John O'Connell (MP)
Encyclopedia
John O'Connell JP
DL
(24 December 1810 – 24 June 1858) was one of seven children (the third of four sons) of the Irish Nationalist leader Daniel O'Connell
and his wife Mary. He followed his father as a member of parliament
and leader of the Repeal Association
.
, Trinity College, Dublin
, and the King's Inns
, O'Connell was then called to the bar.
He served in the United Kingdom Parliament
as Member of Parliament
for Youghal
from 1832 to 1837, for Athlone
from 1837–1841, for Kilkenny
from 1841–1847, for Limerick
from 1847–1851 and for Clonmel
from 1853-57.
In 1843, O'Connell was tried with his father in the State Trials, and was imprisoned in Richmond prison before being released the next year by an order of the House of Lords
. During his father's declining years, he was the dominant force in the Repeal Association
and denounced Young Ireland
as irreligious and lawless. In 1847, he closed down Conciliation Hall, and in 1848 reacted to the Rising by establishing closer links with the government.
In 1851, he took part in the downfall of Lord John Russell and the Whigs from government. After being censured by his constituency, he resigned his seat by taking the Chiltern Hundreds
. He opposed the Tenant League
and was subsequently elected as member for Clonmel in 1853, after which he accepted a sinecure
position in the Hanaper Office at Dublin Castle
.
O'Connell was not an impressive public speaker, but wrote political works for the Repeal Association.
His brothers Maurice, Morgan
and Daniel
were also members of parliament.
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
DL
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
(24 December 1810 – 24 June 1858) was one of seven children (the third of four sons) of the Irish Nationalist leader Daniel O'Connell
Daniel O'Connell
Daniel O'Connell Daniel O'Connell Daniel O'Connell (6 August 1775 – 15 May 1847; often referred to as The Liberator, or The Emancipator, was an Irish political leader in the first half of the 19th century...
and his wife Mary. He followed his father as a member of parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
and leader of the Repeal Association
Repeal Association
The Repeal Association was an Irish mass membership political movement set up by Daniel O'Connell to campaign for a repeal of the Act of Union of 1800 between Great Britain and Ireland....
.
Life
Educated at Clongowes Wood CollegeClongowes Wood College
Clongowes Wood College is a voluntary secondary boarding school for boys, located near Clane in County Kildare, Ireland. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1814, it is one of Ireland's oldest Catholic schools, and featured prominently in James Joyce's semi-autobiographical novel A Portrait of the...
, Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
, and the King's Inns
King's Inns
The Honorable Society of King's Inns , is the institution which controls the entry of barristers-at-law into the justice system of Ireland...
, O'Connell was then called to the bar.
He served in the United Kingdom Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
as Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Youghal
Youghal (UK Parliament constituency)
Youghal was a United Kingdom Parliament constituency, in Ireland, returning one MP. It was an original constituency represented in Parliament when the Union of Great Britain and Ireland took effect on 1 January 1801.-Boundaries:...
from 1832 to 1837, for Athlone
Athlone (UK Parliament constituency)
Athlone was a parliamentary constituency in Ireland, which from 1801 to 1885 returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.-Boundaries:...
from 1837–1841, for Kilkenny
Kilkenny City (UK Parliament constituency)
Kilkenny City was an Irish Borough constituency in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, returning one Member of Parliament...
from 1841–1847, for Limerick
Limerick City (UK Parliament constituency)
Limerick City was a United Kingdom Parliament constituency, in Ireland. It returned one MP 1801–1832, two MPs 1832–1885 and one thereafter. It was an original constituency represented in Parliament when the Union of Great Britain and Ireland took effect on 1 January 1801...
from 1847–1851 and for Clonmel
Clonmel (UK Parliament constituency)
Clonmel was a United Kingdom Parlbiament constituency, in Ireland, returning one MP. It was an original constituency represented in Parliament when the Union of Great Britain and Ireland took effect on 1 January 1801.-History:...
from 1853-57.
In 1843, O'Connell was tried with his father in the State Trials, and was imprisoned in Richmond prison before being released the next year by an order of the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
. During his father's declining years, he was the dominant force in the Repeal Association
Repeal Association
The Repeal Association was an Irish mass membership political movement set up by Daniel O'Connell to campaign for a repeal of the Act of Union of 1800 between Great Britain and Ireland....
and denounced Young Ireland
Young Ireland
Young Ireland was a political, cultural and social movement of the mid-19th century. It led changes in Irish nationalism, including an abortive rebellion known as the Young Irelander Rebellion of 1848. Many of the latter's leaders were tried for sedition and sentenced to penal transportation to...
as irreligious and lawless. In 1847, he closed down Conciliation Hall, and in 1848 reacted to the Rising by establishing closer links with the government.
In 1851, he took part in the downfall of Lord John Russell and the Whigs from government. After being censured by his constituency, he resigned his seat by taking the Chiltern Hundreds
Chiltern Hundreds
Appointment to the office of Crown Steward and Bailiff of the three Chiltern Hundreds of Stoke, Desborough and Burnham is a sinecure appointment which is used as a device allowing a Member of the United Kingdom Parliament to resign his or her seat...
. He opposed the Tenant League
Tenant League
The Tenant League in Prince Edward Island was a 19th-century agrarian populist movement whose goal was the "dismantling of the proprietary land system" in that province.-Context:...
and was subsequently elected as member for Clonmel in 1853, after which he accepted a sinecure
Sinecure
A sinecure means an office that requires or involves little or no responsibility, labour, or active service...
position in the Hanaper Office at Dublin Castle
Dublin Castle
Dublin Castle off Dame Street, Dublin, Ireland, was until 1922 the fortified seat of British rule in Ireland, and is now a major Irish government complex. Most of it dates from the 18th century, though a castle has stood on the site since the days of King John, the first Lord of Ireland...
.
O'Connell was not an impressive public speaker, but wrote political works for the Repeal Association.
His brothers Maurice, Morgan
Morgan O'Connell
Morgan O'Connell , soldier, politician and son of Daniel O'Connell, the Liberator. He served in the Irish South American legion and the Austrian army. He was M.P. for Meath from 1832 until 1840 and afterwards assistant-registrar of deeds for Ireland from 1840 until 1868...
and Daniel
Daniel O'Connell, Jnr
Daniel O'Connell was one of seven children of Daniel and Mary O'Connell of Ireland. He served in the British Parliament from 1846 to 1847 as Member of Parliament for Dundalk, and from 1853 to 1863 as MP for Tralee.His brothers Maurice, John and Morgan were also MPs.-References:*Bishop, Erin. 1999...
were also members of parliament.
Publications
- Argument for Ireland (1844)
- Repeal Dictionary (1845)
- The Life and Speeches of Daniel O’Connell (1846, ed.)
- Recollections (1846)