Turas an Tí

Turas Éagsúil ar an Teach trí Bheathaí na nDaoine sin a Scríobh faoin bPiarsach

An Halla Iontrála

“After tea and a little talk they both arranged to leave us again. As they were passing through the front hall Pat suddenly turned back and went down the stairs again. Mother said, ‘Did you forget something?’ He said ‘I did’. He came back and either mother or I asked him ‘Did you get it?’ – I do not know what it was that he had forgotten – his answer was ‘I did’. Those were the last words I ever heard him speak.”

– Maighréad Nic Phiarais, The Last Days of Pat and Willie Pearse at St. Enda’s.

Deirfiúr níos sine le Pádraic agus Liam Mac Piarais ab ea Maighréad Nic Phiarais (1878-1968). Bhí sí ina cónaí agus ag obair i Scoil Éanna nó gur dúnadh í i 1935. Chaith sí téarma amháin ina Teachta Dála i nDáil Éireann ó 1933 go dtí 1937. Nuair a chaill sí a suíochán i dtoghchán 1937, toghadh chun an tSeanaid í, áit a raibh sí nó gur cailleadh í i 1968

“Bhí ceathrar sa halla le fáiltiú romhainn: an Piarsach, a mháthair, éadach dubh uirthi agus í ag féachaint an-dathúil agus máthartha, Mairéad, a hiníon, agus fear a shamhail dom a bheith ag féachaint roinnt ait i ngeall ar an bhfolt fada ciardubh a bhí air, glór réidh, íseal, séimh aige. Gearr ina dhiadh sin gur tugadh le fios dom gurbh é Liam Mac Piarais é. […]

Bhí pictiúr breá mór sa halla nach bhféadfá gan sondas a thabhairt dó – ár dTiarna ina Mhacaomh – é nochtaithe go básta, a lámha sínte amach uaidh agus é ina sheasamh idir dhá chrann, coinín agus bláthanna ag a chosa, cnoc ar a chúl agus an scríbhinn seo ar íochtar an phictiúra: ‘Agus d’fhás an Macaomh agus do neartaíodh é agus bhí sé lán d’eagna agus bhí grásta Dé maille leis’.”

– Padraic Óg Ó Conaire, ‘Cuimhní Scoil Éanna’ in Memories of the Brothers Pearse (1958)

Rugadh Pádraic Óg Ó Conaire (1893-1971) i Ros Muc, Co. na Gaillimhe. D’fhreastail sé ar Scoil Éanna idir 1908 agus 1910, nuair a bhí an scoil lonnaithe i dTeach Fhiodh Cuillinn i Raghnallach. Bhí sé ina mhúinteoir Gaeilge do Chonradh na Gaeilge ina dhiaidh sin, ina aistritheoir i nDáil Éireann agus ina léitheoir nuachta do RTÉ. Ba i nGaeilge a scríobh Ó Conaire den chuid is mó.

An Halla Iontrála. ©Seirbhís na Séadchomharthaí Náisiúnta, An Roinn Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta.

An Staidéarlann

“The deep harmony between him and his pupils, and between him and his family is attested by the serenity of his soul and the peace of his mind at solemn moments of his life. In this harmony the illusion of a peaceful home life where work is accomplished by distinction and stimulated by affection was complete even as he shared the solitude of his study with his pet animals sleeping at his feet or purring on his desk, or on the very writing paper he had just impressed with his vigorous thoughts.”

– Louis Le Roux, The Life of P.H. Pearse (1932).

Rugadh Louis Le Roux (1890-1944) i mBriotáin na Fraince. Bhí baint aige le gluaiseacht náisiúnach na Briotáine go luath sa 20ú haois. D’fhoilsigh sé an chéad bheathaisnéis chuimsitheach ar an bPiarsach, dar teideal L’Irlande Militante: La Vie de Patrice Pearse, i 1932. Fuair sé bás in aer-ruthar i Londain i rith an Dara Cogadh Domhanda.

“The door opened and this man appeared and introduced himself in Irish as Pádraic Mac Piarais and he welcomed me to the school, brought me into his study and made me feel very relaxed and spoke to me about my life in Donegal, if I had any knowledge of the language, of the Irish language. He seemed to me to be a very very gentle sort of person, very considerate and courteous.”

– Seosamh Mac Suibhne, Comóradh an Phiarsaigh, 1879-1979.

Rugadh Seosamh Mac Suibhne (1897-1980) i nDún na nGall agus d’fhreastail sé ar Scoil Éanna idir 1911 agus 1915. Throid sé in Ard-Oifig an Phoist le linn Éirí Amach na Cásca 1916. Toghadh é ina Fheisire Parlaiminte do Shinn Féin in iarthar Dhún na nGall i 1918. Bhí sé ar thaobh an Chonartha i rith an Chogaidh Chathartha agus bhí sé ina Mhaorghinearál in arm na hÉireann ina dhiadh sin.

An Staidéarlann i Scoil Éanna. ©Seirbhís na Séadchomharthaí Náisiúnta, An Roinn Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta.

Dánlann Liam Mhic Phiarais

“Of all the men I have known on earth, You only have been my familiar friend, Nor needed I another.”

– Pádraig Mac Piarais, To My Brother, 1 Bealtaine, 1916

D’fhás Liam Mac Piarais aníos agus ábhar ealaíne a athar ar gach aon taobh dó, idir dhealbha agus phictiúir, mar aon le leabhair ar an ealaín agus an ailtireacht. Ba é mian a chroí go mbeadh sé féin ina ealaíontóir mór le rá lá éigin. D’fhreastail sé ar ranganna ag an Dublin Metropolitan School of Art idir 1897 agus 1910. Rinne sé staidéar thar lear chomh maith, i bPáras agus sa Royal College of Art i Kensington. Amhail go leor ealaíontóirí Éireannacha ag an am, a oide agus a chara Oliver Sheppard ina measc, rinne sé iarracht ealaín a chruthú ar léir air go raibh sé Éireannach, idir ábhar agus stíl.

Dúnadh síos gnó dealbhóireachta mhuintir Phiarais idir 1910 agus 1911. Baineadh leas as an airgead chun Scoil Éanna a bhogadh amach go dtí an Hermitage. Bhí Liam Mac Piarais ag obair go lánaimseartha mar mhúinteoir ealaíne sa scoil ina dhiaidh sin. Ba bheag am a bhí aige dá chuid ealaíne féin de bharr an ualach oibre a bhí air sa scoil. Agus Pádraig Mac Piarais ag éirí níos tógtha leis an bpolaitíocht i rith an ama, ba le crann Liam a thit an-chuid de chúramaí laethúla na scoile. Dá bhrí sin, is beag i ndáiríre líon a shaothar a tháinig anuas chugainn. Tá saothar dá chuid ó Bhailiúchán Mhúsaem na bPiarsach, mar aon le píosaí ar iasacht ón Músaem Náisiúnta agus ó Mhúsaem Phríosún Chill Mhaighneann i measc a chuid saothar ar taispeántas buan i Músaem na bPiarsach.

Dánlann Liam Mhic Phiarais. OOP

An Seomra Suí

“The school will always maintain a private and homelike character. The resident pupils live rather under the conditions which prevail in a large family than under the somewhat harsh discipline of ordinary boarding-schools. An important point is that their domestic welfare is in charge of ladies, a fact which, in conjunction with its private character, renders the school specially suited for the education of sensitive or delicate boys.”

Réamheolaire Scoil Éanna, 1910-11.

“Two things have constantly pulled at cross-purposes in me: one a deep homing instinct, a desire beyond all words to be at home always, with the same beloved faces, the same familiar shapes and sounds about me; the other an impulse to seek hard things to do, to go on quests and fight lost causes. And neither thing, neither the quiet home life nor the perilous adventure, has ever brought me any content.”

– Pádraig Mac Piarais, Autobiography (lámhscríbhinn).

An Seomra Suí. ©Seirbhís na Séadchomharthaí Náisiúnta, An Roinn Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta.

Dánlann na Scoile

“The internal decoration and furnishing of the School have been carried out in accordance with a carefully-considered scheme of colouring and design. The object held in view has been the encouraging in the boys of a love of comely surroundings and the formation of their taste in art. In the classrooms beautiful pictures, statuary, and plants replace the charts and other paraphernalia of the ordinary schoolroom.”

Réamheolaire Scoil Éanna, 1909-10.

Dánlann na Scoile. ©Seirbhís na Séadchomharthaí Náisiúnta, An Roinn Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta.

An Suanlios

“Pearse’s very presence, I have said before, was a discipline in itself. He had rarely to resort to corporal punishment. The most noisy dormitory or study-hall became hushed and silent as he entered with his peremptory Céard é seo? Céard é seo? A silence due to respect and not fear.”

–Deasmhumha Ó Riain, The Man Called Pearse (1919).

Rugadh Deasmhumha Ó Riain (1893-1964) i mBaile Átha Cliath agus thosaigh sé ag freastal ar Scoil Éanna i 1908. Bhí cónaí air sa ‘Hermitage’ le linn dó a bheith ag freastal ar Choláiste na hOllscoile, Baile Átha Cliath agus bhí sé ina rúnaí ag Pádraic Mac Piarais. Throid sé in Ard-Oifig an Phoist le linn Éirí Amach na Cásca 1916 agus bhí sé ar thaobh an Chonartha i rith an Chogaidh Chathartha. D’fhoilsigh agus rinne sé eagarthóireacht ar roinnt saothar maidir le saol agus saothar liteartha Phádraic Mhic Phiarais.

“The atmosphere of St. Enda’s was neither that of a prison, a reformatory, nor a hospital. In fact at night we often went down to Mrs. Pearse for a biscuit or, if that failed, for a slice of bread and a glass of milk, or to Miss Pearse or Miss Brady. That was the secret of the homely and non-institutional atmosphere of St. Enda’s. Women had charge of the domestic arrangements. If one wanted an extra blanket, one didn’t have to interview an impersonal Lay Brother, one went to Mrs. Pearse, or Miss. Pearse, and got it. If you were sick and wanted Cascara Sagrada, you did the same – just as you might go to your mother for it.”

–Cionath Ó Roideáin, ‘A man called Pearse’ in Studies, vol.34, no.134 (1945).

Rugadh Cionath Ó Roideáin (1895-1967) i mBaile Átha Cliath. Tar éis dó roinnt blianta a chaitheamh i gColáiste Belvedere agus i gColáiste Choill Chluana Gabhann, thosaigh sé ag freastal ar Scoil Éanna nuair a d’oscail sí i Ráth Fearnáin. Rinne sé staidéar ar an dlí ina dhiaidh sin agus ceapadh ina Bhreitheamh ar na Cúirteanna Dúiche é i 1922. Scríobh sé roinnt drámaí, ina measc The Passing (1924) a léiríodh in Amharclann na Mainistreach.

An Suanlios i Scoil Éanna. ©Seirbhís na Séadchomharthaí Náisiúnta, An Roinn Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta.

Músaem na Scoile

“When the talk is over, Pearse shows me through the high-ceilinged rooms of the beautiful old house. In one room he has established a collection of weapons that have lived through hazardous times and high adventures: a cannon-ball from the siege of Limerick; pikes with hand-hammered iron heads that were carried in the ’98 Rising; swords and pistols treasured once in mountain caves, or in the camps of the ‘Wild Geese’ in France. The boys are allowed to handle these things. And so was I.”

– Ella Young, Flowering Dusk (1945).

Rugadh Ella Young (1865-1951) i dteaghlach Preispitéireach i gCo. Aontroma. Bhí baint aici le Cumann Diasúnachta (AE) George Russell agus í ar an ollscoil. D’fhoghlaim sí Gaeilge agus scríobh sí filíocht agus leabhair do pháistí ar am miotaseolaíocht Cheilteach. Bhí sí gníomhach in Éirí Amach na Cásca 1916, i gCogadh na Saoirse agus sa Chogadh Cathartha. Chuir sí fúithi i gCalifornia agus bhí sí ag léachtóireacht ar an litíocht Ghaelach i mBerkeley.

“I well recall the series of engravings of the United Irishmen which hung along the walls leading up to the Study Hall, the pikes, the butcher’s block, (even if the story was apocryphal, but no matter about that), the constant showing of these things seeps into the young mind and makes them think and ask questions as to what it was all about.”

– Litir ó Fhionntán Ó Murchadha chuig an mBráthair Allen, 9 Nollaig 1957.

Rugadh Fionntán Ó Murchada i Londain agus thosaigh sé ag freastal ar Scoil Éanna lena dheartháir Desmond i 1910. Throid sé in Ard-Oifig an Phoist le linn Éirí Amach na Cásca 1916

Músaem na Scoile. ©Seirbhís na Séadchomharthaí Náisiúnta, An Roinn Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta.

An Halla Mór

“On Saturdays, Pearse assembles his pupils in a lecture-hall, and people who are interested in Pearse’s ideas come out and talk to the boys. This Saturday afternoon I am going to talk to them. It will be something about Gaelic Ireland, perhaps some story out of the old sagas.” – Ella Young, Flowering Dusk (1945). “…I thought of the big fire in the Study Hall. I peered in, shivering. In the dark I heard a thread of sound, the low music of a voice uttering itself into confidence. My ear directed me to the recess where a huge log fire was burning. Clear, soft, eager, the head master’s voice recounting a story of Finn and Oscar and Ossian. On the tale went, on …. I tried to escape, but bungled into something. “Cé tá ansin? Tar isteach: – Who is there? Come in.” Pearse stood up from the fire. In a moment the Hall was flooded with light. He stood there blushing a little and smiling. At the fire two small boys sat staring into the blaze.” – Cionath Ó Roideáin, ‘A man called Pearse’ i Studies, iml.34, uimh.134 (1945).

An Halla Mór ©Seirbhís na Séadchomharthaí Náisiúnta, An Roinn Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta.
An Halla Mór. ©Seirbhís na Séadchomharthaí Náisiúnta, An Roinn Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta.

An Séipéal

“We are anxious to build a school chapel, in order that we may have the great privilege of the presence of the Blessed Sacrament in our midst, and of daily Mass within our own walls.”

– Pádraig Mac Piarais, ‘By way of Comment’ i An Macaomh, Lár an tSamhraidh 1909. Ba é An Macaomh iris scoile Scoil Éanna.

“During my years in St. Enda’s College I never saw a visiting priest from the local parish, but every evening after study Pearse recited prayers in Irish and on Sundays and Church Holydays we were marched to Rathfarnham Parish Church and, of course, we were encouraged to go to confession and communion weekly. After evening prayers Pearse gave us a lecture in Irish on some aspect of Irish history and particularly favoured the Fenian Movement.”

– Seosamh Mac Suibhne, ‘Donegal and the Easter Rising’ sa Donegal Annual, iml. vii, uimh.1 (1966).

An Séipéal. ©Seirbhís na Séadchomharthaí Náisiúnta, An Roinn Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta.
An Séipéal. ©Seirbhís na Séadchomharthaí Náisiúnta, An Roinn Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta.

Seomra Ranga i Scoil Éanna

“The internal decoration and furnishing of the School have been carried out in accordance with a carefully-considered scheme of colouring and design. The object held in view has been the encouraging in the boys of a love of comely surroundings and the formation of their taste in art. In the classrooms beautiful pictures, statuary, and plants replace the charts and other paraphernalia of the ordinary schoolroom.”

– Réamheolaire Scoil Éanna, 1909-10.

Nuair a d’aistrigh Pádraig Mac Piarais a scoil anseo sa bhliain 1910 thiontaigh sé na seanfhoirgnimh feirme thart timpeall ar an gclós seo ina seomraí ranga. Bhí cúig sheomra ranga ann mar aon le dhá shaotharlann eolaíochta, seomra ealaíne agus giomnáisiam. B’éigean dóibh a bheith ar an láthair seo toisc go raibh tiarna talún an Phiarsaigh meáite de nár chóir go mbeadh daltaí sa phríomhtheach i rith an lae. Chuir an Piarsach foirgneamh déanta de mhiotal galbhánaithe á dtógáil idir an clós agus an teach agus is ansin a shuíodh na buachaillí chun béilí an lae.

Roinneadh an scoil ina sé rang ar a dtugtaí ‘catha’, focal ó na seanscéalta Fiannaíochta. Bhí líon beag daltaí sna ranganna, idir seacht agus deich mbuachaill ar an meán. Theastaigh ón bPiarsach go mbeadh spreagadh intinne sna seomraí ranga aige agus líon sé iad le rudaí áille agus spéisiúla dá réir; dealbha, léarscáileanna, plandaí agus pictiúir stairiúla ina measc. Bhí ranganna amuigh faoin aer i dtailte na scoile chomh maith, áit a d’fhoghlaim na buachaillí faoi thíreolas, gharraíodóireacht agus an nádúr.