St. Enda's Park
Encyclopedia
St. Enda's Park is a large public park
in Rathfarnham
in Ireland
.
St. Enda's was not always a public park. Patrick Pearse
, one of the leaders of the Easter Rising
in 1916 used to run a school there, St. Enda's School
(or Scoil Éanna in Irish
), in The Hermitage. This magnificent house was built in 1780 for the Dublin dentist Edward Hudson. Pearse, who was a teacher at the time, bought the building in 1910 as his school in Ranelagh
was getting too small. Pearse considered the site ideal as his curriculum had a heavy emphasis on nature.
In the school, his brother, Willie Pearse
, taught art and his sister Mary taught Irish
. The Irish poets, Joseph Plunkett and Thomas MacDonagh
also taught at the school. Both were executed in 1916 as well as 15 former pupils of the school.
Leading up to the 1916 rising, the basement of the school was used as a bomb factory by Desmond Ryan and Liam Buflin, both Irish Republican Brotherhood
members. On Easter Monday
, 1916, Padraig Pearse left the school for the last time and made his famous 5-mile march to the GPO
.
The British forces occupied the Hermitage after the rising but in 1919, the school was opened once more by Mrs. Margaret Pearse
and her daughter Margaret Mary Pearse. The school closed its doors in 1935 due to a lack of support. When Mrs. Pearse died in 1932, she wished that the building would be given over to the state after the lifetime of her daughter, Margaret. She made only two conditions, that the house would be open throughout the year (even Christmas day) and that entry would be free of charge for the public.
The Hermitage is now a museum about Patrick Pearse, the Pearse family, and their school, and is open to the public all year round. The museum features articles and history about the school and the rising. Every Sunday from June to August, there is music entertainment in the courtyard (beside the Pearse Building).
Park
A park is a protected area, in its natural or semi-natural state, or planted, and set aside for human recreation and enjoyment, or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. It may consist of rocks, soil, water, flora and fauna and grass areas. Many parks are legally protected by...
in Rathfarnham
Rathfarnham
Rathfarnham or Rathfarnam is a Southside suburb of Dublin, Ireland. It is south of Terenure, east of Templeogue, and is in the postal districts of Dublin 14 and 16. It is within the administrative areas of both Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown and South Dublin County Councils.The area of Rathfarnham...
in Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
.
St. Enda's was not always a public park. Patrick Pearse
Patrick Pearse
Patrick Henry Pearse was an Irish teacher, barrister, poet, writer, nationalist and political activist who was one of the leaders of the Easter Rising in 1916...
, one of the leaders of the Easter Rising
Easter Rising
The Easter Rising was an insurrection staged in Ireland during Easter Week, 1916. The Rising was mounted by Irish republicans with the aims of ending British rule in Ireland and establishing the Irish Republic at a time when the British Empire was heavily engaged in the First World War...
in 1916 used to run a school there, St. Enda's School
St. Enda's School
St. Enda's School, or Scoil Éanna, was a Secondary school for boys set up by Irish nationalist Patrick Pearse in 1908.-Background:Pearse, generally known as a leader of the Easter Rising in 1916, had long been critical of the educational system in Ireland, which he believed taught Irish children to...
(or Scoil Éanna in Irish
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
), in The Hermitage. This magnificent house was built in 1780 for the Dublin dentist Edward Hudson. Pearse, who was a teacher at the time, bought the building in 1910 as his school in Ranelagh
Ranelagh
Ranelagh is a residential area and urban village on the south side of Dublin, Ireland. It is in the postal district of Dublin 6. It is in the local government electoral area of Rathmines and the Dáil Constituency of Dublin South-East.-History:...
was getting too small. Pearse considered the site ideal as his curriculum had a heavy emphasis on nature.
In the school, his brother, Willie Pearse
Willie Pearse
William "Willie" Pearse was an Irish republican executed for his part in the Easter Rising. He was a younger brother of Patrick Pearse, a leader of the rising.-Background:...
, taught art and his sister Mary taught Irish
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
. The Irish poets, Joseph Plunkett and Thomas MacDonagh
Thomas MacDonagh
Thomas MacDonagh was an Irish nationalist, poet, playwright, and a leader of the 1916 Easter Rising.-Early life:MacDonagh was born in Cloughjordan, County Tipperary...
also taught at the school. Both were executed in 1916 as well as 15 former pupils of the school.
Leading up to the 1916 rising, the basement of the school was used as a bomb factory by Desmond Ryan and Liam Buflin, both Irish Republican Brotherhood
Irish Republican Brotherhood
The Irish Republican Brotherhood was a secret oath-bound fraternal organisation dedicated to the establishment of an "independent democratic republic" in Ireland during the second half of the 19th century and the start of the 20th century...
members. On Easter Monday
Easter Monday
Easter Monday is the day after Easter Sunday and is celebrated as a holiday in some largely Christian cultures, especially Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox cultures...
, 1916, Padraig Pearse left the school for the last time and made his famous 5-mile march to the GPO
GPO
-Organisations:*General Post Office **General Post Office UK*German Patent Office, *United States Government Printing Office, a federal government agency*Green Party of Ontario, a policial party in Ontario, Canada...
.
The British forces occupied the Hermitage after the rising but in 1919, the school was opened once more by Mrs. Margaret Pearse
Margaret Pearse
Margaret Pearse was an Irish politician. She was born in County Meath and moved to Dublin, and in 1877 married James Pearse , a Dubliner who was originally from Birmingham. She was the mother of Patrick Pearse, one of the leaders of the Easter Rising in 1916, who was executed soon after the rising...
and her daughter Margaret Mary Pearse. The school closed its doors in 1935 due to a lack of support. When Mrs. Pearse died in 1932, she wished that the building would be given over to the state after the lifetime of her daughter, Margaret. She made only two conditions, that the house would be open throughout the year (even Christmas day) and that entry would be free of charge for the public.
The Hermitage is now a museum about Patrick Pearse, the Pearse family, and their school, and is open to the public all year round. The museum features articles and history about the school and the rising. Every Sunday from June to August, there is music entertainment in the courtyard (beside the Pearse Building).