unte ers ▁would ▁possibly ▁have ▁come ▁to ▁their ▁aid ; ▁however , ▁the ▁IR B ▁leaders ▁met ▁with ▁Con n olly ▁in ▁January ▁ 1 9 1 6 ▁and ▁convinced ▁him ▁to ▁join ▁forces ▁with ▁them . ▁They ▁agreed ▁that ▁they ▁would ▁launch ▁a ▁rising ▁together ▁at ▁E aster ▁and ▁made ▁Con n olly ▁the ▁sixth ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Military ▁Council . ▁Thomas ▁Mac Don agh ▁would ▁later ▁become ▁the ▁sevent h ▁and ▁final ▁member . ▁ ▁The ▁death ▁of ▁the ▁old ▁Fen ian ▁leader ▁Jer em iah ▁O ' Don ovan ▁Ross a ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁in ▁August ▁ 1 9 1 5 ▁was ▁an ▁opportunity ▁to ▁mount ▁a ▁spect ac ular ▁demonstr ation . ▁His ▁body ▁was ▁sent ▁to ▁Ireland ▁for ▁bur ial ▁in ▁Glas ne vin ▁C emetery , ▁with ▁the ▁Vol unte ers ▁in ▁charge ▁of ▁arrang ements . ▁H uge ▁crow ds ▁l ined ▁the ▁route ▁and ▁gathered ▁at ▁the ▁gra ves ide . ▁Pear se ▁made ▁a ▁dram atic ▁fun eral ▁or ation , ▁a ▁r ally ing ▁call ▁to ▁republic ans , ▁which ▁ended ▁with ▁the ▁words ▁" I reland ▁un free ▁shall ▁never ▁be ▁at ▁peace ". ▁ ▁Build - up ▁to ▁E aster ▁Week ▁ ▁In ▁early ▁April , ▁Pear se ▁issued ▁orders ▁to ▁the ▁Irish ▁Vol unte ers ▁for ▁three ▁days ▁of ▁" par ades ▁and ▁man oe uv res " ▁beginning ▁on ▁E aster ▁Sunday . ▁He ▁had ▁the ▁authority ▁to ▁do ▁this , ▁as ▁the ▁Vol unte ers ' ▁Director ▁of