Liberator: The Life and Death of Daniel O'Connell, 1830-1847

Daniel O'Connell #2

by Patrick M. Geoghegan

In this sequel to his critically acclaimed King Dan , Patrick Geoghegan looks at the dramatic final years of Daniel O'Connell's life and career. Charting his remarkable rise and fall in the 1830s, it also deals with his political resurrection in the 1840s when he rolled back the years to lead a new national movement, culminating in a series of massive public meetings around the country. In doing so he developed a new model for peaceful agitation.

Genres: Biography, History

326 pages, Paperback

First published October 15, 2010

About the author

Patrick M. Geoghegan is a lecturer in the Department of History at Trinity College Dublin.

Reviews

[Patrick O'Rourke · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book concludes the life of O'Connell from after emancipation until his death. This book is more focused than the first and concentrates on his career more than his private life. Once again it is brisk and workman-like. However, as with the first book, it makes you yearn for a fuller treatment. O'Connells ability to mass agitate is still not appreciated. The abandonment of Clontarf has to be seen in the context of someone who had lived through 98 and was also employing an untried peaceful means of achieving change. I have to say it is a cracking read, that has raised O'Connell tremendously in my esteem.

[Jonathan Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very readable and accessible. Paints a good portrait of O'Connell's life and times. A man whose vanity was perhaps deserved.

All hail King Dan, Member of Parliament, the Agitator, the Counsellor, the Liberator, the Discoverer of Ireland!