Éamonn Ceannt
Encyclopedia
Éamonn Ceannt born Edward Thomas Kent, was an Irish
republican, mostly known for his role in the Easter Rising
of 1916.
in the town of Ballymoe
. He spent his first few years in the town barracks where his father, James Kent, was stationed as an RIC
officer. When his father retired from the force, the family moved to Dublin. It was there, in the Christian Brothers' School on North Richmond Street, that Éamonn Ceannt took his first steps on the road to becoming a nationalist.
The majority of the leaders of the 1916 rebellion were ex-pupils of the Christian Brothers
. They turned out very well-educated young men who were indoctrinated by the idea of a nationalist Ireland.
Two events that evoked nationalism at the end of the 19th century were the 1798 commemoration
and the Boer War
in South Africa. Éamonn became interested in these events. He took part in the commemoration. He joined the Gaelic League, adopting the Irish version of his name (Éamonn), and becoming a master of the uilleann pipes
, even putting on a performance for Pope Pius X
http://st.louis.irish.tripod.com/irishwarpipe/id3.html, who was on that occasion accompanied by a group of elderly Irish priests that had been long living in exile. He was employed as an accountant for the Dublin Corporation
.
, and later was one of the founding members of the Irish Volunteers
. As such he was important in the planning of the Easter Rising
of 1916, being one of the original members of the Military Committee and thus one of the seven signatories of the Proclamation of the Irish Republic. He was made commandant of the 4th Battalion of the Volunteers, and during the Rising was stationed at the South Dublin Union and the Marrowbone Lane
Distillery , with more than 100 men under his command, notably his second-in-command Cathal Brugha
, and W. T. Cosgrave. His unit saw intense fighting at times during the week, but surrendered when ordered to do so by his superior officer Padraig Pearse. Ceannt's position was one of only two that was not taken in the rising, along with Éamon de Valera
's at Boland's Mill.
Ceannt was held in Kilmainham Jail until his execution by firing squad
on 8 May 1916, aged 34.
, which was demolished in 2005, was also named after him.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
republican, mostly known for his role in the Easter Rising
Easter Rising
The Easter Rising was an insurrection staged in Ireland during Easter Week, 1916. The Rising was mounted by Irish republicans with the aims of ending British rule in Ireland and establishing the Irish Republic at a time when the British Empire was heavily engaged in the First World War...
of 1916.
Background
Ceannt was born in east County GalwayCounty Galway
County Galway is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the city of Galway. Galway County Council is the local authority for the county. There are several strongly Irish-speaking areas in the west of the county...
in the town of Ballymoe
Ballymoe
Ballymoe is a village in County Galway, Ireland. Ballymoe is situated on the western side of the River Suck that separates counties Galway and Roscommon...
. He spent his first few years in the town barracks where his father, James Kent, was stationed as an RIC
Royal Irish Constabulary
The armed Royal Irish Constabulary was Ireland's major police force for most of the nineteenth and the early twentieth centuries. A separate civic police force, the unarmed Dublin Metropolitan Police controlled the capital, and the cities of Derry and Belfast, originally with their own police...
officer. When his father retired from the force, the family moved to Dublin. It was there, in the Christian Brothers' School on North Richmond Street, that Éamonn Ceannt took his first steps on the road to becoming a nationalist.
The majority of the leaders of the 1916 rebellion were ex-pupils of the Christian Brothers
Congregation of Christian Brothers
The Congregation of Christian Brothers is a worldwide religious community within the Catholic Church, founded by Blessed Edmund Rice. The Christian Brothers, as they are commonly known, chiefly work for the evangelisation and education of youth, but are involved in many ministries, especially with...
. They turned out very well-educated young men who were indoctrinated by the idea of a nationalist Ireland.
Two events that evoked nationalism at the end of the 19th century were the 1798 commemoration
Irish Rebellion of 1798
The Irish Rebellion of 1798 , also known as the United Irishmen Rebellion , was an uprising in 1798, lasting several months, against British rule in Ireland...
and the Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
in South Africa. Éamonn became interested in these events. He took part in the commemoration. He joined the Gaelic League, adopting the Irish version of his name (Éamonn), and becoming a master of the uilleann pipes
Uilleann pipes
The uilleann pipes or //; ) are the characteristic national bagpipe of Ireland, their current name, earlier known in English as "union pipes", is a part translation of the Irish-language term píobaí uilleann , from their method of inflation.The bag of the uilleann pipes is inflated by means of a...
, even putting on a performance for Pope Pius X
Pope Pius X
Pope Saint Pius X , born Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto, was the 257th Pope of the Catholic Church, serving from 1903 to 1914. He was the first pope since Pope Pius V to be canonized. Pius X rejected modernist interpretations of Catholic doctrine, promoting traditional devotional practices and orthodox...
http://st.louis.irish.tripod.com/irishwarpipe/id3.html, who was on that occasion accompanied by a group of elderly Irish priests that had been long living in exile. He was employed as an accountant for the Dublin Corporation
Dublin Corporation
Dublin Corporation , known by generations of Dubliners simply as The Corpo, is the former name given to the city government and its administrative organisation in Dublin between 1661 and 1 January 2002...
.
Personal life
In June 1905, in a ceremony conducted in Irish, Ceannt married Áine O'Brennan. Their son Ronán was born in June 1906. Áine Ceannt later founded the White Cross to help the families impoverished by British actions or the loss of their breadwinners in the War of Independence.The Easter Rising
Sometime around 1913 he joined the Irish Republican BrotherhoodIrish Republican Brotherhood
The Irish Republican Brotherhood was a secret oath-bound fraternal organisation dedicated to the establishment of an "independent democratic republic" in Ireland during the second half of the 19th century and the start of the 20th century...
, and later was one of the founding members of the Irish Volunteers
Irish Volunteers
The Irish Volunteers was a military organisation established in 1913 by Irish nationalists. It was ostensibly formed in response to the formation of the Ulster Volunteers in 1912, and its declared primary aim was "to secure and maintain the rights and liberties common to the whole people of Ireland"...
. As such he was important in the planning of the Easter Rising
Easter Rising
The Easter Rising was an insurrection staged in Ireland during Easter Week, 1916. The Rising was mounted by Irish republicans with the aims of ending British rule in Ireland and establishing the Irish Republic at a time when the British Empire was heavily engaged in the First World War...
of 1916, being one of the original members of the Military Committee and thus one of the seven signatories of the Proclamation of the Irish Republic. He was made commandant of the 4th Battalion of the Volunteers, and during the Rising was stationed at the South Dublin Union and the Marrowbone Lane
Marrowbone Lane
Marrowbone Lane is a street off Cork Street in Dublin, Ireland. The name is a corruption of St. Mary Le Bone; it was known as Marrowbone Lane as far back as 1743....
Distillery , with more than 100 men under his command, notably his second-in-command Cathal Brugha
Cathal Brugha
Cathal Brugha was an Irish revolutionary and politician, active in the Easter Rising, Irish War of Independence, and the Irish Civil War and was the first Ceann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann.-Background:...
, and W. T. Cosgrave. His unit saw intense fighting at times during the week, but surrendered when ordered to do so by his superior officer Padraig Pearse. Ceannt's position was one of only two that was not taken in the rising, along with Éamon de Valera
Éamon de Valera
Éamon de Valera was one of the dominant political figures in twentieth century Ireland, serving as head of government of the Irish Free State and head of government and head of state of Ireland...
's at Boland's Mill.
Ceannt was held in Kilmainham Jail until his execution by firing squad
Execution by firing squad
Execution by firing squad, sometimes called fusillading , is a method of capital punishment, particularly common in the military and in times of war.Execution by shooting is a fairly old practice...
on 8 May 1916, aged 34.
Legacy
Galway City's Ceannt Station, the main bus and rail station in his native county of Galway, is named in his honour, as well as Éamonn Ceannt Park in Dublin. Eamonn Ceannt Tower in BallymunBallymun
Ballymun is an area on Dublin's Northside close to Dublin Airport, Ireland. It is infamous for the Ballymun flats, which became a symbol of poverty, drugs, alienation from the state and social problems in Ireland from the 1970s...
, which was demolished in 2005, was also named after him.