Daniel O'Connell

Daniel O'Connell ( 6 August 1775 – 15 May 1847), dubbed "The Liberator" at the time, was the recognized political leader of Ireland's Roman Catholic majority in the first half of the nineteenth century as well as one of the most important historical figures in Ireland. His mobilization of Catholic Ireland, right down to the poorest tenant farmer, contributed to Catholic emancipation in 1829, allowing him to take a place in the United Kingdom Parliament, where he had previously been elected twice. At Westminster, O'Connell championed liberal and reform causes but fell short of his stated goal for Ireland. This was intended to restore a distinct Irish Parliament by repealing the 1800 Act of Union. O'Connell faced domestic strife against the backdrop of a deepening agrarian catastrophe and, in his later years, the Great Irish Famine. Criticism of his political compromises and patronage system caused a schism in the national movement he had led solely.

He became a lawyer and advocated for Catholic emancipation through legal and nonviolent means. In his pursuit, he gained the backing of the Catholic Church and the people, propelling him into political leadership. In 1829, the ruling British Protestants relaxed their restrictive rules that discriminated against Catholics, ushering in emancipation. O'Connell was the first Catholic to hold a seat in the House of Commons in modern times.

Dublin's main boulevard, Sackville Street, was renamed in his honor after the Irish Free State was established in 1922. At Ophir in New Zealand, a Daniel O'Connell Bridge that was built in 1880 spans the Manuherikia River. In 1929, a set of Irish postage stamps featuring O'Connell was released to mark the 100th anniversary of Catholic emancipation. In Melbourne, Australia, there is a statue of O'Connell outside St. Patrick's Cathedral. O'Connell's residence in Kerry, Derrynane House, has been transformed into a museum dedicated to the Liberator.