Ireland's Liberator - The Life of Daniel O'Connell

Irish History Podcast

Fin Dwyer

Ireland, Irish History, Norman Invasion, Great Hunger, Vikings, Interviews, History, War Of Independence, Great Famine

4.7 • 1.6K Ratings

🗓️ 31 July 2025

⏱️ 44 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

This special episode of the Irish History Podcast, in partnership with An Post, marks the 250th anniversary of Daniel O’Connell’s birth.

In this podcast, I explore the life and legacy of one of Ireland’s most influential figures. Known as 'The Liberator' O’Connell’s campaign for Catholic Emancipation in 1829 and his role in shaping modern Ireland are legendary, but his story is complex.

From his early days in Kerry and his experiences during the French Revolution to the personal demons that haunted him, O’Connell is an intriguing figure. Although a pacifist, he killed a rival in a fatal duel. A founding father of Irish nationalism, O’Connell was also a monarchist. This episode teases out these contradictions.

To mark the anniversary of his birth, An Post has released two commemorative stamps capturing pivotal moments in O’Connell’s story: his iconic ‘monster meetings’ and his release from prison in 1844. Check out the stamps at anpost.com/history.

In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Brian Casey, historian and archives manager at the Dublin Cemeteries Trust, for a fascinating conversation recorded in Glasnevin Cemetery, just steps from O’Connell’s final resting place. Together, Brian and I explore the history behind this legendary figure.

You can get the commemorative stamps now at anpost.com/history and in selected post offices across Ireland.

Audio edit by Kate Dunlea.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hello and welcome to the Irish History podcast. My name is Finn DeWire. Now Daniel O'Connell stands as a towering figure over Irish history. Indeed, King George VIII once called O'Connell, the uncrowned King of Ireland. More commonly known as The Liberator,
0:23.5	O'Connell rose to fame in the 1820s
0:25.8	when he spearheaded the campaign for Catholic emancipation
0:29.3	and the final abolition of the penal laws.
0:33.0	2025 marks the 250th anniversary of O'Connell's birth, and to commemorate the occasion,
0:39.6	Ampest, Ireland's National Postal Service, has released two commemorative stamps celebrating
0:44.8	his legacy. And I'm delighted to have partnered with Ampest for this special episode to delve
0:50.6	into the remarkable life of Daniel O'Connell because there's so much to explore.
0:55.6	While he is best known for Catholic emancipation, O'Connell was an intriguing and complex man.
1:02.2	Famed for his sharp wit and indeed a fondness of drink, he was also an eyewitness to the French
1:08.4	Revolution. Although celebrated for his pacifism, O'Connell did
1:12.9	kill a man in a duel, a moment that haunted him for the rest of his life. And alongside his support
1:18.4	for Catholic emancipation, he was also passionate about other causes, including the abolition
1:23.6	of slavery. So in this podcast, we've got so much to explore. Now, to discuss O'Connell's
1:29.6	life, I'm joined by Dr. Brian Casey, historian and archives manager with Dublin Cemetery's Trust.
1:36.2	We recorded this conversation just a stone's throw from O'Connell's crypt in Glass-Levin
1:41.5	Cemetery, where Brian works. Now, as I mentioned, on post have released two commemorative stamps to mark the 250th anniversary
1:49.1	of O'Connell's birth. I've links to them below and when you look at them you'll see they
1:53.8	capture two pivotal moments in O'Connell's story and indeed the wider history of Ireland.
1:59.2	The first shows O'Connell at one of his famous
2:01.4	monster meetings and the second, my personal favourite, depicts his release from prison in 1844.
2:08.7	And even though I'm not a stamp collector myself, I do love stamps that feature historic figures
	...

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