Seán MacDiarmada (also known as Seán MacDermott and John McDermott) is widely credited as being the most important man behind the Easter Rising next to Thomas Clarke. MacDiarmada was much beloved and had a reputation for being an effective organizer

Despite having been stricken with polio in 1912 which left him needing a walking stick, Seán MacDiarmada served the Irish Republic during the Easter Rising at the General Post Office. His signature was just below that of Thomas Clarke's on the Proclamation of Irish Independence.

The end of the ghastly list [of those executed during the two weeks following the Easter Rising] came to public notice on May 12, when the following communique was issued:

The trial of two prominent leaders in the rebellion, whose names appeared in the proclamation issued by the so-called "Provisional Government," namely:

James Connolly, and
John MacDermott,

took place on the 9th of May.

Sentence of death was awarded in each case. These sentences were confirmed by the General Officer Commander-in-Chief on the 9th May, and they were carried out this morning (May 12th).

Of all the men who led in the Rebellion it is probable that Sean MacDermott was the most beloved. He loved Ireland, and he brought others to love her in like manner. A gentle, pure-souled patriot, his brutal murder was alike a loss to his country and to humanity. So ill that he had to be placed in a chair before being shot, he went to death with peace and happiness in his heart. The following are two letters he wrote just before his execution. The first is to his brothers and sisters:

Kilmainham Prison, Dublin,
May 11, 1916.

My Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I sincerely hope that this letter will not come as a surprise to any of you, and, above all, that none of you will worry over what I have to say.

It is just a wee note to say that I have been tried by court-martial and sentenced to be shot—to die the death of a soldier. By the time this reaches you I will, with God's mercy, have joined in Heaven my poor father and mother, as well as my dear friends who have been shot during the week. They died like heroes, and with God's help I will act throughout as heroic as they did. I only wish you could see me now.

I am just as calm and collected as if I were talking to you all or taking a walk to see Mick Wynne or some of the old friends and neighbors around home. I have priests with me almost constantly for the past twenty-four hours. One dear old friend of mine, Rev. Dr. Brown, Maynooth, stayed with me up to a very late hour last night. I feel a happiness the like of which I never experienced in my life before, and a feeling that I could not describe. Surely, when you know my state of mind, none of you will worry or lament my fate. No, you ought to envy me.

The cause for which I die has been rebaptized during the past week by the blood of as good men as ever trod God's earth, and should I not feel justly proud to be numbered amongst them? Before God let me again assure you of how proud and happy I feel. It is not alone for myself so much I feel happy, but for the fact that Ireland has produced such men.

Enough of the personal note. I had hoped, Pat, to be able to help you in placing the children in positions to earn their livelihood, but God will help you to provide for them. Tell them how I struck out for myself and counsel them to always practice truth, honesty, and straightforwardness in all things and sobriety. If they do this and remember their country, they will be all right. Insist on their learning the language and history.

I have a lot of books and I am making arrangements with one of the priests to have them turned in to a library, but I can arrange that you get some of them for the children. You might like to get these clothes that I am wearing to have them in memory of me, so I will arrange, if possible, to have them sent to my old lodgings, and you ought to come there and take them and any other little things belonging to me that you'd like to have—of course for Dan and Maggie also. There are a few copies of a recent photo which you can take, and you might order more copies for friends, who may like to have one.

Of course you got the letter I sent you a few days before Easter. By the way, when you are in Dublin find if I owe any money to my landlady, and if so pay her. I don't think I do, but at the moment I'm not certain.

One word more about the children. Put some of them to learn trades if they can at all. You will see if they show any promise of mechanical or technical skill. They were too small when I saw them to advise. Tell Maggie she ought to try to get Mary Ann to go for teaching. I don't know what CatyBee ought to do. As for Dan, I suppose he will decide for himself, God direct him. He need not regret having stayed at home so long.

Make a copy of this and send it to the others as soon as you can. A lot of my friends will want to hear about me from James, Rose and Kate. They can tell them all that in my last hours I am the same Sean they always knew, and that even now I can enjoy a laugh and a joke as good as ever.

I don't know if you will require a pass to get to Dublin, but you'd better find out before you start. Perhaps martial law will have been withdrawn before you can come. It was passed for one month only, and I don't think it will be renewed. If I think of any other things to say I will tell them to Miss Ryan, she who in all probability, had I lived, would have been my wife.

I will send instructions to my landlady, but she knows you, all right.

Good-bye, dear brothers and sisters. Make no lament for me. Pray for my soul and feel a lasting pride at my death. I die that the Irish Nation may live. God bless and guard you all and may He have mercy on my soul.

Yours as ever,
Sean.

P. S.-I find I have not mentioned Patrick or his mother, but they know they are included for old, very old, times' sake. Yes, long before there was a thought of Maggie marrying Patrick; also Bessie, Mary, and Will. I'd love to clasp the hand of each of you and many other dear friends, but I will meet you all soon in a better place. Remember me to all friends and give some money to Fathers Foy and McLaughlin for Mass for me.

Good bye
Sean.

Following this is the letter he wrote to a friend:

[To Mr. John Daly, 15 Barrington Street, Limerick]

KILMAINHAM PRISON,
Dublin, 11th May, 1916.

My Dear John: Just a wee note to bid you good-bye. I expect in a few hours to join Tom, in a better world. I have been sentenced to a soldier's death, to be shot to-morrow morning. I have nothing to say about this, only that I look on it as a part of the day's work—to die that the Irish Nation may live. Our blood will rebaptize and reinvigorate the "Old Land." Knowing this, it is superfluous to say how happy I feel. I know now what I always felt, that the Irish Nation can never die. Let present-day place-hunters condemn our action as they will, posterity will judge us all right from the effects of our action.

I know I will meet you soon. Until then good-bye. God guard and protect you all in No. 15. You have had a sore trial, but I know that you and Mrs. Daly and all the girls feel proud in spite of a little temporary and natural grief that her son, and the girls, their brother, as well as Tom, are included in the list of honors.

Kindly remember me especially to Mrs. Clarke, and tell her I am the same Sean she always knew. God bless you all.

As ever.
Sincerely yours,
Sean MacDiarmada.

SOURCES

"A guide to the historical figures and moments of the 1916 Easter Rising"
-by Dermot McEvoy
http://www.irishcentral.com/roots/history/An-guide-to-the-historical-fig...

The Executed Leaders of the 1916 Rising
http://www.taoiseach.gov.ie/eng/Historical_Information/1916_Commemoratio...

Easter 1916: The People, Seven Signatories
-SEÁN MAC DIARMADA (1883-1916)
http://www.easter1916.ie/index.php/people/signatories/sean-mac-diarmada/

Signatures on Proclamation
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proclamation_of_the_Irish_Republic#/media/...

History of the Sinn Fein Movement and
the Irish Rebellion of 1916
-by Francis P. Jones
NY, 1920
https://books.google.com/books/reader?id=1ZpnAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcove...
Chapter LXII: The Blood-Lust of the English
https://books.google.com/books/reader?id=1ZpnAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcove...
The Execution of Seán MacDiarmada, May 12, 1916
https://books.google.com/books/reader?id=1ZpnAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcove...

Note: In letter to John Daly: the following refers to Edward Daly who was executed on May 4th. Edward was the brother of Kathleen Daly Clarke whose husband, Thomas, was executed on May 3rd.

...I know that you and Mrs. Daly and all the girls feel proud in spite of a little temporary and natural grief that her son, and the girls, their brother, as well as Tom, are included in the list of honors.

Kindly remember me especially to Mrs. Clarke,

IMAGES

Irish Rebels of 1916, We Never Forget, Sean Mac Diarmada
-by JayRaye, -for text:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Se%C3%A1n_Mac_Diarmada

Irish Rebels, Sean Mac Diarmada, MacDermott, (1883-1916)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Se%C3%A1n_Mac_Diarmada

See also:

C99 Tag: Easter Rising of 1916
http://caucus99percent.com/tags/easter-rising-1916

C99 Tag: Irish Rebels of 1916
http://caucus99percent.com/tags/irish-rebels-1916

Sean MacDiarmada vigil. May 12, 2016. 0300 hours. 100 year anniversary of Irish Patriot's execution
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJBMdLkAkuU width:500 height:315]

Sean MacDiarmada the Pride of Corranmore
Written and performed by Mike Blake:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnEaMhds4Cs

In 2014, I was asked to write a song about Sean MacDiarmada, the Leitrim signatory of the 1916 proclamation.

As I researched this song, it became more and more apparent that MacDiarmada has not received the recognition he deserves for his part in the Rising. He was the main recruiter, organiser and strategist, "the Mind of the Revolution"...

Michael Collins saw him as a central transformative figure, ‘spreading the Fenian gospel’ throughout Ireland and coordinating IRB activities in Britain and the United States.

Perhaps he has been the least celebrated of the seven signatories of the 1916 Proclamation...

Hopefully this song will go a little way towards giving MacDiarmada some long overdue recognition.

In his final letter, he wrote -

"Make no lament for me. I die so that the Irish nation might live".