This year marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of Daniel O’Connell, the “Great Liberator”. Daniel O’Connell (1775–1847) changed the face of Irish history. A brilliant orator, political organiser and advocate for non-violent reform, O’Connell led the campaign for Catholic Emancipation and founded the Repeal Association to challenge the Act of Union. He was born on August 6th, 1775, at Carhan House, near Cahersiveen, County Kerry. A program of events to mark the 250th anniversary of O’Connell’s birth was launched by Patrick O’Donovan, Minister for Culture, Communication and Sport. A State-led commemoration was held in Derrynane House, O’Connell’s ancestral home on 6th August last (the day of his birth). The keynote address was given by Taoiseach Mícheál Martin.
It is indeed fitting that O’Connell should be commemorated as his legacy is immense. Both Church and State today have much to learn from the Great Liberator. One of O’Connell’s greatest achievements was in forcing the British government to concede Catholic Emancipation in Britain and Ireland in 1829. He campaigned for decades so that Catholics would have civil and political equality with Protestants. This included the right to sit in parliament without prejudice to Catholic beliefs and the opening of state and judicial offices to Catholics on an equal basis with Protestants. O’Connell highlighted the fact that Catholics were excluded from over 30,000 offices in parliament, in law, in the army and in the navy. He campaigned for an end to the parliamentary oath (which all MPs were obliged to take) but which described the Catholic religion as superstitious and idolatrous.
Such flagrant sectarianism and discrimination seem incomprehensible to the 21st century mindset steeped as it is in democratic principles.
However, they were rooted in the prevailing ideology which was enshrined in the Protestant Constitution of the day. The Constitution provided for the establishment of the Church of England, which Parliament felt was necessary to guard the public conscience. Most Protestant politicians found it difficult to conceive of a State which did not profess a single well-defined religious conscience. The Constitution was thought to depend on underpins the organisation of Church and State. So how could Catholics be accommodated within the framework of the Protestant Constitution? The demands of the Church of Rome seemed to be intrinsically irreconcilable with the very essence of Christianity. It was widely felt that Catholicism was destructive of civil liberty and tolerance. Moreover, it was felt that Catholics owed their allegiance to the Pope.
O’Connell challenged this doctrine. He pursued Emancipation because he believed religious liberty was a right for all people. He was convinced that it was possible to combine the fullest religious liberty with the utmost fidelity to the faith and doctrine of the Catholic Church. O’Connell vehemently opposed the idea of a theocratic state. He wanted complete separation of Church and State. His aim was to reconstruct a self-governing Irish nation which would include Catholics, Protestants, dissenters and others living in harmony with full religious liberty for all. He sought to build a liberal Irish State. He would guarantee to all denomination perfect religious freedom and freedom of conscience. All citizens would enjoy universal suffrage; a free vote would be guaranteed.
If only the Church remained faithful to O’Connell’s vision! It took until the Second Vatican Council in 1965 before the Church espoused the right to freedom of religion for all and accepted the principle of the separation of Church and State. We could have avoided the abuse of power and control exercised by the Church in 20th-century Ireland. Perhaps Church and State might reference O’Connell for guidance as both institutions attempt to forge a new relationship.
O’Connell was very positive in his views on the role of the Church. He believed that the Church was to be on “the side of the poor, the mitigator of poverty, the comforter of the distressed, the opponent of aristocratic selfishness, the true guardian of the gospel values.” O’Connell himself was an exemplary Catholic Christian, dedicating his life to defending the rights of the oppressed. The gospel value of the unique dignity of every person, created in the image and likeness of God was what motivated him to seek liberty for all: – declaring “I am a friend of perfect liberty to every man of every colour, caste, and creed” He believed himself to be the equal of any man and he tried to instil in Catholics of his day that they were not inferior to the Protestant ruling class. In his own words, he wanted to “take the subdued demeanour and almost crouching walk out” of his Catholic followers. He helped them believe in their true qualities and to be proud of their great Irish heritage.
He also played a significant role in humanitarian movements in Europe and America, supporting the abolition of slavery and opposing the persecution of Jews. His political movement was based upon popular support and the mobilisation of the mass of the people. O’Connell’s political causes were best pursued by bringing ‘people power’ to bear on public policy. He abhorred militarism and violence, believing “that rights can be secured in a perfectly peaceful and legal course, but cannot be attained by forcible means.”
I love his courageous and prophetic leadership. My favourite quote from O’ Connell, reminds us all to walk the pathways of compassion and kindness, “Truth spoken can never harm anyone, it is only the falsehood that does the damage”.