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Thomas Kent

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Thomas Kent
Memorial postcard of Thomas Kent
Born29 August 1865
Castlelyons,County Cork,Ireland
Died9 May 1916(1916-05-09)(aged 50)
Collins Barracks,Cork,Ireland
Cause of deathExecution by firing squad
AllegianceIrish Volunteers
Years of service1913–1916
Battles/warsEaster Rising

Thomas Kent(Irish:Tomás Ceannt;29 August 1865 – 9 May 1916) was anIrishnationalistwho was court-martialled and executed following a gunfight with theRoyal Irish Constabulary(RIC) on 9 May 1916, in the immediate aftermath of theEaster Rising.

Easter Rising

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Kent was part of aprominent nationalist familywho lived at Bawnard House,Castlelyons,County Cork.They were prepared to take part in theEaster Rising,but when the mobilisation order was countermanded, they stayed at home. The rising nevertheless went ahead inDublin,and the RIC was sent to arrest well-known sympathizers throughout the country, including known members of theIrish Republican Brotherhood,Sinn Féin,and theIrish Volunteers.When the Kent residence was raided they were met with resistance from Thomas and his brothers Richard,DavidandWilliam.A gunfight lasted for four hours, in which an RIC officer,Head Constable William Rowe,was killed and David Kent was seriously wounded. Eventually the Kents were forced to surrender, although Richard made a last minute dash for freedom and was fatally wounded.

Trial and execution

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Thomas and William Kent were tried bycourt martialon the charge of armed rebellion. William was acquitted, but Thomas was sentenced to death. David Kent was brought to Dublin where he was charged with the same offence, found guilty and sentenced to death, but the sentence was commuted and he was sentenced to five years penal servitude. Thomas Kent wasexecuted by firing squadin Cork on 9 May 1916, the only person outside of Dublin to be shot for his role in the events surrounding Easter Week (Roger Casementwas hanged for treason in London). Kent was buried in the grounds ofCork Prison,formerly the Military Detention Barracks at the rearCollins Barracks, Cork(formerly Victoria Barracks). The former army married quarters to the rear of Collins Barracks are named in his honour.

State funeral

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TaoiseachEnda Kennyoffered astate funeralto the Kent family early in 2015, which they accepted.[1]Kent's remains were exhumed from Cork prison in June 2015 after being buried for 99 years.[2] The analysis of Kent's remains, which had been found in a shallow,quicklime-filled grave, involved theState Pathologist's Office,the National Forensic Coordination Office at theGarda Technical Bureau,Forensic Science Ireland, and scientists fromUniversity College Dublin,and the scientific team was led by Dr. Jens Carlsson from theUniversity of California-Davis.[3]The State funeral was held on 18 September 2015 at St Nicholas' Church in Castlelyons. Kent lay in state at Collins Barracks in Cork the day before.[4]The requiem mass was attended by PresidentMichael D. Higgins,with Enda Kenny delivering the graveside oration.[5][6]

Memorials

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Bust of Kent atCork Kent railway stationby sculptorJames MacCarthy.

The main railway station inCork,Kent Stationwas named after Thomas Kent in 1966.

The bridge over theRiver BlackwaterinFermoy,County Cork, where Thomas Kent was detained following his arrest, was named after him and his brothers in 2016.[7]

References

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  1. ^"Thomas Kent: State funeral in Cork for 1916 rebel".BBC News.18 September 2015.Archivedfrom the original on 9 April 2019.Retrieved18 September2015.
  2. ^"Volunteer executed after 1916 farmhouse battle".Irish Independent.18 September 2015.Archivedfrom the original on 9 May 2019.Retrieved18 September2015.
  3. ^"DNA analysis identifies long-lost remains of executed 1916 rebel".www.ucd.ie.Archivedfrom the original on 10 August 2019.Retrieved10 August2019.
  4. ^"Honouring Thomas Kent's ultimate sacrifice with state funeral".Irish Examiner.18 September 2015.Archivedfrom the original on 24 December 2018.Retrieved18 September2015.
  5. ^"Tributes to Easter 1916 patriot as Cork stages state funeral".Irish Independent.18 September 2015.Archivedfrom the original on 22 February 2016.Retrieved18 September2015.
  6. ^"Forgotten Patriot Thomas Kent to be laid to rest in Cork on Friday".Irish Mirror.18 September 2015.Archivedfrom the original on 17 September 2015.Retrieved18 September2015.
  7. ^Roache, Barry (3 May 2016)."Bridge in Co Cork renamed in honour of Thomas Kent".The Irish Times.Archivedfrom the original on 4 May 2016.Retrieved23 March2018.
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Bibliography

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