Thomas Kent

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For other persons named Thomas Kent, see Thomas Kent (disambiguation)

Thomas Kent
Born	1865 Castlelyons, County Cork, Ireland
Died	9 May 1916(1916-05-09) (aged 51) Collins Barracks, Cork, Ireland
Allegiance	Irish Volunteers
Years of service	1913–1916
Battles/wars	Easter Rising

Thomas Kent (Irish: Tomás Ceannt; 1865 – 9 May 1916) was an Irish nationalist court-martialled and executed following a gunfight with the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) on 2 May 1916, in the immediate aftermath of the Easter Rising.

The Easter Rising

Kent was part of a prominent nationalist family who lived at Bawnard House, Castlelyons, County Cork. They were prepared to take part in the Easter Rising, but when the mobilization order was countermanded, they stayed home. The rising nevertheless went forward in Dublin, and the RIC was sent to arrest well-known sympathizers throughout the country including, but not limited to, known members of the Irish Republican Brotherhood, Sinn Féin, and the Irish Volunteers. When the Kent residence was raided they were met with resistance from Thomas and his brothers Richard, David and William. 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

Thomas and William were tried by court martial on the charge of armed rebellion. William was acquitted, but Thomas was sentenced to death and executed by firing squad in, Cork on 9 May 1916. 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. Apart from the singular case of Roger Casement, Thomas Kent was the only person outside of Dublin to be executed for his role in the events of Easter Week. He is buried in the grounds of Cork Prison, formerly the Military Detention Barracks at the rear Collins Barracks, Cork (formerly Victoria Barracks). Former army married quarters to the rear of the Barrack were names in honour of Thomas Kent.

Railway

The main railway station in Cork, Kent Station was named after Thomas Kent.

Sources

Declan Kiberd editor, "1916 Rebellion Handbook Dublin: Mourne River Press, 1998. ISBN 1-902090-05-5

v t e Easter Rising

Signatories of the Proclamation of the Republic (executed after the Rising)	Patrick Pearse Tom Clarke Thomas MacDonagh Joseph Plunkett Éamonn Ceannt Seán Mac Diarmada James Connolly

Also executed for their role in the Rising	Ned Daly Willie Pearse Michael O'Hanrahan John MacBride Michael Mallin Conn Colbert Seán Heuston Thomas Kent Roger Casement

Other Irish figures	Éamon de Valera Constance Markievicz The O'Rahilly Eoin MacNeill Cathal Brugha Richard Mulcahy Liam Mellows Seán MacEntee Tomás Mac Curtain Thomas Ashe Francis Sheehy-Skeffington Helena Moloney Peadar Clancy Michael Collins

British figures	John Maxwell Lord Wimborne Augustine Birrell Matthew Nathan W. H. M. Lowe

Persondata
Name	Kent, Thomas
Alternative names
Short description	Irish revolutionary
Date of birth	1865
Place of birth	Castlelyons, County Cork, Ireland
Date of death	9 May 1916
Place of death	Collins Barracks (Cork), Cork (city), Ireland

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike; additional terms may apply for the media files.