6 days ago
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.
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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.
