William N. Rowe
 |
William Nelson Rowe | |
|---|---|
| Allegiance | Royal Irish Constabulary |
| Rank | Head Constable |
| Battles / wars | Easter Rising |
William Nelson Rowe (1867 – 2 May 1916) was a member of the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) fatally shot during a police raid on the home of the Kent family at Castlelyons, County Cork.
Death
The event took place in the immediate aftermath of the Easter Rising when the Authorities began to arrest Republican sympathisers. During the raid, the Kent brothers refused to come out of their house, a firefight broke out which resulted in the death of Rowe and also the fatal wounding of Richard Kent as he tried to escape.
Aftermath
Rowe is buried at the Church of Ireland graveyard at Castlehyde, Fermoy, he left behind a widow and five children under the age of sixteen. Thomas and William Kent were tried by court martial on the charge of his murder. William was acquitted, but Thomas was sentenced to death and executed by firing squad at Cork on 9 May 1916.