1916 Rising A collection of five books signed by or presented to signatories of the proclamation of 1916, some rare and very poignant items, as follows: Tom Clarke to his son Crofton Croker's...

1916 Rising A collection of five books signed by or presented to signatories of the proclamation of 1916, some rare and very poignant items, as follows: Tom Clarke to his son Crofton Croker's Fairy Legends of Ireland, inscribed by Clarke to his eight year old son: 'John Daly Clarke, from his father, Oct.1 1910'. After his release from an English jail in 1898, Tom Clarke married Kathleen Daly, niece of his Fenian colleague John Daly of Limerick, whose name he gave to his son. As a mark of respect for his Fenian background, Clarke was asked to be the first to sign the Proclamation. He served in the GPO with Pearse, and was shot on 3 may 1916. Laid into the book is a memorial card for three members of the family, old John Daly, who died of natural causes in June 1916; Tom Clarke and John Edward Daly (son of John Daly), both executed after the Rising. Padraic Pearse First edition of his Iosagan (Stories for children, 1907), a signed presentation copy. The recipient was Maire Ni Aodain (Mary Hayden), a Gaelic League colleague and close friend, though a pacifist, later a well-known historian and campaigner for women's rights. Pearse's photograph is pasted in, with details of his execution; 'He died for what he thought to be his duty'. A memorial card for the Pearse brothers is laid in. Pearse was Commander-in-Chief in the GPO, and made the decision to surrender on 29th April to avoid further bloodshed. He was shot on 3 May. Sean MacDiarmada Leabhar na hEireann. The Irish Year-Book 1909. (ed. Arthur Griffith). Sean MacDiarmada's copy, signed and dated 11.12.08, extensively underlined in the section listing Irish names of flowers (pp.xliv-xlviii). MacDiarmada was one of Sinn Fein's most active organisers, although he contracted polio soon after signing this book,and walked with a stick. He served in the GPO, and was one of the last shot with James Connolly on 12 May. Thomas MacDonagh & Joseph Plunkett Brian Merriman's The MidnightCourt (Cuirt an Mhean Oiche), inscribed by MacDonagh to Plunkett in Irish and Latin for his 26th birthday: 'Do / Ioseph O Pluingcead (aetat 26 indiu) / O / Tomas Mac Donnchadha / 21.11.1913' Plunkett and MacDonagh were close friends. They were joint editors of The Irish Review, and later they were very briefly brothers-in-law (see next item). MacDonagh commanded the Jacob's garrison in Bishop Street, and was shot on 3 May; Plunkett who drafted the military plan for the Rising, served in the GPO and was shot on 4 May. Thomas MacDonagh & Padraic Colum Padraic Colum's Wild Earth (1909), inscribed by him 'to Thomas MacDonagh, with step-brotherly regards'. Colum and MacDonagh were friends, but also rivals, both pursuing a red-haired Sligo girl named Mary Maguire, who taught at St.Enda's with MacDonagh. The inscription suggests that the rivals agreed to regard each other as 'step-brothers'. In the end Mary Maguire chose Padraic Colum, and went to the United States with him in 1914.; MacDonagh married Muriel Gifford, whose sister Grace married Joseph Plunkett in his cell shortly before execution. Colum lived to be 90. Except for Tom Clarke, who spent much of his adult life in prison, the 1916 signatories were relatively young men when they died; their signatures are all uncommon, and some are exceptionally rare. A collection such as this, including several highly personal items, is probably unique.

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