Many thanks to Carol McCarthey for the pics and Information below:
Richard Kent CORK VOLUNTEER
Political stats for William Rice Kent
Mr. William Rice Kent
Party: Fianna Fáil (Fianna Fáil members of the 6th Dáil)
House: 8th Dáil
Constituency: Cork East
Period: 1933-1937
Party: Centre Party
House: 6th Dáil
Constituency: Cork East
Period: 1927-1932
Party: Fianna Fáil
Details
Defeated in the 1932 election
Did not contest the 1937 election.
Thomas Kent memorial Bust, Cork Railway station(Kent Station)
I also have a poem that William wrote after the Rising which I find tells it all about how the family felt. Here it is …
No threat could bend them, no force could break them,
No wiles could lure them from the road of right;
True men, loyal to the cause of Eireann,
Soldiers fearless in the fiercest fight.
From early boyhood, through the years of manhood,
On the march to liberty their lives were spent.
God grant to Erin in her day of danger
Guards unwavering as the brothers Kent.
David Kent’s political career
Mr. David Kent
Party: Sinn Féin (Sinn Féin members of the 5th Dáil)
House: 5th Dáil
Constituency: Cork East
Period: 1927-1927
Party: Sinn Féin
House: 4th Dáil
Constituency: Cork East
Period: 1923-1927
Party: Republican
House: 2nd Dáil
Constituency: Cork East and North-East
Period: 1921-1922
Party: Sinn Féin
House: 1st Dáil
Constituency: Cork East
Period: 1919-1921
Party: Sinn Féin
Details
4th Dáil – Did not take his seat.
5th Dáil – Did not take his seat.
Did not contest the September 1927 election.
Here is a photo of Constable Rowe who was killed during the fight at Bawnard House and the supposed reason that Thomas was executed and a photo of his grave.
I have also included a photo of General Sir John Grenfell Maxwell ‘Bloddy Maxwell’.
By the way Constable Rowe’s full name was Constable William Nelson Rowe 1867-1916.
The dates for Maxwell are July 12 1858-Feb 21 1929 and I have sent you a bigger better photo of Maxwell.
Do you also need the dates of birth and death for the Kents? Let me know.
Here is a photo of the Kent Memorial on Fermoy bridge
This is a photo of Thomas Kent’s head stone
Also a copy of the flyer that was sent around in New York asking for help with the Stations of the Cross and the Memorial on the bridge. Sean O’Keefe sent me the copy of the flyer.
Thomas Kent
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 murdering Head Constable Rowe. 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 Collins Barracks, Cork (formerly Victoria Barracks).
Railway
The main railway station in Cork, Kent Station was named after Thomas Kent.
Hello. I hope this will be read, as it has been a few years since the blog post was made. I am doing research of my family line, and came across a letter that my grandfather wrote to my grandmother which claims we are related to Thomas Kent. The family line I have found is James Joseph Kent Sr (my grandfather), son of Patrick Joseph Kent (great grandfather) and Catherine Kent (Dunlea). Patrick’s parents were William Kent and Hannah Kelly.
My grandfather claimed that his cousin was a Connie Neenan, who was involved with the Irish Sweepstakes and Waterford Glass. He said that the ‘Kent family castle’ was Bawnard House. He said that Connie, Jack Neenan and ‘Bro Bill’, who I presumed was his brother William Kent (b. 1883), as well as some of the Dunleas fought alongside the Kents. He mentioned Paddy Dunlea and wife Marie.
I was wondering if you might have any insight into the veracity of this information, and if so, whether you might have some additional information on the family lines. My dad remembers meeting Connie Neenan and hearing stories of him, but I can find no information in any archives or genealogy sites. Thank you in advance for your reply.
Dean…thank you for contacting me. I have looked at my family tree and all the last names you mention are there!
I think you may be related to the Kents through Edmond Rice Kent 1862-1931, brother of Thomas Kent, who married Margaret Josephine Dunlea 1873-1951. Margaret’s parents were Denis Dunlea b act 1850 and Anne Neenan b act 1858. I do not have the Dunlea or Neenan families researched after Denis and Anne but maybe if you could trace back to them you would know.
Edmond Rice Kent’s great grandfather was David Kent 1742-1828 who married Margaret Fitzgerald 1766-1859. Their son James Kent 1814-1893 married Ellen Verling 1815-1839. James and Ellen’s son David Kent 1832-1876 married Mary Rice 1835-1917. David and Mary were the parents of ‘The Kent Brothers’.
I also have a book written by Father Edmond Kent who traced many of the Kent lines. You can email me at martinbmac@bellsouth.net and then I can email you the book.
There is also a site on Facebook…Cork Genealogical Society. There is a lady on that site named Theresa Byrne who is related to the Dunlea family and she has quite a bit of information on the Dunlea family. She has Margart Dunlea’s (see above) parents being Bartholomew Dunlea and Catherine Neenan. So I am not certain whether she or Father Edmond are correct. Theresa also mentioned that Catherine was involved with the Irish Sweepstakes and Waterford Glass.
I will also have a better look around the tree and see what else I can come up with for you.
Thanks,
Carol McCarthy Martin
My grandfather’s name was James Joseph Kent, born in Bellilickey county cork—just outside of Bantry bay in the year of 1885 or 86.He had McCarthy’s as cousins and had cousins that were involved in the troubles.He settled in Boston (Charlestown).Just wondering if we were related?
James…not certain if we are or not. My family came from the townland of Ballyhamsher/Ballyhampsher/Ballyhampsherry/Ballyhampshire (the name changed a lot of the years) Castlelyons, Cork. The Kents and the McCarthy family farmed alongside each other and many of the Kents married McCarthys. Both families seem to have left the land after 1826. Some moved to different parts of Ireland, some to Canada and some to the US. If you like I can send you the book that Father Edmund Kent wrote about the Kent family. It is very detailed and mentions many Kent family lines. Just let me know if you would like to have a copy.
My name is Thomas William Kent. I have brothers David, Michael and John.I have used ancestral search sites to see if there is a relationship between my family and that of the Kents of Cork. My ancestral home is in County Wexford and no connection between the families can be made. I now believe it is all just a coincidence. If anyone out there has information to the contrary I would sure like to hear about it.
Thomas…David Kent 1740-1828 who is my 4th great grandfather was the Kent Brothers great grandfather. He was married twice. We do not know who the first wife was but we know the his second wife was Margaret Fitzgerald 1770-1868. It is said that David had 23 children! We only know the seven children he had with Margaret. So, there are a lot of Kents out there that we have never been able to connect to David. It is very possible that we are related. Father Edmund Kent wrote a very detailed history of the Kent family and if you like I can email it to you. Maybe you could send me your email address. Also…do you know if your family lived in the Shelbourne district of Wexford and also in Great Island. If so, I do have some information about your family.
We should never forget the sacrifice of those who gave their lives for the freedom which had so long been denied the Irish race.
Here is a photo of Constable Rowe who was killed during the fight at Bawnard House and the supposed reason that Thomas was executed and a photo of his grave.
Dear Sir/Madam,
The photo of Constable Rowe and the photo of his grave were not shown in the above article.
If you have the photo’s, would it be possible to send them down to me at the above email address.
Kindest regards, Georgina Casserly
Georgina…I just saw your request. Sorry I took so long to get back with you. I could send you copies of the photos but I don’t see your email address. Maybe you could contact the administrator of this website and ask if they can send the photos to you. I think they didn’t post them because the photo of Rowe is very small.