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The EMANCIPATOR
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Daniel O'Connell: Irish Patriot
& Emancipator
Robert D. Morritt
Availability
This book describes the life of Daniel
O'Connell born in County Kerry, Ireland in 1775 and raised among the Catholic
peasantry. Of his early life as a teen who was sent to France for further
education, where he experienced violence first-hand whilst in the French Army
at the outset of the French revolution.
 Later he
studies at notable French Universities and later returned to Dublin where he
built a successful practice, where he became involved in political activities
which resulted in his founding of the Catholic Association in 1823 with the aim of securing emancipation.
As his life history unfolds,
various historic subjects are witnessed such as, George III. The British mismanagement of their
Colonies .The Tea Tax in America, Riots in England, O’Connell’s first speech,
the movement among Catholics, O’Connell’s famous speech. When emancipation
was achieved, O’Connell was received in Ireland as a conqueror, as the book
continues we view contemporary accounts of his subsequent arrest,
incarceration, appeal and eventual acquittal.
His skills are described depicting
him as a famous orator, debater and an individual possessed of a sharp wit. We read of his election in
County Clare in 1828 for reform, where he refused to take the Oath of
Allegiance to the English Crown but with six million supporters backing him ,
Catholic emancipation was eventually granted in 1829.
O'Connell, became the first
Catholic in modern history to take a seat at the English parliament and was one of the very few persons all of us
can recognize as being unique a person
who should be indeed remembered for his resilience under
adversity regardless of our
individual political or religious persuasion.
The author (born in England)
concludes with the statement that: “I am neither Irish, nor a Catholic and
have no secular or any ‘special interests’ in presenting this overview of a
true Irishman and a patriot known forever as the Emancipator who fought using
the tools of his legal ‘trade’ to preserve Ireland.
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