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Two of the Kent brothers from Castlelyons, Thomas and William, being marched over Fermoy Bridge under British military escort, following their arrest for defending their homestead in 1916. A special meeting will take place in Castlelyons to formulate plans for a special 100 year anniversary commemoration event.

A public meeting will be held in Castlelyons Community Centre at 8pm on Wednesday, October 15, to put in place plans to organise a 1916 Easter Rising commemoration. The Kent family of Bawnard House, Castlelyons are synonymous with the history of the Easter Rising, when on May 4, 1916 the house become the scene of a three hour shoot-out between four of the Kent brothers - Thomas, William, Richard and David - and the Royal Irish Constabulary.

The Kent’s had a long history of fighting against the injustices suffered by small farmers and had been involved during the Land War. When news of the Rising in Dublin reached the Kent brothers, they waited in neighbouring houses for orders to mobilise, which never arrived, mainly due to Eoin MacNeill’s countermanding order and J.J. O’Connell’s arrival in Cork with orders to stand down.

Returning to Bawnard House, Castlelyons on May 2, the police arrived at dawn with orders to arrest the whole family. Thomas replied that, as soldiers of the Irish Republic, there would be no surrender. A battle broke out following shots from the police, and ended only when the brothers ran out of ammunition for their three shotguns and one rifle.

The result of the shoot-out was that David had been wounded, and a Head Constable was killed. Richard then made a dash for the woods and was killed in a barrage of bullets. But for the intervention of a military officer, Thomas and William would have been shot. They were tried on May 4 by court-martial, William was acquitted, however Thomas was convicted and sentenced to death for taking part ‘in an armed rebellion’, with the purpose of assisting the enemy. He was executed by the British in Cork Detention Barracks on May 9, 1916.

PUBLIC MEETING

All are welcome at this meeting, which will aim to set up a committee to plan for the 100 year anniversary commemorations in two years’ time and to generate ideas. The commemorations will be non-political, with involvement expected from the local national school, and re-enactments, parades and storytelling as possible events.

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