Death of Cork man ends republican link

Well known Cork Republican Frank Kerrigan was laid to rest after a funeral mass in the North Cathedral today.
A life long political activist, Frank Kerrigan was the last surviving member of the firing party at IRA Chief of Staff Charlie Kerins funeral in Kerry, the gathering was told by author and historian Des Long from Limerick who gave the graveside oration.

“His commitment to the Republican cause led to his being imprisoned in the Forties when he was Adjutant of the Cork Battalion staff under Tomas Mac Curtain,” said Mr. Long who is chairman of the Munster Executive of Republican Sinn Fein. In October 1942 Frank escaped along with six others from Mountjoy Jail and was later re-captured and sentenced to ten years.

“He was sent to Portlaoise prison where conditions were appalling and Republicans began a campaign for political status.  It led to Frank and his comrades going on hunger strike.  Their bedding was taken out of their cells every morning and only put back in at night. For most of their time the men wore only blankets and were in solitary confinement. In May 1946 Sean MacCaughey died on hunger strike and Frank was released unconditionally in December 1946.

He returned to Cork and remained an active Republican and in 1950 Frank married Noreen who predeceased him.