David Kent (politician)

David Kent
Teachta Dála
In office
August 1923 – September 1927
ConstituencyCork East
In office
May 1921 – August 1923
ConstituencyCork East and North East
In office
December 1918 – May 1921
ConstituencyCork East
Personal details
Born(1867-02-02)2 February 1867
Castlelyons, County Cork, Ireland
Died16 November 1930(1930-11-16) (aged 63)
Castlelyons, County Cork, Ireland
Political partySinn Féin

David Rice Kent (also known as David Ceannt; 2 February 1867 – 16 November 1930) was an Irish Sinn Féin politician.

He was born on 2 February 1867 in Coole, Castlelyons, County Cork, to David Kent and Mary Rice.[1]

On 2 May 1916, David Kent, his mother Mrs Rice Kent and three brothers—Thomas, William and Richard—were involved in a gunfight with members of the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) during an arrest operation following the Easter Rising in Dublin. When the supply of ammunition being loaded by Mrs Rice Kent was at its end, Richard attempted to escape but was shot and died from his wounds within several days. Thomas was not charged with armed rebellion but with "wilful murder", executed by firing squad and buried in the Detention Barracks. David was transferred to Richmond Barracks in Dublin, where he was sentenced to death, though later was reduced to penal servitude for life.[2] Subsequently, he was moved to Pentonville Prison in England though released from there within the year.[3][4]

David Kent was elected unopposed as a Sinn Féin MP for the Cork East constituency at the 1918 general election.[5] In January 1919, Sinn Féin MPs refused to recognise the Parliament of the United Kingdom and instead assembled at the Mansion House in Dublin as a revolutionary parliament called Dáil Éireann, though Kent did not attend.[6] He was elected unopposed as a Sinn Féin Teachta Dála (TD) for the Cork East and North East constituency at the 1921 elections. He opposed the Anglo-Irish Treaty and voted against it.

He was re-elected for the same constituency at the 1922 general election, this time as an anti-Treaty Sinn Féin TD, and he did not sit in the Dáil from this time onwards. He was elected as a Republican TD for Cork East constituency at the 1923 general election. He was elected as one of five Sinn Féin TDs at the June 1927 general election. He did not contest the September 1927 general election.[7]

His brother William Kent was also a TD in the 1920s and 1930s.

He died on 16 November 1930 at Bawnard, Castlelyons, County Cork.[8]

See also

References

  1. ^ "General Registrar's Office". IrishGenealogy.ie. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  2. ^ White, Lawrence William. "Kent, David". Dictionary of Irish Biography. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
  3. ^ Piaras F. Mac Lochlainn, Last words: Letters and Statements of the Leaders Executed after the Rising at Easter 1916, Stationery Office, Dublin, 1990, p. 155
  4. ^ Patrick J. Power, "The Kents of Bawnard, Castlelyons, and their Fight for Irish Freedom", in "REBEL CORK'S FIGHTING STORY", Anvil Books, The Kerryman Ltd, Tralee
  5. ^ "David Kent". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 10 April 2009.
  6. ^ "Roll call of the first sitting of the First Dáil". Dáil Éireann Historical Debates (in Irish). 21 January 1919. Archived from the original on 19 November 2007. Retrieved 29 March 2008.
  7. ^ "David Kent". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 10 April 2009.
  8. ^ "General Registrar's Office". IrishGenealogy.ie. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Cork East
1918–1922 		Constituency abolished
Oireachtas
New constituency Teachta Dála for Cork East
1918–1921 		Constituency abolished