23 September 1999 Edition
1916 martyr should be honoured
Following the exhumation of the remains of Volunteer Tom Williams, Cork republicans are hoping that the same can be achieved for the late Volunteer Thomas Kent. Their hopes have been fueled by speculation that the remains of the `Forgotten Ten' Volunteers, executed by the British in the War of Independence and buried in Mountjoy prison, are set to be exhumed for reburial.
In Cork city the Volunteers Ahern/Crowley Sinn Féin Cumann and George O'Mahony of the Cork Republican Graves Association have relaunched the campaign to have Kent's remains exhumed from Cork prison.
Thomas Kent was executed by the British government on 9 May 1916 and buried at the then Victoria (Collins) detention barracks - now Cork Prison. He had been captured alongside his brothers William and David after defending their home with arms from a raiding party of British forces. Another brother, Richard, was mortally wounded in the fight. Cork republicans are unhappy that the remains of an Irish patriot should still reside, without public access, in Cork prison. They have called on Irish republicans everywhere to contact the Minister for Justice, John O'Donoghue (at 72-76 St Stephen's Green, Dublin 2. Tel: 01-6028202) demanding that Kent's remains be exhumed and buried in their rightful place at the republican plot in St Finbarr's Cemetery or in the family plot at Castlelyons.
Thomas Loughane, Paul Downey, and Pat Healy, and Gerard Corkery, CIE workers at Kent Station in Cork City, which is named after the executed patriot - have set up a Thomas Kent Memorial Committee. There is no suitable memorial to Kent at the train station, so the committee has launched a fundraising drive with the aim of placing a bust of Kent on the main platform of the train station before his anniversary next May. Funds can be transferred directly to the committee's account at TSB Bank (Sort Code 99-07-14, A/c No. 54600501), and donations would be greatly appreciated.
In Cork city the Volunteers Ahern/Crowley Sinn Féin Cumann and George O'Mahony of the Cork Republican Graves Association have relaunched the campaign to have Kent's remains exhumed from Cork prison.
Thomas Kent was executed by the British government on 9 May 1916 and buried at the then Victoria (Collins) detention barracks - now Cork Prison. He had been captured alongside his brothers William and David after defending their home with arms from a raiding party of British forces. Another brother, Richard, was mortally wounded in the fight. Cork republicans are unhappy that the remains of an Irish patriot should still reside, without public access, in Cork prison. They have called on Irish republicans everywhere to contact the Minister for Justice, John O'Donoghue (at 72-76 St Stephen's Green, Dublin 2. Tel: 01-6028202) demanding that Kent's remains be exhumed and buried in their rightful place at the republican plot in St Finbarr's Cemetery or in the family plot at Castlelyons.
Thomas Loughane, Paul Downey, and Pat Healy, and Gerard Corkery, CIE workers at Kent Station in Cork City, which is named after the executed patriot - have set up a Thomas Kent Memorial Committee. There is no suitable memorial to Kent at the train station, so the committee has launched a fundraising drive with the aim of placing a bust of Kent on the main platform of the train station before his anniversary next May. Funds can be transferred directly to the committee's account at TSB Bank (Sort Code 99-07-14, A/c No. 54600501), and donations would be greatly appreciated.