onwards)

Continuing our decade of commemorations, we are working towards putting together an exhibition dedicated to Jeremiah O’Donovan Rossa and the influence his funeral would have on Ireland a year later in 1916.

We need your help

We are looking to identify members of the funeral cortage present on the day of the funeral, seen in the photograph – full version available on our website. We are looking for relatives to come forward and help us with this.

To get in touch, please contact Historian and Curator, Conor Dodd at the museum on +353 (0)1 882 6550 or email CDodd@glasnevintrust.ie

All re-enactments at Glasnevin Cemetery Museum are kindly supported by the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.