Terence MacSwiney
Terence MacSwiney (Irish Traolach Mac Suibhne, born March 20, 1879 in Cork, † October 25, 1920 in London) was an Irish politician and writer.
MacSwiney attended the North Monastery Christian Brothers ' School and studied at the Royal University of Ireland. As an enthusiastic supporter of the Irish language in 1901 he was a founding member of the Cork Celtic Literary Society, and in 1908, together with Daniel Corkery of Cork Dramatic Society, for which he wrote several pieces. MacSwiney was an important figure in the formation of the Irish Volunteers in Cork in 1913. According to the Easter Rising in April 1916, he was still arrested in the same month and only released back in December of this year. From February to June 1917, he was arrested again and was arrested a second time in November; MacSwiney was caught wearing an IRA uniform. After a three- day hunger strike, he was released again. In 1918 he was elected for Sinn Féin in the First Dail. As the incumbent Mayor of Cork ( Lord Mayor of Cork) Tomás MacCurtain was murdered in March 1920, MacSwiney was elected as the new mayor. MacCurtain had also been a member of the Irish Volunteers and Sinn Féin. Besides MacSwineys activity as Mayor of Cork, he was also commander of the First Cork Brigade of the IRA.
On August 12, 1920 MacSwiney was arrested for possession of seditious writings and a ciphering key used by the Royal Irish Constabulary for message encoding. Four days later he was put on trial and sentenced to two years in prison and detained in Brixton Prison in London. Following his conviction MacSwiney soon joined with nine other prisoner hunger strike. The ongoing hunger strike ensured global attention. Many eminent personalities, including Pope Benedict XV. and the New York City Mayor John F. Hylan, campaigned for the release of the strikers. However, the British authorities could not be swayed. On October 17, eventually died with Michael Fitzgerald of the first strikers. Joseph Murray followed him a few hours later. MacSwiney died on the 74th day of the strike to the consequences of the increasing exhaustion. In his honor, there were parades in several U.S. cities, as well as commemorative events in Paris, Montreal and Belfast. MacSwineys body was taken to Cork and he was buried at the Saint Finbarr 's Cemetery next to MacCurtain. The funeral was held under Nationwide condolences place on 1 November and attracted a large crowd.
The remaining surviving prisoners resumed their hunger strike continued for another 20 days before they finally after 94 days ended him at the request of Arthur Griffith. At this time they were so weakened that they survived only by medical assistance. Organised by MacSwiney and his fellow prisoners on hunger strike is the longest documented such case in history.
MacSwiney was in addition to his political activities as a talented writer. Among other things, he wrote the drama "The Revolutionist ", several books of poetry and a book of essays entitled " The Principles of Freedom". The latter was published in 1921 in New York City posthumously.
His sister Mary and his brother Seán was elected after the death of her brother in 1921 in the Dáil Éireann.