Easter Rising - Ar-a-mach na Càisge

Thomas Clarke was born in 1857 in Hurst Castle, of Irish parents. His father was in the British Army. They were transferred to South Africa, where they lived for ten years before returning to Ireland in 1867. It was here that Clarke was first exposed to Irish history and English domination. As a result of his new found knowledge, he joined the Irish Republican Brotherhood in 1880 to help rid Ireland of the British.

Clarke was proactive with the group that occupied the General Post Office in Dublin during the rising in April 1916. This programme follows Clarke's passion to free his country.

James Connolly had a leading role in the uprising. He was born in 1868 in the Cowgate area of Edinburgh to Irish immigrant parents. He left school for work at the age of 11 and joined the army age 14, giving false details to enlist.

When the Easter Rising occurred in 1916, Connolly was commandant of the Dublin Brigade, and as they had the most substantial role in the rising, he was by default commander-in-chief. Connolly was so badly injured from the fighting that he was unable to stand before the firing squad. He was tied to a chair and then shot.

Éamonn Ceannt was born in the village of Ballymoe, Galway. His father, James Kent, was a Royal Irish Constabulary officer. When his father retired, the family moved to Dublin. They were a very religious Catholic family and it is said that Ceannt's religious teachings stayed with him for the rest of his life.

During the uprising, he was made commandant of the 4th Battalion of the Volunteers, with more than 100 men under his command. His unit saw intense fighting at times during the week but surrendered when ordered to by his superior officer Patrick Pearse.

This programme follows Éamonn Ceannt's story.

Patrick Pearse was an intelligent and industrious man. He won a scholarship to the Royal University, where he studied law. In 1915 he was made a member of the IRB Military Council, which was planning the rising.

During Easter week, Pearse served at the rebellion headquarters, the General Post Office in Dublin. He offered encouragement, addressing the men to sustain morale and also the public, most famously by reading the Proclamation on Easter Monday. Pearse was court-martialled on 2 May. He was sentenced to death and buried at Arbour Hill Barracks alongside Thomas Clarke.

This programme follows Pearse in the 1916 Easter Rising.