Daniel O'Connell is revered in the annals of Irish political history as the "Liberator." He plays a significant role in the development of Ireland by spearheading the Catholic Emancipation. He introduced the tactic of mass, non-violent political movements and was one of the first Catholic lawyers in Ireland. This unique distinction contributed to his championing of political Catholicism. This institution enabled Daniel O'Connell to pose a formidable political force against the British occupation of Ireland. O'Connell left a legacy of effective non-violent activism for his country. Unfortunately, a current epidemic of amnesia has infected present day Ireland, as modern tensions have spurred widespread violence. Remembering the life of the peaceful, competent lawyer could help remind the Irish of their non-violent heritage.(Mickley 1)
O'Connell was born August 6, 1775 in southwestern Ireland in County Kerry.(Hamilton 1) The O'Connell family lived on small estate in the mountains. Since this residence was far removed from the denser-populated regions of Ireland, it allowed the O'Connell's to practice Catholicism unimpeded. This was to influence the political direction of the future lawyer. At the time, British-controlled Ireland was closely monitored. The Protestant ascendancy had passed legislation strictly regulating religious doctrine. The Irish Catholics found themselves in the same predicament as the religious citizens of the citizens. The Catholics had to practice their faith behind closed doors. The Protestant British had imposed laws to "anglicize" the Irish. To avoid problems, the Irish would convey their allegiance to the British, but practice their true beliefs in private. Daniel and his younger brother were adopted by his uncle, Maurice, a childless relative who needed an heir. Daniel proved to be a very smart child. He learned to speak and read very early in life. His formal education did not begin until 1792, at the age of 13, because of Protestant restrictions against Catholic schools. In fact, he would read large volumes of novels while his friends were content to just play outside.(Hamilton 5)
Daniel O'Connell's early academic prowess lead to his enrollment at a prestigious Catholic boarding school in France. This experience would further young Daniel's love of his Catholicism and his disapproval of revolutionaries and their actions. In August of 1792, O'Connell was enrolled at the College of Douai. This was a historically significant time in France. The French Revolution was fully underway. The revolutionaries had retaliated against the establishment, which translated into aggressive actions against the Church. Daniel O'Connell found himself in a difficult predicament. He had travelled to France to study at a Catholic institution in hopes that he would not be discriminated against for his religion. However, it was a horrible time to be associated with Catholicism in France. The Church had come under close scrutiny by the Revolutionaries for its past avaricious actions. The Church was seen as part of the rich ruling class that was causing the bourgeoisie financial and social pain. As a result, he and his classmates were the target of malicious behavior. On many occasions, he and his comrades found themselves fleeing revolutionaries, running to the safe haven of their enclosed school campus. The schooling he received here further reaffirmed his Catholic faith and revealed to him the fruitlessness of violent change. He saw that unchecked nationalism lead to oppressive tactics that became unruly. He applied the French Catholic experience to his own Irish Catholic experiences back home. He realized something needed to be done to relinquish the British control of the Irish government and of the Irish people. He intensely wanted to make a difference. Having the seen negative affects of the disorganized French Revolution, he knew that a controlled, legitimate front would have to be posed. While the early French Revolutionary attacks had an immediate affect on the movement, abrupt and violent change never fulfilled the lasting effect desired. Another means had to be attempted. (Hamilton 6)
Daniel O'Connell's early enrollment in rhetoric classes, along with his affinity and skill for the written word set the parameters for his future job. Ironically, the Catholic education that the Protestants in Ireland and the Revolutionaries in France were trying to repress would be the impetus for Daniel O'Connell's future greatness. For a stint, Daniel O'Connell gave up on his Catholic education, having been beat down buy all the Anti-Catholic sentiment. In a search for self, O'Connell found himself subscribing to the Deist religion, one popularized by the likes of Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson. While this filled a momentary need, Daniel O'Connell realized that he could not run from the problem confronting him. He was a Catholic living in Ireland and this was an unfavorable position. He had to stand up for what he was and not hide himself in a new religion. However, the Enlightened values he learned in his Deist stint would help him in the future. Relying on the Classical education received in Catholic School and the Enlightened thinkers he subscribed to, O'Connell went on to pursue a career in law.
Daniel O'Connell passed the bar and became known as the "poor man's lawyer."(Moley 41) There were numerous reasons behind this distinction. First, O'Connell believed in the plight of all to a fair trial. Secondly, he was not afforded the opportunity to practice any of the bigger cases. The prestigious Inner Bar would not allow Catholics to practice for them. The Inner Bar was the King's Counsel. Still, Daniel O'Connell remained dedicated to the Catholic faith and to the people he served. In fact, so successful and poplar was O'Connell that members of the Inner Bar paid him for his counsel. (Moley 6) Finally, in 1829, the Emancipation Act allowed Catholic lawyers to practice in the Inner Bar. This would prove to further his acclaim in Ireland and establish him as a renown public leader.
"I know that the Catholics still remember that they have a country and will never accept any advantage as a sect that will destroy them as people." (Moley 45) While a young lawyer in Ireland, Daniel O'Connell uttered these words in a public rally for Catholic rights. The content of the accompanying speech impacted greatly upon the nationalist groups that were in support of Catholic rights. Already, O'Connell had established himself as a great lawyer. Now, his prowess as a public servant was being revealed. His Catholic background, his career as a lawyer, his Enlightened ideals and his interest in politics would make him a formidable weapon in the struggle for Ireland.
In 1830, the Irish Parliament was officially started. Daniel O'Connell was elected as one of the first members of parliament. The two main parties of the legislative house were the Whigs and the Tories. The Tories tended to favor Protestant England while the Whigs tried to win rights for Catholic Ireland. The point of opposition between the two parties was the Union, the rule of England over Ireland. The Irish Whigs were pushing for less control by the English Government. They wanted a fully independent Ireland, rather than continuing in their present condition as a British Satellite. O'Connell was the biggest proponent of this Repeal and of reform movement. He came into conflict with elements of the Whig Party that did not feel that Repeal was quite as necessary. They tended vacillate on their views rather than decide on a set plan to free Ireland. Daniel O'Connell's popularity grew among Repeal supporters and in 1832 he separated from the Whig party.
Daniel O'Connell's Repeal Party was developed as instrument to get to the middle of matters that the Whigs and Tories fought ineffectively over for years. To complement its 39 members in Parliament, 36 Irish Whig-Liberals and Scottish and English Radicals could be called upon for support.(MacIntyre 43) The Repealers became the largest Irish political party. The party was devised "to transform parliament from a debating club of the upper ruling classes to an assembly of delegates automatically recording the will of their constituents."(MacIntyre 53) The formulation of this Party was key in O'Connell's plan for the independence of Ireland. By using a popular political party he control the managed Irish attempt for independence from England. His party stressed Enlightened ideas, especially those of Adam Smith and Thomas Paine. He became a huge proponent of non-violent measures to secure this freedom. He had seen in France the inefficiency of a mismanaged violent movement. By confronting the English issue on the floor of the parliament, Daniel O'Connell legitimized the Irish plight to both the English and Irish. It was a professionally run program, a rather than a roughly-hewn radical movement. O'Connell, always realizing the intense Irish emotion over this issue, kept nationalist parties in check. This ensured that his Repeal party would not be blamed for any misdeeds committed by an Irish revolutionary movement against the British.
Ironically, O'Connell who fought for the disunity of Ireland from England dissolved his Repeal party in 1836. He realized that he was fighting for too much too early. It was only 1829 by the time the Irish received the Emancipation Act. O'Connell had left a legacy for the Irish parliament and people. Additionally, he revealed to the British that the Ireland would constantly remain an area of the British Empire that would threaten to disband from the empire. This Irish legal and legislative system had earned the respect of the British as well, even of his arch-enemies like British Prime Minister Peel. The non-violent measures that were fostered by pursuing the question of English rule by both lawyers and politicians alike gave legitimacy to the Irish cause.
Daniel O'Connell's hope for repeal never died. With the Great Potato Famine, beginning in 1846, Ireland found itself in a most unfavorable situation. The Irish had lost their staple crop and people were dying of starvation. O'Connell, now in his seventies, felt that something needed to be done. He petitioned Parliament for British relief in this problem. By approaching this problem through the parliament once again, O'Connell was able to effectively set the stage for the Repeal question once again. Should the British help the Irish people during the time of famine, then the Irish population would not suffer as much. If the British were to ignore this plea, the Irish people would starve and gain a further hatred for the British. This latter would strengthen the opinions of any of the borderline reformers and perhaps convince British supporters to push for Repeal. Fortunately both occurred. Corn was shipped in from India and the legacy of the plight for Irish independence still carried forth. While the actual Repeal movement had ended, its spirit stayed in the minds of the Irish people. This was to resurface in the years to come.
Unfortunately, in modern Ireland, the non-violent reform tactics of Daniel O'Connell seem to have
been forgotten. The bombings and terrorist activities seem to have strayed away from the
legislative processes championed by O'Connell. While his influence for a combined movement
against the British is still strong today, hopefully his peaceful intentions will one day be rekindled
as well.
Works Cited
Hamilton, J.A. Life of Daniel O'Connell. London:W.H. Allen and Company, 1888.
MacIntyre, Angus. The Liberator. London: Hamish Hamilton, 1965.
Moley, Raymond. Daniel O'Connell: Nationalism without Violence. New York: Fordham University Press,
1974.
Mickley, Angela. "Daniel O'Connell and Non-Violence." Online. Internet. Available: http://saturn.globalgateway.com/peacepeople/non-vio-daniel.htm.