Note 1 — Chapter XL · CONCLUSION

Footnote 1:

The historical events described here form a backdrop to the novel. Daniel O’Connell (1775-1847) came from a wealthy Irish Catholic family. He was educated in the law, which he practiced most successfully, and developed a passion for religious and political liberty. In 1823, together with Lalor Sheil and Thomas Wyse, he organized the Catholic Association, whose major goal was Catholic emancipation. This was achieved by act of parliament the following year. O’Connell served in parliament in the 1830’s and was active in the passage of bills emancipating the Jews and outlawing slavery. In 1840 he formed the Repeal Association, whose goal was repeal of the 1800 Act of Union which joined Ireland to Great Britain. In 1842, after serving a year as Lord Mayor of Dublin, O’Connell challenged the British government by announcing that he intended to achieve repeal within a year. Though he openly opposed violence, Prime Minister Peel’s government considered him a threat and arrested O’Connell and his associates in 1843 on trumped-up charges of conspiracy, sedition, and unlawful assembly. They were tried in 1844, and all but one were convicted, although the conviction was later overturned in the House of Lords. O’Connell did serve some time in jail and was considered a martyr to the cause of Irish independence. (return)