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His impressive monument stands tall at the south end of O'Connell Street. Alamy Stock Photo
Quiz

Quiz: How much do you know about Daniel O'Connell?

He was one of Ireland’s loudest pacifists – and now dodges pigeons on O’Connell Street.
10.01pm, 2 Aug 2025
26.2k

DANIEL O’CONNELL’S 250TH birthday is next week.

Known in his time as The Liberator, O’Connell led the fight for Catholic Emancipation and campaigned to repeal the Act of Union.

His efforts won Irish Catholics the right to sit in Parliament, and earned him the role of Dublin’s first Catholic Lord Mayor.

Dublin’s main thoroughfare now bears his name.

As the Liberator’s big day is coming up soon, we wanted to ask you: How much do you know about Daniel O’Connell?

Daniel O’Connell was a student at which French institution, where he witnessed the early stages of the French Revolution?
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Sorbonne University
École Polytechnique

Saint-Omer Catholic College
Lycée Louis-le-Grand
O’Connell's portrait used to feature on which Irish pound note?
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£20
£10

£5
£100
What was the name of O’Connell’s mass gatherings intended to build public support for repealing the Union?
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Repeal Riots
National Assemblies

Monster Meetings
Liberty Rallies
Which 19th-century novelist satirised Daniel O’Connell in Martin Chuzzlewit, portraying him as a controversial 'Public Man'?
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Oscar Wilde
Charles Dickens

William Makepeace Thackeray
Lord Byron
O’Connell was imprisoned in 1844. Which legal technicality led to his release by the House of Lords?
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Evidence was falsified
The jury was improperly selected

He was denied habeas corpus
His trial was held in secret
Daniel O’Connell's Repeal Association published which newspaper to spread its message?
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The Freeman's Journal
The Repealer

The Nation
The Pilot
Why did Daniel O’Connell fight a duel with John Norcott D’Esterre in 1815, and what happened?
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He was insulted in court - O’Connell was wounded but survived
D'Esterre called the Dublin Corporation “beggarly” - O'Connell killed him

He defended a friend’s honour, and shot D’Esterre dead
It was a dispute over land, and both men missed their shots
Where did Daniel O’Connell die in 1847 while on a pilgrimage?
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Paris
Cork

Rome
Genoa
Where was his heart buried?
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Rome
Dublin

Munich
London
O'Connell's legacy includes a sizeable monument, located (aptly) on O'Connell Street. Which of these elements does NOT also feature on the monument?
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Erin (the female personification of Ireland)
The Act of Emancipation

A winged figure playing a harp
An Irish wolfhound
Answer all the questions to see your result!
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You scored out of !
The Liberator
You may well be a reincarnation of The Liberator himself
Share your result:
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You scored out of !
History buff
When it comes to The Liberator, you know your stuff
Share your result:
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You scored out of !
You know the basics
You just passed your Junior Cert history exam, congratulations
Share your result:
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You scored out of !
You tried your best
Better luck next time
Share your result:
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You scored out of !
Hard luck
You need to get out to more Monster Meetings
Share your result:

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