The Philosophy of Irish Ireland. Dublin: James Duffy, [1905]. First Edition. Pp, 114, uncut. Publisher’s yellow wrappers printed in brown. A nice bright copy. Housed in collector’s solander box.

With dedication in Irish tipped-in verso front free endpaper:

‘Do Seosam Ó Pluinggéit Ó Páiraic MacPiarais, 19.1.16’, 

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. He was stationed in the GPO during the Rising, along with several other of the rising’s leaders including Patrick Pearse. 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, a Protestant convert to Catholicism. Plunkett was executed on 4th May 1916, Patrick Pearse the day before on 3rd, he was 36 years old.  

A rare and desirable association between the two leading figures of the Rising, a few months before the 1916 Rebellion.

First published as a series of articles in the ‘New Ireland Review’ The Philosophy of Irish Ireland was the most forceful manifesto produced by that section of the Gaelic Revival movement which saw Irish identity as inextricably Catholic and Gaelic.