Date of Birth: August 6, 1775
Zodiac Sign: Leo
Date of Death: May 15, 1847
Biography
Daniel O’Connell, also known as “The Liberator” or “The Emancipator,” was an influential Irish political leader in the first half of the 19th century. Born into a wealthy Roman Catholic family in County Kerry, Ireland, O’Connell was educated in France and later trained as a barrister in London. He became a prominent advocate for Catholic emancipation, which sought to remove the civil disabilities placed upon Catholics in Ireland and Great Britain. O’Connell founded the Catholic Association in 1823, which played a crucial role in achieving the Roman Catholic Relief Act of 1829. This act allowed Catholics to sit in the British Parliament and hold other public offices. O’Connell continued his political career by advocating for the repeal of the Act of Union between Great Britain and Ireland and championing other social and economic reforms. His ability to mobilize mass support through peaceful and constitutional means, known as “moral force” politics, earned him widespread admiration. He served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for various constituencies and was a pivotal figure in Irish history until his death in 1847.
5 Interesting Facts about Daniel O’Connell
1. Daniel O’Connell was the first Catholic to be elected as a Member of Parliament since the Reformation.
2. He founded the Repeal Association in 1840, aimed at repealing the Act of Union between Great Britain and Ireland.
3. O’Connell was a strong advocate for non-violence and believed in achieving political goals through peaceful means.
4. He was once imprisoned in 1844 for alleged conspiracy, but his sentence was later quashed by the House of Lords.
5. O’Connell was a vocal opponent of slavery and refused to associate with American abolitionists who did not also support the abolition of slavery.
5 Most Interesting Quotes from Daniel O’Connell
1. “The altar of liberty totters when it is cemented only with blood.”
2. “No political change is worth a single drop of human blood.”
3. “The principle of my political life…is that all men are equal in the sight of God.”
4. “I want no office, no situation, no employment, no title—nothing but the good-will of my countrymen.”
5. “Ireland is the land which sustains me, and I will never desert her cause.”
Highest Net Worth Achieved
At the peak of his career, Daniel O’Connell had a net worth estimated to be around £1 million, which would be equivalent to several million pounds today considering inflation and economic changes.
Children
Daniel O’Connell had eight children with his wife Mary O’Connell (née O’Connell): 1. Maurice O’Connell 2. Morgan O’Connell 3. Ellen O’Connell 4. Catherine O’Connell 5. Elizabeth O’Connell 6. John O’Connell 7. Daniel O’Connell Jr. 8. Richard O’Connell
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