The power of passive protest. The funeral of Terence J MacSwiney at St Finbarr's Cemetery in Cork took place 99 years ago today on 31 October 1920 with Arthur Griffith delivering the graveside oration. MacSwiney was an Irish playwright, author, politician & University College 
Cork graduate in mental & moral science. He was elected as Sinn Féin Lord Mayor of Corkin the Irish War of Independence in 1920 following the murder of Tomás MacCurtain on 20 March 1920, in his home, in front of his wife and son. This murder was determined by Coroner's inquest to
have been carried out by members of the Royal Irish Constabulary the inquest passing a verdict of willful murder against British Prime Minister Lloyd George and against certain members of the RIC.
On 12 August 1920, MacSwiney had been arrested in Cork for possession of “seditous
On 12 August 1920, MacSwiney had been arrested in Cork for possession of “seditous
articles & documents", and possession of a cipher key. He was summarily tried by a military court on 16 August and sentenced to two years' imprisonment at Brixton Prison in England where he immediately started a hunger strike in protest at his internment and the fact that he was
tried by a military court. His death there on 25 October 1920 after 74 days on hunger strike brought him and the Irish Republican campaign to international attention. The St Patrick’s Society of Montreal, the Bilbao Juventud Vacay Society, and the Chicago Police Lieutenants’ Club
were among dozens of groups worldwide that sent messages of sympathy. In Milan that night,La Scala remained closed because Irish soprano Margaret Burke-Sheridan felt unable to perform.
Cork’s Pádraig Ó Cuanacháin cited him as a catalyst for Indian nationalists Mahatma Gandhi &
Cork’s Pádraig Ó Cuanacháin cited him as a catalyst for Indian nationalists Mahatma Gandhi &
Jawaharlal Nehru who took inspiration from MacSwiney's example and writings, Mahatma Gandhi counting him among his influences. The Indian revolutionary Bhagat Singh was an admirer of MacSwiney and wrote about him in his memoirs. North Vietnam’s future president, Ho Chi Minh, who
worked in London washing dishes at the time, said: “A nation that has such citizens will never surrender.”
In 1981 IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands named MacSwiney as an influence.]
Terence MacSwiney is buried in the Republican plot in Saint Finbarr's Cemetery in Cork.
In 1981 IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands named MacSwiney as an influence.]
Terence MacSwiney is buried in the Republican plot in Saint Finbarr's Cemetery in Cork.
