9:30AM · 1 APR 16

UPDATE: Pádraig Pearse has issued a statement from the GPO, saying the rebels are preparing for the “final defence” of their headquarters.

Source: National Library of Ireland

In the statement, Pearse says that the GPO has been “bombarded… by shrapnel and machine gun fire” since last night, and that whole blocks of houses have been burnt down by the British. He says that the British have cut off the lines of communication and the GPO has been unable to contact any of the other rebels since yesterday.

Despite the prognosis, Pearse uses the majority of the statement to pay tribute to the other rebels.

“Justice can never be done to their heroism, to their discipline, to their gay and unconquerable spirit in the midst of peril and death,” he says.

“For four days, they have fought and toiled, almost without cessation, almost without sleep; and in the intervals of fighting, they have sung songs of the freedom of Ireland.

“If they do not win this fight, they will at least have deserved to win it. But win it they will, although they may win it in death.

“Already they have won a great thing. They have redeemed Dublin from many shames, and made her name splendid among the names of cities.

If we accomplish no more than we have accomplished I am satisfied. I am satisfied that we have saved Ireland’s honour.

He describes Eoin MacNeill’s countermanding order on Easter Sunday to call off the rebellion as ‘fatal’ – but adds: “Both Eoin MacNeill and we have acted in the best interests of Ireland”.

Source: National Library of Ireland