Re-enactment of Daniel O'Connell's famous speech to take place in Cork town this Friday
2025 marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of Irish political leader who was one of Ireland's foremost politicians in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
The Kerry native has often been hailed in his time as The Liberator.
O'Connell a qualified barrister was the acknowledged political leader of Ireland's Roman Catholic majority in the first half of the 19th century.
Born near Cahersiveen on August 6, 1775, O'Connell was instrumental in the Catholic Emancipation Act that granted political and civil rights to Catholics in Ireland.
He was also a leading abolitionist who sought to ban the international slave trade in the early 1800s.
Two of Ireland's major cities – Limerick and Dublin – have their main streets named in honour of O'Connell.
He staged one of his famous Monster Meetings in Mallow on June 11, 1843 which attracted a reported crowd of 250,000 people from all over north Cork and further afield at the Repeal of the Act of Union meeting.
40 bands also marched in the parade. The heights and fields were crowded with spectators.
As a person, O'Connell was extraordinary.
Deeply popular with the public, rather than being a 'populist', he could explain the essence of complex arguments to audiences of thousands.
O'Connell's constitutional approach was carried on by Thomas Davis and by Charles Stewart Parnell.
ADVERTISEMENT
Friday's re-enactment in Mallow town will attempt to recreate the events of that famous day in Mallow history.
A number of monster repeal meetings were held at various locations throughout Ireland and preparations for the great Mallow Repeal Meeting commenced in October 1842.
During a powerful oration Mr O'Connell told the captivated audience that there was one thing which gave him pleasure, and that was the length of time he enjoyed the confidence of the people. He was counsel for Ireland – the people were his clients - he had none other.
He also told the spectators that he had given up the profession in which he was successful; and now for the remainder of his life he was resolved to devote himself to the advocacy of the Irish people and old Ireland.
The speech by Daniel O'Connell in Mallow became known as the Mallow Defiance.
The famous sculptor John Hogan carved an 18 feet marble statue of O'Connell which is located in the City Hall in Dublin.
Famous orator Daniel O'Connell made his first ever speech in 1800 in City Hall, then called the Royal Exchange, and his statue shows him as an orator, raising his right hand to make a point.
In November 1841, O'Connell became Lord Mayor of Dublin, another reason for having his statue in City Hall, where council meetings are still held.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Journal
44 minutes ago
- The Journal
At least five killed as Russia launches major attack on Ukraine
AT LEAST FIVE people have been killed after Russia unleashed a barrage of missiles, drones and bombs across Ukraine early this morning. Russian forces have accelerated attacks on Ukraine in recent weeks, with the Kremlin vowing to retaliate over a brazen attack on its air bases last weekend. The Ukrainian air force said Moscow had fired 206 drones and nine missiles, adding that 'the air attack was repelled by aviation, anti-aircraft missile troops, electronic warfare and unmanned systems units, and mobile fire groups of the Ukrainian Defense Forces'. In Kharkiv, Mayor Igor Terekhov counted 48 Iranian-made drones, two missiles and four guided bombs before dawn in the city of some 1.4 million residents located less than 50 kilometres from the Russian border in northeastern Ukraine. 'Kharkiv is currently experiencing the most powerful attack since the beginning of the full-scale war,' Terekhov posted on Telegram around 4.40am (2.40am Irish time), adding that drones were still buzzing overhead. The Russian strikes pummelled homes and apartment blocks, killing at least three people and wounding 17 more, the mayor said. A woman was also pulled alive from the rubble of a high-rise building. Kharkiv region Governor Oleg Synegubov said the wounded included two children. 'Medical personnel are providing the necessary assistance,' he wrote. The northeastern city was already reeling from an attack on Thursday that wounded at least 18 people, including four children. Advertisement Rescuers carry a wounded woman after Russian attack that hit a residential building in Kharkiv. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo In the southern port city of Kherson, Russian shelling killed a couple and damaged two high-rise buildings, regional Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said. In the central Dnipropetrovsk region, governor Sergiy Lysak said Ukrainian forces had repelled 27 drones and two missiles overnight, but two women aged 45 and 88 were injured. Rescuers in the western city of Lutsk, near the Polish border, meanwhile discovered a second fatality from Friday's strikes, describing the victim as a woman in her 20s. The aerial bombardments come days after Ukraine launched a brazen attack well beyond the frontlines, damaging nuclear-capable military planes at Russian air bases and prompting vows of revenge from Russian President Vladimir Putin. Russia's defence ministry meanwhile said that 36 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles had been downed across a wide swath of territory. Ukraine has been pushing for an unconditional and immediate 30-day truce, issuing its latest proposal during peace talks in Istanbul on Monday. But Russia, which now controls around one-fifth of Ukraine's territory, has repeatedly rejected such offers to end its three-year war. The Kremlin said on Friday the Ukraine war was 'existential' for Russia. Ceasefire hopes dim The comments are Moscow's latest to dampen hopes for a breakthrough amid a flurry of meetings between Russian and Ukrainian delegations, as well as telephone calls between President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump, aimed at stopping the fighting. 'For us it is an existential issue, an issue on our national interest, safety, on our future and the future of our children, of our country,' Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, responding to remarks by Trump on Thursday comparing Moscow and Kyiv to brawling children. Related Reads Trump-Putin phone call will not lead to 'immediate peace in Ukraine', US President says Ukraine attacks bridge connecting Crimea to Russia with over a thousand kilos of explosives Ukraine says it destroyed more than 40 military planes in drone attack in Russia Ahead of the talks this week in Istanbul, an audacious Ukrainian drone attack damaged nuclear-capable military planes at Russian air bases, including thousands of kilometres behind the front lines in Siberia. Putin had told Trump he would retaliate for the brazen operation, 18 months in the planning, in which Ukraine smuggled more than 100 small drones into Russia, parked them near Russian air bases and unleashed them in a coordinated attack. Putin has issued a host of sweeping demands on Ukraine if it wants to halt the fighting. They include completely pulling troops out of four regions claimed by Russia, but which its army does not fully control, an end to Western military support, and a ban on Ukraine joining Nato. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has dismissed the demands as old ultimatums, questioned the purpose of more such talks and called for a summit to be attended by him, Putin and Trump. With reporting from © AFP 2025 Want to know more about what's happening in Ukraine and why? Check out our new FactCheck Knowledge Bank for essential reads and guides to finding good information online. Visit Knowledge Bank Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
RTÉ News
2 hours ago
- RTÉ News
Five killed in Russian attacks across Ukraine
Russia unleashed a barrage of missiles, drones and bombs across Ukraine early this morning, killing five people as it retaliated for a brazen attack on air bases days earlier. The Kremlin has accelerated its attacks on Ukraine in recent weeks, while the latest ceasefire negotiations have failed to broker an end to the three-year war. The Ukrainian air force said Russia had fired 206 drones and nine missiles and added that "the air attack was repelled by aviation, anti-aircraft missile troops, electronic warfare and unmanned systems units, and mobile fire groups of the Ukrainian Defense Forces". In Ukraine's second largest city Kharkiv, Mayor Igor Terekhov counted 48 Iranian-made drones, two missiles and four guided bombs before dawn and said the attack was unprecedented. The northeastern city of some 1.4 million residents is located less than 50 kilometres from the Russian border. "Kharkiv is currently experiencing the most powerful attack since the beginning of the full-scale war," Mr Terekhov posted on Telegram around 4.40am (2.40am Irish time), adding that drones were still buzzing overhead. The Russian strikes pummelled homes and apartment blocks, killing at least three people and wounding 17 more, the mayor said. A woman was also pulled alive from the rubble of a high-rise building. Kharkiv region Governor Oleg Synegubov said the wounded included two children. "Medical personnel are providing the necessary assistance," he wrote. Kharkiv was already reeling from an attack on Thursday that wounded at least 18 people, including four children. In the southern port city of Kherson, Russian shelling killed a couple and damaged two high-rise buildings, regional Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said. In the central Dnipropetrovsk region, governor Sergiy Lysak said Ukrainian forces had repelled 27 drones and two missiles overnight, but two women aged 45 and 88 were injured. Rescuers in the western city of Lutsk, near the Polish border, meanwhile discovered a second fatality from yesterday's strikes, describing the victim as a woman in her 20s. This morning's attacks come a day after Russia launched an intense missile and drone barrage at the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, killing at least six people as powerful explosions reverberated across the country. The attacks followed a warning from Russian President Vladimir Putin, conveyed via US President Donald Trump, that the Kremlin would hit back after Ukrainian drones destroyed several strategic bomber aircraft in attacks deep inside Russia. President Volodymyr Zelensky said three emergency responders were killed in the missile and drone salvo against the capital while two died in an attack on the northern city of Chernihiv and at least one more in the northwestern city of Lutsk. Russia's Defence Ministry said its forces had carried out the strike on military and military-related targets in response to what it called Ukrainian "terrorist acts" against Russia. "They gave Putin a reason to go in and bomb the hell out of them last night," Mr Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One yesterday, when asked about how Ukraine's earlier drone strikes had affected the conflict. Mr Zelensky said 80 people nationwide had been injured in the attacks yesterday, which also struck several other towns and cities. He said residents could still be trapped under rubble. In Chernihiv, the national emergency services said two bodies were recovered from the rubble of a wrecked industrial enterprise. In Lutsk, the body of a man was found in the ruins of an apartment block, while emergency crews kept searching for his wife. Thirty people were hurt in the city, where educational institutions and a government building were also hit. Russian forces also struck industrial facilities and infrastructure in the western city of Ternopil, leaving parts of it without power, Mayor Serhii Nadal said. The regional administration said the attack had injured ten people and asked residents to temporarily stay inside due to a high concentration of toxic substances in the air after a fire. Hopes of ceasefire dim The Kremlin said yesterday the Ukraine war was "existential" for Russia. The comments are Russia's latest to dampen hopes for a breakthrough amid a flurry of meetings between Russian and Ukrainian delegations, as well as telephone calls between President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump, aimed at stopping the fighting. "For us it is an existential issue, an issue on our national interest, safety, on our future and the future of our children, of our country," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, responding to remarks by Trump on Thursday comparing Russia and Ukraine to brawling children. Ahead of the talks this week in Istanbul, an audacious Ukrainian drone attack damaged nuclear-capable military planes at Russian air bases, including thousands of kilometres behind the front lines in Siberia. Mr Putin had told Mr Trump he would retaliate for the brazen operation, 18 months in the planning, in which Ukraine smuggled more than 100 small drones into Russia, parked them near Russian air bases and unleashed them in a coordinated attack. Mr Putin has issued a host of sweeping demands on Ukraine if it wants to halt the fighting. They include completely pulling troops out of four regions claimed by Russia, but which its army does not fully control, an end to Western military support, and a ban on Ukraine joining NATO. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has dismissed the demands as old ultimatums, questioned the purpose of more such talks and called for a summit to be attended by him, Mr Putin and Mr Trump.
RTÉ News
2 hours ago
- RTÉ News
Support, don't star: rethinking the Arts Council's role
Theatremaker Dan Colley asks: Has the Arts Council of Ireland taken on too much 'main character energy'? I would like to propose a gear shift with the appointment of the next Director of the Council. The next Director should reorient the Arts Council into the role of supporting character in the story of the arts. It will take a really adept leader not to try and fix everything that's wrong with the organisation from within, but instead to follow. From the outset I want to acknowledge the many dedicated public servants who work at the Arts Council - people who care deeply about the arts and have served tirelessly through periods of huge change. Not least among them Maureen Kennelly, the outgoing Director of the Arts Council, who enjoys widespread support and respect among the community. Her commitment to artists, particularly during the pandemic, has been felt and appreciated. The Arts Council is the national agency for funding, developing and promoting the arts in Ireland. The money it gets from Government to fulfil that mandate has gone from €75 million in 2019, to €140 million in 2025. An 86.5% increase in six years. It's a credit to the people at the Arts Council, and to the volunteer advocates at the National Campaign for the Arts, that they have helped bring greater public and political understanding of the arts—not just as an economic or reputational asset, but as an essential part of Irish life and a foundation of a healthy society. So why, when the Arts Council has more money than ever before, does it feel harder than ever to make theatre? I'm a theatre maker, and that question brought a group of my peers together last year - trying to make sense of an increasingly precarious sector. Theatre funding has effectively stagnated - rising only 5.8% since 2008 - an increase that's been outstripped by inflation. And yet the Arts Council more than doubled its staff since 2020. While additional capacity at the Arts Council may have been necessary, the lack of parallel investment in their clients has created a gulf between the people who produce art and the agency that manages the funding. No theatre has doubled its staff. No plays have doubled its cast. Over 800 artists signed an open letter calling for emergency investment in the sector which was delivered in December 2024. The feeling was widespread: theatre in Ireland is struggling, not because there's no funding, but because of how it's being distributed. The problem is not about people. It's about systems. The Arts Council is a public body with a wide remit, serving everything from festivals to literature, music, venues, visual art, as well as the more nebulous idea of 'promoting the arts in Ireland'. But its most essential function - getting funding to artists and the people who connect art with the public - is not working. If the Arts Council were truly attuned to the interests of artists, it would see the current delays in funding decisions as an organisational crisis. Radical measures would be considered - like redeploying staff or drastically simplifying processes - to get investment to artists in time. If it were more attuned to artists' interests, the fact that only 15% of eligible theatre applications are funded wouldn't be brushed off as "the competitive context." It would be treated as an emergency. The next Director should make the Arts Council a supporting character - one that enables, rather than directs. If it were aligned with artists' interests', the Council's budget submission to Government would not be built around what it thinks it can get, or what looks tidy on paper, but on the real cost of funding all the applications it has already judged to be worthy. They would base it on the real demand, no matter how big that number is. These are questions I've been asking, along with many others, not out of hostility, but out of necessity. These failures are not moral ones. They are systemic. Systems respond to power and, as it stands, the Arts Council responds most clearly to the pressures it is most exposed to - be they departmental, political, or bureaucratic. The artist's voice is still too faint in that chorus. That's why I've been part of a group that formed the Theatre Artists Assembly - an attempt to give the arts practitioners a unified, democratic voice. Not to shout louder, but to speak more clearly and together about what we need to do our work. I would like to see assemblies like this being integrated into Arts Council decision-making processes. I would like to see artist and practitioner-led groups taking power and responsibility over the decisions that affect them. Yes, even the difficult and unpopular decisions. We have seen in citizens' assemblies how groups of people can come together and, when provided with the facts, expertise, and time to digest them and come to a conclusion, they do so with remarkable civility and clarity. I think this could be an experiment in co-creation of state policy. This could be a way of making institutions work in ways that reflect the interests of its stakeholders. It could be something we so acutely need; a form of democracy that happens between elections. This approach could strengthen and renew the principle of the Arts Council's 'arms-length' from Government. This is the principle, established in the Arts Art, that keeps decisions about what kind of art to produce and who to fund to do it, out of the realm of party politics. This could be a way of affirming that distance from the political system, while establishing community-voice and democratic responsibility. The next Director should make the Arts Council a supporting character - one that enables, rather than directs. They should build models for democratic decision-making - not merely "consultation" but real decision-making power. It will take a deft leader to resist the urge to fix everything from within, and instead recognise that real leadership often means creating space for others to shape the path. In short, they should lead by following.
