14/08/2015

Govt Announce State Funeral For Thomas Kent

The government has announced a State Funeral for the late Thomas Kent, one of the 16 men executed in 1916 following the Easter Rising.

Welcoming the news, Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Seán Sherlock, said: "It is appropriate that we honour the memory of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice in the pursuit of Irish freedom.

"It is fitting for a State funeral to take place not just to mark Thomas Kent's actions but also to allow him to rest in peace amongst his own. Thomas Kent has a special place in the hearts and minds of all those from Castlyons and Cork and this is very welcome news for his family and all those who work to keep the Kent legacy alive locally."

The Taoiseach offered the honour of a State Funeral to Thomas Kent’s family earlier this year and the family accepted.

The remains of Thomas Kent were exhumed in Cork Prison in June. The exhumation was led by the National Monuments Service in the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, with assistance from the Irish Prison Service and the State Pathologist’s Office.

Given the passage of time and the lack of formal records regarding the grave of Thomas Kent, it was necessary to undertake DNA testing to confirm that the remains were indeed those of Thomas Kent. A complex testing process followed, involving the State Pathologist’s Office, the National Forensic Coordination Office at the Garda Technical Bureau, Forensic Science Ireland and the UCD Science Faculty. The remains have now been confirmed as those of Thomas Kent.

The State Funeral will be held in Cork on Friday 18 September 2015.

(MH)




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