Kevin Barry

A biography of Kevin Barry for children aged 10 to12.

On a dark November morning in 1920, Kevin Barry, head held high,
marched to his death in Mountjoy Prison. He was the first and youngest
person hanged during the Irish War of Independence. Born the fourth of
seven children, the family was split between Dublin and Carlow, after
the early death of his father. He loved playing Gaelic football, hurling
and rugby.
A brilliant student, he won a scholarship to study medicine.
Kevin also had another life, as a soldier in the Irish Volunteer Army with
the sole purpose of obtaining a free independent Ireland. Then his two
worlds collided and his part in the MonkÕs Bakery Ambush sealed his
fate. By sticking to his principles and making the ultimate sacrifice, he
instigated the move towards a truce that would change the course of
Irish history forever. What led this teenager to forego his bright future
for the gallows?