Clare County Council organises Daniel O’Connell Commemorative Programme to Commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Liberator’s Birth.

This significant anniversary will be acknowledged and remembered in a number of dedicated events in Ennis, as part of a national celebration of “The Liberator’s” birth.

As well as commemorating the Liberator’s birth date, Clare County Council will join with the local community to celebrate his close ties with the county through a series of lectures, talks and displays, including lectures by Patrick Geoghegan of Newstalk’s “Talking History” and Maurice Bric.

Among the highlights if the weekend is a specially commissioned show produced and directed by Diarmuid de Faoite entitled “O’Connell, the Liberator”.

This vibrant, dramatic and musical event depicting O’Connell’s life will take place in glór on Saturday, August 9, with musical direction by Geraldine Cotter, and will feature a host of outstanding performers from County Clare and beyond.

Paying tribute to the local community as well as council staff in the Ennis MD, Clare Libraries, Clare Museum and Clare Arts Office for their work in organising the commemoration, Clare County Council Senior Engineer, Sean Lenihan said it was important to recognise the important role Daniel O’Connell played in Clare’s history as well as nationally and internationally.

 “This internationally recognised Irish man was elected MP for Clare in 1828, and has been synonymous with the county ever since. It is important we recognise him here in Clare as part of the national celebration of his birth. The events in Ennis will ensure every generation has the opportunity to get involved – from the children saving their thoughts into a time capsule, to our historians sharing their findings in insightful documentaries and our artists celebrating his legacy with a one-off celebration in glór,” he said.

 Meanwhile on Sunday, Ennis schoolchildren will bury a time capsule in O’Connell Square, which is scheduled to be dug up in 50 years’ time.

The burying of the capsule will be part of a special ceremony at O’Connell Monument in Ennis including a wreath laying by Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council Cllr Paul Murphy and Mayor of Ennis Cllr Mary Howard.

From Wednesday August 6 until August 20 exhibitions of O’Connell memorabilia from the Newpark House Collection will be on display at the Clare Museum Ennis and the De Valera Library Ennis, alongside memorabilia held by the Clare Museum.

 Full details of all events can be found at https://clarelibraries.ie/projects/daniel-oconnell/

The Clare events are supported by the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport.

“O’Connell, the Liberator” – ceiliúradh amharclannach aon oíche amháin ina gcomórtar “an ceannaire ba mhó tóir dá bhfacthas riamh”.

Thug William Gladstone, Príomh-Aire na Breataine, “an ceannaire ba mhó tóir dá bhfacthas riamh” air, luaigh Mahatma Gandhi agus Martin Luther King gur chúis inspioráide dóibh é, agus anois taispeánfar i seó speisialta aonuaire dar teideal “O’Connell, the Liberator” saol, ré agus focail Dhónaill Uí Chonaill sa chontae a ndéanadh sé ionadaíocht dó mar Theachta Dála.

Choimisiúnaigh Oifig Ealaíon Chomhairle Contae an Chláir an t-imeacht in aisce seo, atá á léiriú ag Diarmuid de Faoite, le tacaíocht ón Roinn Cultúir, Cumarsáide agus Spóirt. Beidh sé ar siúl in glór, Inis, Dé Sathairn an 9 Lúnasa 2025 mar chuid de Chlár Comórtha Dhónaill Uí Chonaill chun 250 bliain ó uair a bhreithe a chomóradh.

 Óráidí, abhcóide agus polaiteoir den scoth ba ea an Conallach. Tar éis a thoghcháin ar an gClár sa bhliain 1828, d’éirigh leis deireadh a chur le han-chuid de na srianta a forchuireadh ar Chaitlicigh leis na Péindlíthe, agus ba é an chéad Chaitliceach i níos mó ná céad bliain a ghlac suíochán in Westminster é (Fuascailt). Bhí sé ar dhuine de na daoine ba mhó a bhí in aghaidh gach cineáil sclábhaíochta (Cealú) agus rinne sé tathant ar son parlaimint Éireannach ar leithligh a chruthú i mBaile Átha Cliath (Aisghairm). Spreagadh na milliúin daoine lena ollchruinnithe. Bhíodh an clú agus cáil idirnáisiúnta a bhíodh air chomh mór sin gur vótáil triúr parlaiminteoirí de chuid na Beilge ar son an Chonallaigh nuair a bhí siad ag vótáil ar a Rí nua! Ní haon ionadh gur tugadh An Fuascailteoir air!

 Tá “O’Connell, the Liberator” léirithe agus stiúrtha ag Diarmuid de Faoite faoi threoir cheoil Geraldine Cotter agus taibheoidh slua taibheoirí iontacha ó Chontae an Chláir agus níos faide i gcéin lena linn chun 250 bliain ó bhreith Dhónaill Uí Chonaill a chomóradh.

 Le linn an imeachta aonuaire seo, seinnfear cóirithe bunaidh ó ré iomlán a shaoil (1775-1847), mar aon le ceol agus amhráin ó ré Réabhlóid na Fraince, ó éirí amach 1798, ón bhFeachtas ar son Chealú na Sclábhaíochta, ón nGorta Mór, agus ó Ghluaiseacht na nÉireannach Óg, chomh maith le hamhráin lena gceiliúrtar a thoghchán agus a éachtaí iontacha.

 Taibheoidh ceoltóirí éagsúla ó Chontae an Chláir lena linn. Ina measc sin beidh Geraldine Cotter (pianó), Seán Lyons (píb Uilleann agus giotár), Aisling Lyons (cláirseach agus consairtín) agus Éamon Cotter (feadóg mhór). Ina dteannta siúd beidh Floriane Blancke, Tim Dennehy, Emer O’Flaherty, Pól Ó Ceannabháin, Paddy agus Síofra Hogan, Síofra Ní Éilí Duggan, aíonna speisialta ceoil, mar aon le baill de Bhanna Píob na Tulaí, Cór Soiscéalach Shionainne, agus Diarmuid de Faoite agus Martin McNelis, taibheoirí. Is le Ciara Malone na héifeachtaí físiúla. Tum thú féin sna scéilíní, sna cartúin aoracha, sna gluaiseachtaí agus sa cheol ó ré a tháinig chun bheith mar bhonnchloch le haghaidh dhaonlathais agus ghluaiseachtaí ceart ár linne.

 

Page last reviewed: 25/07/25

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