“What’s my life compared with the cause?” MacSwiney and Barry – Oct 1920

Death of Terence MacSwiney & Kevin Barry – Oct 1920

Unwilling to create another martyr like Thomas Ashe, British authorities had taken to releasing hunger strikers and then re arresting them when they recovered. When released IRA prisoners would often go on the run and RIC morale was crumbling as they lost faith in the British government to protect them. When the Lord Mayor of Cork began a hunger strike, fully expecting to be released in a few days, the British felt they had to make a stand. Over 74 days the spectacle played out in the world media, punctuated by the court martial of 18 year old Kevin Barry.

Credit to The Irish Nation Lives