09-08-2025
Legacy of the Liberator: The 250th anniversary of Daniel O'Connell's birth celebrated
Daniel O'Connell believed in peaceful reform, democracy and civil rights. The 250th anniversary of the birth of one of our most important figures — in his lifetime viewed as "the uncrowned king of Ireland" — will be widely celebrated this year with a commemorative programme at home and abroad, which kicked off at Derrynane House on Wednesday (August 6).
Taoiseach Micheál Martin will deliver the O'Connell lecture at Derrynane House as part of the Daniel O'Connell Summer School, which takes place in Caherciveen and Derrynane on August 29-30.
The school will host a full programme of speakers with representatives from universities in the UK and the US.
The Bar of Ireland is planning an autumn commemoration with the Department of the Taoiseach, and various events are in the pipeline through our network of embassies.
These will begin with a ceremony at the Reform Club in London in September, hosted by the Irish Ambassador to honour its former member. The anniversary will be marked by receptions at embassies in Rome, Paris and the US.
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Hardly a year goes by without some memorabilia relating to Daniel O'Connell, known as the Liberator — who delivered Catholic Emancipation in 1829 — surfacing at auction.
Daniel O'Connell by PJ Haverty RHA (1794-1864), courtesy Derrynane House (OPW).
Lots relating to him are usually sought after. There are plenty of portraits, including one of the most noted of all by Joseph Patrick Haverty from the OPW Collection, illustrated here.
A leather gun case belonging to O'Connell (a pacifist) and stamped Derrynane House was sold by Marshs in Cork for €980 in December 2023.
Daniel O'Connell's gold pocket watch made €26,000 at hammer at Fonsie Mealy.
The previous year, his pocket watch made €26,000 at hammer over a top estimate of €6,000 at a sale by Fonsie Mealy. Whyte's sold a 19th-century coloured lithograph for €600 in 2024 over a top estimate of €150
His early experience of the French Revolution put O'Connell off mob violence for good, but inevitably, for a man of his time, he was involved in a couple of duels. Among the people he offended was Robert Peel, British prime minister, by continuously referring to him as "Orange Peel" while he served as chief secretary for Ireland.
John Doyle's portrait of Daniel O'Connell.
A half-length portrait of O'Connell holding a pistol by the Irish artist John Doyle (grandfather to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle) failed at Bonhams Irish sale in 2023. As in any auction, not everything sells.
The Bank of Ireland is gifting a statue of O'Connell, currently in its College Green branch in Dublin, to Leinster House, where it will be unveiled later this year.
An Post issued two stamps by artist David Rooney last week, and gold and silver-proof coins will be issued by the Central Bank.
Local authorities and the Irish Georgian Society are among those marking the 250th anniversary, and RTÉ has created a new documentary.
