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Kevin Barry.

Kevin Gerard Barry (Irish: Caoimhín de Barra; 20 January, 1902 - 1 November, 1920) was an Irish medical student who fought in the Irish War of Independence, becoming one of its earliest and most remembered martyrs.

Kevin Barry was born in Dublin of upper middle class parents, and grew up both there and in rural County Carlow. He was the fourth of seven children. He entered the exclusive Belvedere College in 1916. During his second year there, aged 15, he joined the Irish Volunteers, and initially was charged with delivering motivation orders. In 1919, he enrolled at University College Dublin to study medicine.

During the war against the British, Barry was promoted to Section Commander, and took part in various raids for arms throughout the city. On 20 September, 1920, he took part in an ambush of a lorry of British soldiers. In the ensuing gunfight, three of them were killed, making them the first military deaths the British had suffered in Ireland since the Easter Rising. The three men killed were Pte. Thomas Humphries, Pte. Marshall Whitehead and Pte Harold Washington. Pte Washington was only 15 years old, and may have lied about his age to join the army.

Barry was captured hiding under a truck after his comrades fled the scene. He testified in a sworn affidavit some weeks later that his captors tortured him in an attempt to find out the names of other men involved in the raid. Barry refused to tell. He was tried as a civilian for the murder of Pte. Whitehead. Barry refused to recognise the court and so was undefended at his trial. He is reported to have read the newspaper during proceedings. Kevin Barry was convicted of murder and was hanged in Mountjoy Prison on 1 November, despite a reported request to be shot as a soldier. He was 18 years old. His was the first execution since 1916. The execution was used by Sinn Féin to help foster anti-British sentiment throughout the country. Many students his age joined the Irish Republican Army following his execution.

Barry's death is considered a watershed moment in the Irish conflict. His hanging came only days after the death on hunger strike of Terence MacSwiney - the Republican Lord Mayor of Cork - and brought public opinion to fever-pitch. His treatment and death attracted great international attention and attempts were made by U.S., British and Vatican officials to secure a reprieve. The story of Kevin Barry has an enduring appeal and he remains one of the best known figures of the Irish Republican tradition. In many ways Barry might be considered a victim of circumstances. An unknown N.C.O. in life, it was the timing and mythologising of his death that catapulted him to fame. That said, he played his part to perfection showing considerable courage and good-humour in the face of death. A few days before his execution he joked with a visitor that "They are not going to shoot me like a soldier - they are going to hang me like a gentleman!".

The only full-length biography of Kevin Barry was written by his nephew, the journalist Donal O'Donovan and published in 1989 as Kevin Barry and his Time.

Kevin Barry is remembered in a well-known song about his imprisonment and execution, written shortly after his death and still sung today. The tune to "Kevin Barry" was taken from "Rolling Home to Dear Old Ireland".

Kevin Barry monument in Rathvilly, Co Carlow.

The words of Kevin Barry:-

In Mountjoy jail one Monday morning

High upon the gallows tree

Kevin Barry gave his young life

For the cause of liberty

Just a lad of eighteen summers

Yet there's no one can deny

As he walked to death that morning

He proudly held his head on high

CHORUS: Shoot me like an Irish soldier,

Do not hang me like a dog;

For I fought for Ireland's freedom

On that dark September morn,

All around that little bakery,

Where we fought them hand to hand.

Shoot me like an Irish soldier

For I fought to free Ireland.

Just before he faced the hangman

In his dreary prison cell

British soldiers tortured Barry

Just because he would not tell

The names of his brave comrades

Certain things they wished to know

"Turn informer or we'll kill you"

Kevin Barry answered "No"

Calmly standing to attention

While he bade his last farewell

To his broken hearted mother

Whose sad grief no one can tell

For the cause he proudly cherished

This sad parting had to be

Then to death he walked on smiling

That old Ireland might be free

Another martyr for old Ireland

Another murder for the crown

Whose brutal laws may kill the Irish

But can't keep their spirits down

Lads like Barry are no cowards

From the foe they will not fly

Lads like Barry will free Ireland

For her sake they'll live and die

On October 14 2001 the remains of Barry and 9 other volunteers from the War of Independence were given a state funeral and moved from Mountjoy Prison to be re-interred at Glasnevin Cemetery in Dublin.

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 Kevin Barry was born in [[Dublin]] of upper middle class parents, and grew up both there and in rural [[County Carlow]]. He was the fourth of seven children. He entered the exclusive [[Belvedere College]] in 1916. During his second year there, aged 15, he joined the [[Irish Volunteers]], and initially was charged with delivering motivation orders. In 1919, he enrolled at [[University College Dublin]] to study medicine.
-During the war against the [[United Kingdom|British]], Barry was promoted to Section Commander, and took part in various raids for arms throughout the city.  On [[20 September]], [[1920]], he took part in an ambush of a lorry of [[British army|British soldiers]]. In the ensuing gunfight, three of them were killed, making them the first military deaths the British had suffered in Ireland since the [[Easter Rising]]. The three men killed were Pte. Thomas Humphries, Pte. Marshall and Pte Harold Washington. Pte Washington was only 15 years old, and must have lied about his age to join the army.
+During the war against the [[United Kingdom|British]], Barry was promoted to Section Commander, and took part in various raids for arms throughout the city.  On [[20 September]], [[1920]], he took part in an ambush of a lorry of [[British army|British soldiers]]. In the ensuing gunfight, three of them were killed, making them the first military deaths the British had suffered in Ireland since the [[Easter Rising]]. The three men killed were Pte. Thomas Humphries, Pte. Marshall Whitehead and Pte Harold Washington. Pte Washington was only 15 years old, and may have lied about his age to join the army.
 Barry was captured hiding under a truck after his comrades fled the scene. He testified in a sworn affidavit some weeks later that his captors tortured him in an attempt to find out the names of other men involved in the raid. Barry refused to tell. He was tried as a civilian for the murder of Pte. Whitehead.   Barry refused to recognise the court and so was undefended at his trial. He is reported to have read the newspaper during proceedings. Kevin Barry was convicted of murder and was hanged in [[Mountjoy Prison]] on [[1 November]], despite a reported request to be shot as a soldier. He was 18 years old. His was the first execution since 1916. The execution was used by [[Sinn Féin]] to help foster anti-British sentiment throughout the country. Many students his age joined the [[Irish Republican Army]] following his execution.