Morgan O'Connell

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This article is about the Meath MP and son of Daniel O'Connell. For the Kerry MP and nephew of Daniel O'Connell, see Morgan John O'Connell.

Morgan O'Connell (31 October 1804 – 20 January 1885), soldier, politician and son of Daniel O'Connell, the Liberator of Ireland . He served in the Irish South American legion and the Austrian army. He was MP for Meath from 1832 until 1840 and afterwards assistant-registrar of deeds for Ireland from 1840 until 1868. He did not agree with his father on the repeal question, but fought a duel with Lord Arden, on his father's account.[1]

Biography

O'Connell, second son of Daniel O'Connell, was born at 30

commission in it even though only 15 years old. The enterprise was mismanaged; there was no commissariat organisation on board the ships, and a part of the force died on the voyage. The remainder were disembarked on the Spanish Main at Margarita Island, where many deaths took place from starvation eight days after the Irish mutineers left for Jamaica. Bolivar, who had noted his pleasure at the departure of "these vile mercenaries", was too astute a diplomat to offend the son of his Irish counterpart. Morgan was accorded the appropriate privileges of his rank, and toasts were drunk to the health of his father, the "most enlightened man in all Europe". A portion of the expedition, under Francis O' Connor
, effected an alliance with Bolivar, and to the energy of these allies the republican successes were chiefly due.

Bolivar made sure that the untrained Irish lad stayed out of danger. "I have numberless hardships to go through," said Bolivar, "which I would not bring him into, for the character of his father is well known to me." But ceremonial duties soon bored the restless young Irishman, and after a year at Bolivar's headquarters Morgan left for Ireland.

If South America did not satisfy Morgan's taste for adventure, he had more than his fill on the return journey. He survived a bout of tropical fever, and was shipwrecked twice in succession, ending up stranded in Cuba. A schooner captain, who turned out to be a long-lost Irish cousin, rescued him. After the captain was killed in a fight with his boatswain, Morgan hitched a ride to Jamaica on a Danish ship commanded by a skipper from Cork. From Jamaica, another Irish officer offered Morgan passage home on a British Islands.

Arriving in January 1822, Morgan was greeted by his proud father as a prodigal son returned. His South American adventure, declared Daniel O'Connell, had made a man of Morgan. Otherwise, said O'Connell, "it would have been difficult to tame him down to the sobriety of business."

O'Connell after his return to Ireland again to seek foreign service in the

Austrian army.[3]

On 19 December 1832 he entered parliament in the Liberal interest, as one of the members for

Disraeli by Morgan's father. Morgan declined to meet Disraeli.[4]

Family

Morgan O'Connell was one of seven children (and the second of four sons) of the

Mary O'Connell. His brothers Maurice, John and Daniel
were also MPs.

O'Connell married, on 23 July 1840, Kate Mary, youngest daughter of Michael Balfe of South Park,

Glasnevin cemetery on 23 January.[1]

See also

  • O'Connell of Derrynane

Notes

  1. ^ a b Boase 1895, p. 401.
  2. ^ "Dictionary of Irish Latin American Biography: Devereux, John". Society for Irish Latin American Studies. Retrieved 5 January 2017.
  3. ^ Boase 1895, p. 400.
  4. ^ Boase 1895, pp. 400, 401.

References

Attribution
  •  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Boase, George Clement (1895). "O'Connell, Morgan". In Lee, Sidney (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 41. London: Smith, Elder & Co. pp. 400, 401. The entry cites:
    • Hitchman's Public Life of the Earl of Beaconsfield, 1881, pp. 47–55;
    • Greville's Memoirs, 1874, iii. 256–7;
    • Times, 5 May 1835 p. 4, 31 Dec. 1835 p. 5, and 22, 23, 24 Jan. 1885;
    • Freeman's Journal, 21 Jan. 1885 p. 5, 24 Jan. p. 6;
    • Burke's Landed Gentry, 1894, i. 79;
    • cf. art. O'Connell, Daniel, the ‘Liberator.’

External links

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Meath
1832–1840
With: Henry Grattan (junior) 1831–1842 		Succeeded by
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