Tom Elliott, the Ulster Unionist MP for Fermanagh and South Tyrone, has criticised today’s state funeral in Cork for Thomas Kent, who was executed almost 100 years ago for murdering a police officer.
Tom Elliott said:
“While there are many controversial anniversaries being remembered throughout this decade I think a state funeral for a terrorist after 100 years is a bit much for many decent people to accept. A few weeks ago my Party colleague Councillor Stephen Nicholl rightly criticised the Irish Government for coming up with this insult to police officers everywhere. Sadly Enda Kenny would rather glorify in a romanticised history than reflect on the message this gives to young men and women of the 21st Century.
“William Rowe, a Royal Irish Constabulary policeman with five children was viciously murdered while carrying out his duty, few would dispute that Thomas Kent was rightly convicted of the crime.
“Time has moved on and reinterring the remains in a family plot is a honourable act for his descendants to desire, however the state that now employs today’s police service should not glorify an individual whose contribution to history was to cause the violent death of a policeman carrying out his duties.”