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Daniel O'Connell #1
King Dan: The Rise of Daniel O'Connell, 1775-1829
Daniel O'Connell was one of the most remarkable people in 19th century Europe whose success in securing the passage of the Catholic Emancipation Act at Westminster in 1829 set British and Irish politics on the course it maintained until well into the 20th century. This biography concentrates on O'Connell's glory period, culminating in 1829.
337 pages, Hardcover
First published October 17, 2008
33 people are currently reading
115 people want to read
About the author
Patrick M. Geoghegan
6 books2 followersPatrick M. Geoghegan is a lecturer in the Department of History at Trinity College Dublin.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
March 20, 2017
Born at the start of the American Revolution, Daniel O'Connell, known as "counselor," "agitator," "liberator," and "king of Ireland," liked to say this inspired his love of freedom. He was a colorful lawyer that became known as the first great 19th-century Irish nationalist leader. He used his great oratory skills and legal knowledge to focus on galvanizing the average Catholic citizen throughout Ireland to his pet cause - Catholic emancipation without veto power over church appointments by the Crown.
Ironically, O'Connell, although born Catholic, was not devoutly religious when he took up the cause. He considered himself a deist early on but had a conversion later in life. Yet, he believed earnestly in the cause and did a great deal to advance the rights of Catholics in a tumultuous time.
He is a fun character for a biography (reminds me a bit of Benjamin Franklin) and a man of contradictions. Miserably lacking in managing his own finances he successfully started Catholic organization, even though illegal at the time, and secured adequate funding to advance their causes. His courtroom antics made for some delightful reading. However, his theatrics could get him in trouble and he found himself in two duels. After his conversion and the death of D’Esterre he vowed, and successfully so, never to participate again.
He was a flawed man and Geoghegan seems to portray him in his full light. But, he did seem to learn from his mistakes (with the exception of finances) and grow from them. After sacrificing a great deal for the cause he ultimately won an election but was ineligible to sit take his seat in parliament since the oath of allegiance was incompatible with Catholicism. The Emancipation Act was passed to allow people of all faith to be seated but it was not retroactive and O'Connell had to win a subsequent election to take his seat.
It was disappointing for the book to conclude as O'Connell took his seat. I would have liked to have read more about the rest of his life. Some of the terms can be a bit confusing. Winston Churchill once referred to the U.S. and Great Britain as "two countries divided by a common language." That is the case here. I had the luxury of emailing my colleague in Scotland at the Press and Journal for clarification. Otherwise, I may have been left a bit confused.
Still, it was a good read and actually a bit fun at times.
Ironically, O'Connell, although born Catholic, was not devoutly religious when he took up the cause. He considered himself a deist early on but had a conversion later in life. Yet, he believed earnestly in the cause and did a great deal to advance the rights of Catholics in a tumultuous time.
He is a fun character for a biography (reminds me a bit of Benjamin Franklin) and a man of contradictions. Miserably lacking in managing his own finances he successfully started Catholic organization, even though illegal at the time, and secured adequate funding to advance their causes. His courtroom antics made for some delightful reading. However, his theatrics could get him in trouble and he found himself in two duels. After his conversion and the death of D’Esterre he vowed, and successfully so, never to participate again.
He was a flawed man and Geoghegan seems to portray him in his full light. But, he did seem to learn from his mistakes (with the exception of finances) and grow from them. After sacrificing a great deal for the cause he ultimately won an election but was ineligible to sit take his seat in parliament since the oath of allegiance was incompatible with Catholicism. The Emancipation Act was passed to allow people of all faith to be seated but it was not retroactive and O'Connell had to win a subsequent election to take his seat.
It was disappointing for the book to conclude as O'Connell took his seat. I would have liked to have read more about the rest of his life. Some of the terms can be a bit confusing. Winston Churchill once referred to the U.S. and Great Britain as "two countries divided by a common language." That is the case here. I had the luxury of emailing my colleague in Scotland at the Press and Journal for clarification. Otherwise, I may have been left a bit confused.
Still, it was a good read and actually a bit fun at times.
March 29, 2016
O'Connell was a fascinating character, and this biography reminds us of this. However this is a flawed book; a case of too many trees and now enough wood. Geoghan runs through O'Connells life up to the act of emancipation. He gives us much detail and original quotation and descriptions of minor events, such as meetings or trials, or financial problems are not passed over, and, as such, build a detailed portrait of O'Connell. But it is all too O'Connell-centric and little or no detail is given to anybody or anything else. Whilst there is a welcome lack of divergence from the main subject, (how often had you had that oh no moment, when a biographer goes 'Caro' and decides to exposit on some arcane piece of social history). Here the needs and opportunities for expansion and explanation are ignored. A small example of this is the 'forty shilling freeholders'; vitally important to the emancipation act, but why? You won't find out here. After reading this you can see that there is a need for a masterful treatment of the man in his times, but this isn't it.
January 12, 2025
The greatest Irishman that lived.
One of the greatest people of the 1800s
Essential reading to understand modern Europe and Ireland.
The book really does go into details about all aspects of the great man, which is interesting but long.
One of the greatest people of the 1800s
Essential reading to understand modern Europe and Ireland.
The book really does go into details about all aspects of the great man, which is interesting but long.
January 2, 2023
Interesting
Very informative about a person I knew very little about. His sex life was illuminating. Seems a driven man but most individuals like him are usually I find
Very informative about a person I knew very little about. His sex life was illuminating. Seems a driven man but most individuals like him are usually I find
April 29, 2024
Read a lifetime ago. Revisiting now for exam season. Contains funny anecdotes, centres heavily about the personality of the man. Of O’ Connell, I agree with Yeats.
June 9, 2023
Magisterial and very readable.
May 27, 2015
An excellent biography of one of Ireland's most notorious and yet least well-know political heroes. O'Connell's legacy lives on through his name, though his story is not a familiar one for most Irish people. This volume, the first of two in Geoghegan's biography of O'Connell, is a thorough and entertaining examination that astutely references primary sources throughout to give the reader a fascinating picture both of O'Connell as a man, and of Irish society and politics during his lifetime.
June 20, 2015
Well written with many facts and quotes. I was surprised at how readable this book was. I love Ireland and find its history fascinating. O'Connell is an interesting subject, complex and yet very human (like all of us he has his strong and weak points).
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews