merrion street

The Annual Commemoration of Daniel O Connell, the Liberator, 1775 - 1847, will take place on Sunday 18th May, 2014 at 12 noon at the O’Connell Monument, Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin 11.

Along with the representative of the Government Minister Jimmy Deenihan, T.D., the commemorative arrangements will include the Lord Mayor of Dublin Oisín Quinn, members of the O'Connell family and pupils of the O’Connell Schools.

Daniel O’Connell, a former Lord Mayor of Dublin, was the foremost constitutional parliamentarian of his age. His mass peaceful mobilisation of the Irish people into the parliamentary process, resulting in Catholic Emancipation, was a template followed by many in later years. Not alone was he a Liberator to his people, he was a leading figure in the development of democracy and human rights in Europe.

The commemoration marks the 167th anniversary of the death of Daniel O’Connell in Genoa in May 1847. The O’Connell Monument and Round Tower have been refurbished in recent years as part of the continuing restoration and refurbishment of Glasnevin Cemetery. Work is continuing in replacing the stairway to the top of the O’Connell Tower and is expected to be complete later this year or early 2015.

The Cemetery will be open to the public from 10.00am to 6.00pm. Those interested in attending the commemoration are asked to be in attendance not later than 12.00 noon.

This commemoration will be preceded by a commemorative Mass at 10am at St Andrew’s Church, Westland Row, with which O'Connell was particularly associated.

Following the commemoration, the O’Connell Memorial Lecture will be delivered by: Ambassador Dan Mulhall in the Milestone Gallery at Glasnevin Cemetery museum titled “The International O’Connell: Parliamentarian, Reformer, Liberal”