William Kent (Irish politician)
William Rice Kent was an Irish politician from County Cork.
Kent and three brothers—Thomas, David and Richard—were involved in a gunfight with the Royal Irish Constabulary at their home, Bawnard, in Castlelyons, County Cork in May 1916, following the Easter Rising, in which Richard was killed, as well as a head constable. Thomas was court-martialled for the killing and executed, and David was sentenced to death, which was commuted to life imprisonment, but William was acquitted.
He was first elected as a Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála for the Cork East constituency at the September 1927 general election. He lost his seat at the 1932 general election. He was elected as a National Centre Party TD at the 1933 general election. He did not contest the 1937 general election.
His brother David Kent was a Sinn Féin TD for Cork East from 1918 to 1927.
