Wed - Fri 11am to 4pm | Sat - Sun 2pm to 5pm
Back to all Post

LORD MAYOR MacSWINEY DEAD

LORD MAYOR MacSWINEY DEAD

After 74 days since he began his hunger strike on the day of his arrest in Cork City Hall Lord Mayor Terence MacSwiney died on hunger strike in Brixton Prison, London on the 25th October 1920.

Lawrence Telegram

These are the original Lawrence Telegram (Lawrence , Massachusetts) newspapers whose coverage, not unlike many newspapers the world over 100 years ago, kept the public informed daily on the tragic saga of the Lord Mayor of Cork Terence MacSwiney’s hunger strike.

Note how the coverage continued even after the death of the Lord Mayor.

Lawrence Telegram (Lawrence, Massachusetts, USA) showing the daily almost vigil-like reporting with which the world media followed the Lord Mayor’s struggle during his hunger strike in Brixton Prison.

Lawrence Telegram (Lawrence, Massachusetts, USA) showing the daily almost vigil-like reporting with which the world media followed the Lord Mayor’s struggle during his hunger strike and eventual death in Brixton Prison as well as the aftermath.

Lawrence Telegram (Lawrence, Massachusetts, USA) showing the daily almost vigil-like reporting with which the world media followed the Lord Mayor’s struggle during his hunger strike and eventual death in Brixton Prison as well as the aftermath.

Note also the reference here (“Friends of Irish Freedom- ATTENTION”) to the Cork deaths, also on hunger strike, of Michael Fitzgerald and Joseph Murphy.

These newspapers were very kindly donated to the Museum in 2019 and were centerpiece in the January 2020 launch of the Cork Decade of Centenaries Programme 2020 by the then Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Joseph a Madigan in the City Hall Cork.

Professor Cathal MacSwiney Brugha, Tomás MacCurtain (grandson of Lord Mayor Tomás MacCurtain) and Lord Mayor John Sheehan review original US newspaper coverage of Terence MacSwiney’s hunger strike
Aindrias Moynihan T.D. and Tomás MacCurtain (grandson of Lord Mayor Tomás MacCurtain )reviewing original US newspaper coverage of Terence MacSwiney’s hunger strike

Media Coverage

RTE: Cork to be focus of 1920 centenary events

The Irish Times: State to mark Cork’s pivotal role during War of Independence

Minister of State for Equality David Stanton,, Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Josepha Madigan, and Professor Cathal MacSwiney Brugha grandson of Terence MacSwiney at the anouncement of Cork Decade of Centenaries Programme 2020. Photograph: Gerard McCarthy

Thanks to a grant from the Heritage Council and Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage these newspapers are currently undergoing preservation off-site for eventual public display in our collection.

Add Your Comment

Independence Museum Kilmurry
© 2024. All Rights Reserved

Privacy Policy / Terms of Use