William Smith O’Brien
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William Smith O’Brien
William Smith O’Brien (17 October 1803 – 18 June 1864) was an Irish Nationalist and Member of Parliament (MP) and leader of the Young Ireland movement.
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Early life
Born in Dromoland,Newmarket on Fergus,Co. Clare, he was the second son of Sir Edward O’Brien, fourth baronet of Dromoland Castle. William took the additional surname Smith, his mother’s maiden name, upon inheriting property through her. He was a descendant of the eleventh century Ard Rí (High King of Ireland), Brian Boru . He was educated at Harrow School and Trinity College, Cambridge.
Politics
From April 1828 to 1831 he was Conservative MP for Ennis. He became MP for Limerick County in 1835, holding his seat in the House of Commons until 1848.
Although a Protestant, he supported Catholic Emancipation while remaining a supporter of British-Irish union. However, in 1843, in protest against the imprisonment of Daniel O’Connell, he joined O’Connell’s anti-union Repeal Association. Three years later, disillusioned by O’Connell O’Brien withdrew the Young Irelanders from the association, and in January 1847 founded the Irish Confederation. In March 1848, he spoke out in favour of a National Guard and tried to incite a national rebellion. He was unsuccessfully tried for sedition on May 15, 1848.
Rebellion
- Main article: Young Irelander Rebellion of 1848
On 29 July 1848, he led peasants in a futile, almost bloodless battle against police at Ballingarry, County Tipperary. The jury in his subsequent trial found him guilty of high treason and he was sentenced to be hanged, drawn, and quartered. Petitions for clemency were signed by 70,000 people in Ireland and 10,000 people in England .
In Dublin on 5 June 1849, the sentences of O’Brien and other members of the Irish Confederation were commuted to transportation for life to Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania).
Removal of Smith O’Brien under sentence of death
Transportation
O’Brien attempted to escape from Maria Island off Tasmania, but was betrayed by a certain Ellis, captain of the schooner hired for the escape, and sent to Port Arthur where he met up with John Mitchel. The cottages O’Brien lived in on Maria Island and Port Arthur remain as they were then to this day. Ellis was tried for this betrayal by Terence MacManus at a lynch court in San Francisco, but freed for lack of evidence.
John Mitchel
In 1854, after five years in Tasmania, he was released on the condition he never return to Ireland, and settled in Brussels. In May 1856, he was granted an unconditional pardon and returned to Ireland in July, but played no further part in politics.
Legacy
There is a statue of him on O’Connell Street, Dublin.
His older brother Lucius O’Brien (1800-1872) was also a Member of Parliament for County Clare.
Quotes
| “ | The new Irish flag would be Orange and Green, and would be known as the Irish tricolour | ” |
| “ | To find a gaol in one of the lovliest spots formed by Nature in one of her lonliest solitudes creates a revulsion of feeling I cannot describe | ” |
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—November 1849, when first sighting Maria Island. |
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- Smith O’Brien, William (1856). Principles of Government or Meditations in Exile. Dublin & Boston: James Duffy, Patrick Donahoe. Vol. I – 388pp., Vol. II – 380pp. US edition single vol. 480pp.. http://books.google.ie/books?id=4VUBAAAAYAAJ.