William Rice Kent (27 February 1873 – 8 March 1956) was an Irish politician from County Cork.
[1] Kent and three brothers—Thomas, David and Richard—were involved in a gunfight with the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) 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.
Unlike the other members of his party, he did not join Fine Gael when the National Centre Party merged with Cumann na nGaedheal in September 1933.
[7] His brother David Kent was a Sinn Féin TD for Cork East from 1918 to 1927.