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Archiver > MAYO > 2001-04 > 0987542212


From: "conaught" <>
Subject: [MAYO] Easter Week Series #4
Date: Tue, 17 Apr 2001 14:16:52 -0700


Terence MacSwiney - He was born in Cork City in 1879. He helped form the
Cork Celtic Literary Society with Daniel Corkery. .He was the author of
five plays. In 1911 he was appointed commercial teacher and organizer of
classes in the towns of County Cork. He was one of the main founders of the
Cork Volunteers. He also published Fianna Fail, and was the main
contributor. After 11 issues it was suppressed. He and Tomas MacCurtain
dispersed the Volunteers at Easter of 1916 following Eoin MacNeil's orders.
He regretted this deeply the rest of his life. He was imprisoned several
times for his Nationalist views and activities. He represented West Cork in
the first Dail and was involved in setting up Dail Eireann's Arbitration
Court.

After the murder of his good friend, Tomas MacCurtain, Terence MacSwiney was
elected Lord Mayor of Cork. On August 12, 1920 while attending a meeting at
City Hall he was arrested along with several others. Within a few days all
were released except for MacSwiney. He was court - martialled and sentenced
to two years imprisonment. He told the court that by not taking any food he
would limit any prison term imposed upon him. He was transferred to Brixton
Prison in England.

The tragic ordeal of Terence MacSwiney began. During most of he hunger
strike MacSwiney's family was allowed to visit him, then towards the end his
sisters, Mary and Anne were forcibly removed from a waiting area. His
brothers Sean and Peter were told to wait in a room and could only see their
brother when they were summoned. His wife Muriel was also told she would be
summoned. As death approached the family was told they would be summoned
when a crisis occurred. In reality as Terence MacSwiney was dying he was
attended by his brother Sean and Fr. Dominic, when Sean attempted to call
the family, the authorities probhited him from using the telephone. Terence
MacSwiney died after 74 days on a hunger strike on October 25, 1920. The
man who had said" It is not those who can inflict the most, but those that
can suffer the most who will conquer" had sacrificed his life for the
freedom of Ireland.

During MacSwiney's long ordeal, the world expressed its shock and dismay
with England's actions towards MacSwiney. The world witnessed MacSwiney's
hunger strike. Press from as close as France to as far away as Afghanistan
covered Terence MacSwiney's hunger strike. One of the presidential
candidates in America cabled Lloyd George:
"you have appalled the world by your callous indifference to the death
throes of the heroic Lord Mayor of Cork".***

Following are a few of the press tributes to Terence MacSwiney

The Petit Journal, Parish:
"The death of the Lord Mayor of Cork has interested the whle of humanity in
the cause of Irish independence".

Echo de Paris:
The sacrifice of the Lord Mayor of cork has had the entire world for a
spectator and will echo throughout the globe as the heartbreaking appeal of
a suffering fatherland.

Corriere d'Italia:
An untiring champion of the independence of his country, his wish has been
to sacrifice his life for her in testimony to his faith; and the sacrifice
may well be the equivalent for England of a crushing defeat."**"

Londoners lined the streets to pay their last respects as the coffin was
taken to the train for MacSwiney's last trip home to Cork. Sadly even this
solemn family tragedy was again marred by politics. Lloyd George was
influenced by Sir Henry Wilson to have MacSwiney's family removed from the
boat train at Holyhead and the coffin was diverted to Cork. October 31,
the day of Terence MacSwiney's burial was declared a national day of
mourning in Ireland by the Dail.

© 2001
Margaret Kristich

All rights reserved


References:
**A Trinity of Martyrs; Sean O'Kelly, Irish Book Bureau, Dublin

Michael Collins, The Man Who Made Ireland by Tim Pat Coogan; Roberts
Rinehart Publishers; 1992; Boulder, Colorado

The Irish Republic by Dorothy Macardle;Corgi Books 1968; London

A Dictionary of Irish Biograghpy by Henry Boylan;Roberts Rinehart;
1998;Niwot, Colorado










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