Patrick Henry Pearse led the Easter Rising in Dublin in 1916. Prior to the Easter Rising, he was elected by the insurgents, The Rising, as the first President of the yet to be proclaimed Republic of Ireland. His presidency did not last long. England sent 5,000 soldiers to Ireland and Pearse was forced to surrender. He was executed on May 3, 1916. How would this have turned out if Pearse had been given the opportunity to defend himself in court'? 'Trial of the Century' shows what could have happened if Pearse had not been executed unceremoniously, but had been given a full trial where he could have spoken himself.