Search begins at Cork prison for remains of executed 1916 Volunteer

ARCHAEOLOGISTS have begun a search of prison grounds in Cork to uncover the final resting place of Irish Volunteer Thomas Kent who was executed and secretly buried by the British in 1916.

Thomas Kent and his brothers David, Richard and William were from a prominent nationalist family and were active members of the Irish Volunteers. In 1916 they had planned to travel to Dublin to take part in the Easter Rising. 

When they heard that the Rising in Dublin was over – due to countermanding orders from Eoin MacNeill – the brothers who had been on their way to Dublin decided to return home on the night of 1 May 1916. Early the next morning, their home at Castlelyons was surrounded by a party of Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) who demanded their surrender. 

Despite being armed with only one rifle and three shotguns, the brothers gave no consideration to surrender. A fierce gun battle ensued; the brothers were supported by their 84-year-old mother. David was shot and injured during the battle while RIC Head Constable Rowe was killed.

The Kents were captured when they ran out of ammunition. The RIC lined them up against the farmhouse wall and were about to be executed but for the intervention of a medical officer. As they were being led away, Richard Kent attempted to escape across the fields but was fatally shot in the back. 

David was taken to the Fermoy hospital. Thomas was taken to Cork Detention Barracks where he was strictly isolated from the other prisoners. He was quickly court-martialled and sentenced to death.

The authorities at the same time began executing the leaders of the 1916 Rising. On Wednesday, 3 May, Pearse, McDonagh and Clarke were shot. On Thursday, Plunkett, Daly and Hanrahan were shot. On Friday, John McBride was executed. 

William Kent was later sentenced to death but this was commuted to penal servitude and he was sent to a prison in England. He was released along with many other prisoners the end of 1916.

Amidst profound shock and rising anger, the executions went remorselessly on. The following Monday, Ceannt, Colbert and Mallin were shot. On Tuesday, 9 May, Thomas Kent was executed in Victoria Barracks (now Cork City Prison) by a naval detachment from Cobh. He died, in the words of the officer in charge, “very bravely, not a feather out of him”.

Reaction was summed up by George Bernard Shaw in a letter to the Daily News: “My own view... is that the men who were shot in cold blood after capture or surrender were prisoners of war, and that it was, therefore, entirely incorrect to slaughter them. The shot Irishmen will now take their places beside Emmet and the Manchester Martyrs in Ireland and beside the heroes of Poland and Serbia and Belgium in Europe; and nothing in heaven and earth can prevent it.'' 

Archaeologists from the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht say if they do locate any remains then DNA samples will be taken to verify the identity.