RTÉ
RTÉ COVERAGE OF THE STATE FUNERAL OF THOMAS KENT – FRIDAY 18th SEPTEMBER
RTÉ will broadcast live coverage on television, online and mobile of the State Funeral of executed 1916 rebel Thomas Kent on Friday 18 September 2015.
Thomas Kent was one of the sixteen men executed in 1916 following the Easter Rising, and one of only two executed outside Dublin (the other was Roger Casement, who was hanged in London). Thomas Kent’s remains were exhumed in Cork Prison earlier this year and his relatives accepted the offer of a State Funeral.
David McCullagh will present special television coverage of the State Funeral, starting at 1.25pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ News Now, with John Bowman and Mary Kennedy providing commentary of the Requiem Mass and reburial in the Kent family grave at St Nicholas’ Church in Castlelyons near Fermoy, Co.Cork. Full military honours will be rendered at the funeral ceremonies.
The Requiem Mass will be attended by the President, Michael D Higgins, An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny TD, the Tánaiste Joan Burton TD., the Lord Mayor of Cork, the Cork County Mayor, and other dignitaries.
On RTÉ Radio 1, Morning Ireland, News at One and Drivetime will include feature reports on the official ceremonies.
Television coverage will be streamed live on RTE.ie and RTÉ Player, on mobile via the RTÉ Player App and available to audiences worldwide on the RTÉ News Now App and the RTÉ Player International App.
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Date: 17 September 2015
Contact: Laura Fitzgerald, Communications Manager, RTÉ News and Current Affairs, 087 2923931, Laura.Fitzgerald@rte.ie
Note for Editors:
Thomas Kent (1885-1916) was born in Bawnard House, Castlelyons, near Fermoy, Co.Cork. Thomas and William Kent were arrested following a RIC raid at the family home on 1st May 1916. Their brother Richard was wounded trying to escape and died shortly after. Thomas and William were tried by courts-martial at Cork Detention Barracks. William was acquitted, but Thomas was sentenced to death and executed in Cork on 9 May 1916. He was unmarried.