"Can you really not imagine that Connolly and Pearse's family would have preferred to have them to live their natural span."
Are these cases ever an either or?
Would any of the families have been proud if been as proud of them as most of them were if they had sat on their bums, ignored their beliefs and principles and lived safe lives as bank clerks?
I know Connolly's son was not just proud that his father gave his life for his beliefs, but he took up his causes and spent his life fighting for them - he died recently.
This is the case with many others who became involved in such causes.
None of which alters anything I've said.
People take risks to change the world - if they'd stayed at home and done the garden the world would remain the same.
"They become the tools of unworthy politicians."
Again, depends on whether you feel fighting for national independence is being "tools of unworthy politicians."
Jim Carroll