6 November 2008 Edition

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Cork honours its hunger strikers

THE five Irish republicans from Cork who died on hunger strike were honoured on Sunday 26 October.
A commemoration was held in St Finbarr’s Cemetery to honour Terence MacSwiney, Joe Murphy and Michael Fitzgerald (who died in 1920) and Donnacha de Barra and Andy Sullivan (who died in 1923).
While the death on hunger strike of Terence MacSwiney was known worldwide, his four Cork comrades are less well remembered.
Michael Fitzgerald of Fermoy died a week before MacSwiney, on 18 October 1920, in Cork Prison; Joe Murphy died on the same day as MacSwiney, also in Cork Prison.
Donnacha de Barra was from Blackrock and Andy Sullivan from Mallow and both died in the mass hunger strike of 1923, in the wake of the Civil War.
A republican colour party led a parade to the Republican Plot in St Finbarr’s where wreaths were laid, including one on the grave of Donnacha de Barra by Councillor Annette Spillane (pictured).

 


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