MacSwiney's influence on Gandhi to be celebrated

An event marking the unique relationship between Ireland and India will take place today in City Hall.

India's Republic Day will be celebrated at City Hall today as part of Cork City Council’s Decade of Centenaries programme. A speech will be delivered on the influence that Cork’s martyred lord mayor, Terence MacSwiney had on Mahatma Gandhi. The celebrations will begin in City Hall at 12.30pm.

The event will feature a lunchtime of colourful song and dance planned by the Indian Embassy in the presence of Ambassador Sandeep Kumar. Ambassador Kumar will talk about India's relationship with Ireland and an Indian banquet will also be served.

This year marks the 100 year anniversary of MacSwiney’s death as the result of a hunger strike he undertook while in Brixton Prison. Many of MacSwiney’s writings were published posthumously, and were a source of inspiration for Mahatma Gandhi.

Cork City Librarian, Liam Ronayne will deliver a speech on the international influence of Terence MacSwiney, and in particular the influence he had on the Indian struggle for independence.

Speaking about MacSwiney, Mr Ronayne said: “The life and writings of Terence MacSwiney struck a chord with people seeking freedom for their own nations all over the world in the aftermath of World War One. He was described as inspirational by the father of the Indian nation, Mahatma Gandhi who had returned to India five years earlier to devote his life to making his native country free of the British Empire."

Today’s celebrations will include an Irish ballet and Indian Bollywood fusion dance performance by students of the Joan Denise Moriarty Dance School, an Indian medley dance by the Cork Indian Dance Troupe as well as modern Indian dance.

Republic Day honours the date on which the Constitution of India came into effect on 26 January 1950.