Celtic Authors: The Circle And The Sword [by Joseph Mary Plunkett] [1919]

Thursday 5 February 2015

The Circle And The Sword [by Joseph Mary Plunkett] [1919]

Joseph Mary Plunkett [21 November 1887 – 4 May 1916] was an Irish nationalist, poet, journalist, and a leader of the 1916 Easter Rising. Plunkett was one of the original members of the IRB Military Committee that was responsible for planning the Easter Rising, and it was largely his plan that was followed. Shortly before the rising was to begin, Plunkett was hospitalised following a turn for the worse in his health. He had an operation on his neck glands days before Easter and had to struggle out of bed to take part in what was to follow. Still bandaged, he took his place in the General Post Office with several other of the rising's leaders such as Patrick Pearse and Tom Clarke, though his health prevented him from being terribly active. His energetic aide de camp was Michael Collins.

Following the surrender Plunkett was held in Kilmainham Gaol, and faced a court martial. Seven hours before his execution by firing squad at the age of 28, he was married in the prison chapel to his sweetheart Grace Gifford,

The Circle And The Sword a books of Plunketts poems was published in 1919 three years after his execution.

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