Bourke Cockran’s major role

SLIGO County Council has agreed to engage with all those interested parties in Sligo and the Irish American community in New York to assist in the promotion of the centenary of the death of William Bourke Cockran, pictured, a Sligo man who made a significant contribution to American politics and society.

The council undertaking came in a reply to a motion from Cllr Donal Gilroy asking the local authority to instigate a series of events to mark the 100th anniversary of the death of Sligo man William Bourke Cockran on March 1, 2023.

The motion asked the council that the events would build on the work done as part of ‘The Champion of Liberty’ Exhibition held at Sligo

City Hall in May 2017. According to Cllr Gilroy, the events should also highlight Bourke Cockran’s role in the development of America as a world power, and his role in Ireland achieving its independence.

Cllr Gilroy proposed that the additional information discovered regarding the role played by Bourke Cockran, together with other Sligo men and women in the IrishAmerican community, would embrace the Sligo diaspora in New York and throughout the US, and that the American Irish Historical Society be invited to bring the story of Bourke Cockran to the American Irish.

He also moved that as the third freeman of Sligo (an honour bestowed to him on June 6, 1903) the name of William Bourke Cockran be added to the List of Freemen in Sligo City Hall.

In response to this request the council said The Roll of Freemen currently displayed in City Hall covers the period 1917 to 2003, and that arrangements will be made to have the roll updated to include Burke Cockran together with freemen enrolled since 2003.