Dr Shane Kenna initiated campaign for the re-interment of The Invincibles Photo by National Graves Association
Kilmainham protest for the exhumation of the Invincibles
THE National Graves Association will hold a protest outside of Kilmainham Gaol on Saturday July 12, at midday, calling for the exhumation of five men known as the Invincibles.
The Invincibles – Joe Brady, Dan Curley, Michael Fagan, Thomas Caffrey, and Tim Kelly – were hanged in Kilmainham Gaol in 1883.
The men were convicted for their involvement in the Phoenix Park murders, where they assassinated the Chief Secretary for Ireland and the Permanent Under Secretary.
The Irish National Invincibles was a secret society connected to the Irish Republican Brotherhood. They aimed to remove British officials from Ireland.
The campaign to exhume their bodies has been running for several years and was initiated by the late historian Dr Shane Kenna, who was from Tallaght.
Aidan Lambert, Invincibles Campaign coordinator, National Graves Association, said: “The campaign was continued by the National Graves Association after Shane passed away from cancer in 2017. Up to 28 councils have supported this campaign by passing a motion calling for the Office of Public Works to facilitate the exhumation so that the men could be re-interred at Glasnevin cemetery.
“There is significant cross-party political support for this campaign with 69 TDs from the current Dáil giving their support – more importantly there are over one hundred relatives calling for these men to be given a dignified funeral at Glasnevin cemetery.”
Dr Kenna was considered to be one of the foremost authorities on the Fenian movement.
From Old Bawn, Dr Kenna was the younger son of Jimmy Kenna, an antique dealer and Olive Sherlock, a model and sales rep.
His great-grandfather was in the 3rd Battalion, Dublin brigade of the IRA, fought in the War of Independence, joined the Army and was killed in the Civil War. He is buried beside Michael Collins in the Army plot in Glasnevin.
