MacSwiney’s body was sent straight to Cork despite protests from Lord Mayor’s family

Martyred after a 74-day hunger strike in London, Terence MacSwiney was supposed to have a funeral commemoration in Dublin before being brought by train to Cork for burial. The British authorities had other ideas and scuppered these plans.

The funeral parade in Cork of Terence MacSwiney remains. Picture: Cork Public Museum

Monday October 18, 1920 marked the 67th day of Terence MacSwiney’s hunger strike in London’s Brixton Prison. As his health continued to deteriorate, the end was only days away.

In her diary, his sister Anne recalls he was conscious when she was with him from early that morning till lunchtime. Three prison doctors Peddard, Griffith, Hijson visited him at 1pm.