Early life,
He was born on September 21, 1881, in Ballymoe, County Galway. He was the son of James Kent an officer from the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC). At the age of ten his family moved to Dublin. He attended the Christian Brothers School on North Richmond Street. At school he was known as one of the most brilliant students. He proceeded to University College, Dublin. After leaving university he worked for Dublin Corporation in the rates department and then the city treasury office.
Devoted nationalist,
Ceannt was a committed Irish nationalist and this belief manifested itself in a number of ways. In 1900 he joined the Gaelic League, becoming a proficient Irish speaker and he even changed his name from Edward Kent to Eamonn Ceannt. Adopting this Gaelic form of his name showed his early sign of nationalism.
Rise to become a leader,
His political career began with Sinn Fein, which he joined in 1908. He showed early signs of a leader and this led him to be enrolled in the Irish Republican Brotherhood, being sworn in by Sean MacDiarmada, and subsequently became a member of its supreme council. He then enlisted in the Irish Volunteers in 1913, and as director of communications on the headquarters staff was one of its key figures. His devotion and enthusiasm elevated him up the ranks. He played a leading role in the Howth gun running in the following summer.
1916 Rising,
By 1915 he was firmly committed to revolutionary nationalism. He was one of the few members of the small secret military council which planned the Easter rising of 1916. He was one of the seven signatories of the 'Proclamation of the provisional government of the Irish republic', and during the rising was in command of the 4th battalion, which occupied the South Dublin Union which the nationalist Cathal Brugha was second in command. After his surrender in the Easter Rising he was applauded for his efforts. A newspaper report of Ceannt's surrender noted that he was "noble, almost magnificent. Even the officers and soldiers in command of the captured rebels looked on in wonder". On 8 May 1916 he was executed by a firing squad in Kilmainham gaol, Dublin, for his role in the rising; he was buried in Arbour Hill cemetery, Dublin.
He was born on September 21, 1881, in Ballymoe, County Galway. He was the son of James Kent an officer from the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC). At the age of ten his family moved to Dublin. He attended the Christian Brothers School on North Richmond Street. At school he was known as one of the most brilliant students. He proceeded to University College, Dublin. After leaving university he worked for Dublin Corporation in the rates department and then the city treasury office.
Devoted nationalist,
Ceannt was a committed Irish nationalist and this belief manifested itself in a number of ways. In 1900 he joined the Gaelic League, becoming a proficient Irish speaker and he even changed his name from Edward Kent to Eamonn Ceannt. Adopting this Gaelic form of his name showed his early sign of nationalism.
Rise to become a leader,
His political career began with Sinn Fein, which he joined in 1908. He showed early signs of a leader and this led him to be enrolled in the Irish Republican Brotherhood, being sworn in by Sean MacDiarmada, and subsequently became a member of its supreme council. He then enlisted in the Irish Volunteers in 1913, and as director of communications on the headquarters staff was one of its key figures. His devotion and enthusiasm elevated him up the ranks. He played a leading role in the Howth gun running in the following summer.
1916 Rising,
By 1915 he was firmly committed to revolutionary nationalism. He was one of the few members of the small secret military council which planned the Easter rising of 1916. He was one of the seven signatories of the 'Proclamation of the provisional government of the Irish republic', and during the rising was in command of the 4th battalion, which occupied the South Dublin Union which the nationalist Cathal Brugha was second in command. After his surrender in the Easter Rising he was applauded for his efforts. A newspaper report of Ceannt's surrender noted that he was "noble, almost magnificent. Even the officers and soldiers in command of the captured rebels looked on in wonder". On 8 May 1916 he was executed by a firing squad in Kilmainham gaol, Dublin, for his role in the rising; he was buried in Arbour Hill cemetery, Dublin.
Edward Darrell Figgis an Irish writer, Sinn Fein activist and independent politician said that
"He went into insurrection looking for victory because the thought of defeat chafed his intractable spirit. He spoke with cold contempt of Padraic Pearse's slow and moving eloquence as 'green flaggery'. He would have none of it"
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.