Thomas clarke abused as prisoner

Irish republican (1858–1916)

This article is about the Irish republican. For the American politician, see Thomas J. Clarke (Alabama politician). For other people, see Thomas Clarke.

Thomas James Clarke (Irish: Tomás Séamus Ó Cléirigh; 11 March 1858 – 3 May 1916^[1]) was an Irish republican and a leader of the Irish Republican Brotherhood.

Clarke was arguably the person most responsible for the 1916 Easter Rising. A proponent of armed struggle against British rule in Ireland for most of his life, Clarke spent 15 years in English prisons prior to his role in the Easter Rising and was executed by firing squad after it was defeated.

Clarke, Thomas James ('Tom') (–), revolutionary, was born 11 March in England, probably in Hurst Castle, Hampshire.

Clarke, Thomas James ('Tom') (–), revolutionary, was born 11 March in England, probably in Hurst Castle, Hampshire.

Thomas (?) and John (?), bushrangers, were born near Braidwood, New South Wales, sons of John Clarke.

Historian Desmond Ryan, who had fought as a Volunteer in the GPO, once wrote: "In a sense, Tom Clarke is a man of one small book.

Tom Clarke is not as well known as Pearse, Connolly or MacDiarmada.

Fulminating empty abuse against those responsible.

Early life

Clarke was born at Hurst Castle near Milford-on-Sea in England, to Irish parents,^[2] Mary Palmer and James Clarke, who was a sergeant in the British Army.

He had one brother, Joseph. In 1865, after spending some years in South Africa, Sgt. Clarke was transferred to Dungannon, County