The British Chief Secretary, Hamar Greenwood, insisted that Britain

had Ireland under control. The British Prime Minister David Lloyd

George disingenuously referred to the IRA as “a small murder

gang”, and in November 1920 announced “we have murder by the

throat”, but the truth was that law and order had long ceased in

Ireland and the conduct of the war from the British side was

increasingly inept.

Dublin Castle, the headquarters of British rule in

Ireland, could not put together an effective, unified

security command. In March 1920, the Royal Irish

Constabulary was reinforced by the recruitment

of British ex-soldiers and sailors, known as the

Black and Tans due to their distinctive uniforms.

By November 1921 there were almost 10,000 of

them in Ireland as well as a new auxiliary division

of the RIC, created in July 1920. Although it is

difficult to be precise about the numerical strength

of the IRA, it is unlikely that more than 3,000

members were active as combatants.

In March 1920, the mayor of Cork, Tomás Mac

Curtain had been killed, in his home while a week

before Barry’s hanging Terence MacSwiney, who

had replaced MacCurtain as Mayor of Cork, died

on hunger strike at Brixton Prison, an event that

attracted worldwide attention. Three weeks after

Barry’s death 14 British officers were assassinated

by the IRA and 12 civilians were killed in revenge

in Croke Park at a GAA match on Bloody Sunday.

A week later the IRA killed 18 auxiliaries in an

ambush at Kilmichael, County Cork.

The sentencing of Kevin Barry also attracted

widespread attention because he was only 18

years of age. There were numerous appeals for his

life to be spared, but the cabinet in London and

officials in Dublin Castle, the seat of British power

in Ireland, decided against a reprieve, pointing out

that the victims of the raid were also young. The

Archbishop of Dublin, William Walsh, though in

ailing heath, made vigorous appeals for Barry’s life

to be spared. John Anderson, the under secretary,

recalled “I had to tell him to my sorrow that to do

what he asked would be to proclaim the helplessness

of the law”.

Barry displayed remarkable maturity, fortitude

and good humour in the face of death. The final

letter he wrote to his friends the night before his

execution included the line “I have always considered

myself lucky to have such a crowd of pals. It’s the

only thing which makes it hard to go”. His killing

also had a profound impact on his fellow students.

One of them, Celia Shaw, recorded in her diary “I

never experienced anything like the surging fury

which the news produced in everyone”.

Some of his fellow UCD students went to Mountjoy

on the day before the execution and knelt and

prayed, where a priest brought out Barry’s last

message to the students, “an exhortation to fight

for the cause for which he was dying”.

UCD’s governing body passed a resolution after

his death that stated it “desires in union with the

Irish nation, to express its appreciation of the courage

and dignity with which Mr Barry met his untimely

death”. As a republican martyr, he was subsequently

celebrated in many ballads and verses; the best-

known was recorded by the American

singer Paul Robeson,

among others.

Barry, along with all

those executed in

Mountjoy during 1920-21

was buried within the

prison, but following a long

campaign by the relatives

his remains, along with

remains of nine others,

were exhumed and given

a state funeral in Glasnevin

Cemetery on 14 October 2001.

UCD would like to thank the following people for their help and assistance with this project: Professor Diarmaid Ferriter, UCD Communications and UCD Archives.

Collection held by University College Dublin, UCD Archives. Images ©University College Dublin, National University of Ireland, Dublin. Published by UCD Digital Library.

©All rights reserved. Material published here may not be reproduced in whole or in part for any purpose without the advance written permission of UCD.

KEVIN BARRY AND HIS TIME

2

“Fr Mc Mahon and I were summoned to bury him at 1.30pm. We found the coffin already closed, fastened down, placed in the centre of a large workshop not far from the place chosen for the grave.” Extract from a letter to Kevin Barry’s mother from Canon John Waters of Holy Cross College, Dublin on

November 3rd 1920 following the hanging of Kevin Barry that same day.

Below: A Typescript copy of a letter from Barry sent to ‘A---’ (all names deleted except for the initial), a

fellow student at UCD from Mountjoy Prison, Dublin, commenting on the progress of his friends in their

studies and sending his regards. ‘Now remember me to B--- and gradh mor to F---. tell her give the said gradh

from me to all the girls in UCD.’

Below: L. Stg. Archer Banks sworn statement detailing his detention of Barry.

Right: Photostat copy of a sworn statement made by Barry at

Mountjoy Prison, before Myles Keogh a Justice of the Peace, outlining in detail alleged ill-tereatment during his initial

interrogation after arrest on 20 September 1920.

Below: A letter of sympathy from Fr. john Doyle from Manila.

Right: Barry’s charge sheet dated

15th October 1920.