MacSwiney, Terence (1879-1920)

Irish writer and revolutionary. In March 1920 he was elected Lord Mayor of Cork, following the murder of his predecessor by police. In August he was arrested for possession of a Royal Irish Constabulary cipher and sentenced to two years' imprisonment. He immediately began a hunger strike, demanding his unconditional release. He died in Brixton Prison after a fast of 74 days, which attracted worldwide attention.

He was instrumental in the creation of the Cork Volunteers in 1913, but obeyed John (Eoin) MacNeill's countermand of the order for a rebellion in 1916. He was elected Sinn Fein MP for West Cork in 1918 and helped organize the Dáil's arbitration courts, while continuing his efforts as an IRA organizer. His sister was Mary MacSwiney (1872-1942), the republican and social conservative who founded Mná na Poblachta (Women of the Republic) in 1933 as a breakaway from Cumann na mBan.

MacSwiney was born in Cork where he trained as an accountant. He was also a nationalist playwright, co-founding the Cork Dramatic Society in 1908.

Following his death his sister Mary MacSwiney was elected to the Dáil in 1920. A prominent republican leader, she opposed the Anglo-Irish Treaty (1921) and broke with Éamon de Valera in 1926 when he established Fianna Fáil.