THE 250th ANNIVERSARY of the birth of Daniel O’Connel will be celebrated with a programme of commemorative events in the coming weeks and months, including a State-led ceremony at his principal residence, Derrynane House in Co Kerry.

O’Connell was born on 6 August 1775 in Cahersiveen, Co Kerry and went on to become a successful champion for the rights of Catholics to become members of parliament under British rule, an achievement that saw him given the moniker “The Liberator”. 

The commemorative programme, which includes speeches, lectures, plaque unveilings, art exhibitions as well as educational and sporting events, officially kicks off on O’Connel’s birthday but there will be events before and after 6 August.

Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan announced the programme today, saying “Daniel O’Connell was one of the most important figures in Irish political history, not just for what he achieved, but for how he achieved it. 

“He believed in peaceful reform, in democracy, and in civil rights; ideas and concepts to which we should still aspire today.   

O’Donovan said the commemoration aims “to highlight and celebrate Daniel O’Connell – the man and his political achievements”. 

In addition to celebrating O’Connell’s legacy at home, the programme also includes events honouring his “significant international impact as a champion for civil rights across the globe,” O’Donovan said. 

To that end, there are a number of events expected to take place abroad while some of the Irish commemorations will include contributions from speakers from the US and UK. The Irish ambassador to the UK will be holding a commemoration in London, while other events are expected to take place in Paris and Rome.

The commemorative programme was developed by a number of government bodies and community groups working together, including the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport, the Department of the Taoiseach, the OPW, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

It was endorsed at the first sitting of the new Commemorations Advisory Committee, chaired by former RTÉ journalist Bryan Dobson.

Each event has been considered “in accordance with the ethos and values of commemorations including accessibility, respectful remembrance, historical accuracy and the creation of opportunities to engage young people and the Diaspora with the formative events, personalities and themes of our past,” the Department of Culture said in a statement. 

The department said the programme was created with “four commemorative pillars” in mind. Those are “historical exploration, artistic and creative response, community-led commemoration and State Ceremonial”. 

The department did not provide dates for all of the events in the programme.

The State-led commemoration at Derrynane House will be broadcast on the RTÉ News Channel and will also be available to watch back on RTÉ Player after the event. 

Elsewhere, the Daniel O’Connell Summer School will be open from 29-30 August and feature lectures on O’Connel’s life and legacy in Cahersiveen, close to his birthplace.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin will also deliver the O’Connell Lecture in Derrynane House. 

Local community groups also have a variety of events planned in Cahersiveen. 

The County Council in Clare, for which O’Connell served as an MP, will also be putting on a number of events.

Trinity Collage Dublin is hosting the O’Connell 250 Symposium: Liberty, Democracy, and the Struggle for Human Rights on 20 July and Attorney General Rossa Fanning is among its chairs. 

Tánaiste Simon Harris will be speaking to the Bar Association at an event sometime in the Autumn. 

The Irish Georgian Society, Dublin City Council and Ulster Architectural Heritage will be holding a “Study Day” in Dublin’s City Assembly House. 

An Post has honoured O’Connel with his own stamp that’s set to be launched on 31 July while Bank of Ireland has promised to donate a statue of O’Connell to Leinster House. It will be moved from the bank’s College Green premises.  

The Central Bank has also proposed to mint a collection of commemorative coins.