Famous O'Briens in History
WILLIAM O'BRIEN - (1853-1928) Nationalist and Author |
Born in Mallow, Co..Cork, on 2 October 1852. Though of Catholic parents, he was educated at the Protestant Cloyne Diocesan College and Queen's College, Cork. He took journalism, became editor of the Land League journal, "United Ireland", in 1881, and conducted it with such militancy that it was suppressed and O"Brien arrested. Released in 1883, he was elected MP for Mallow and renewed his campaign in "United Ireland". With John Dillon he started the 'plan of campaign' in 1886 to force landlords to reduce exorbitant rents, and was imprisoned for six months. He took the anti-Parnell side in 1891, founded the United Irish League in 1898, and played a leading part in the reunification of the party in 1900. With the passing of the "Wyndham" Land Act (1903), which began the end of lanlordism, O'Brien became convinced that the future for Ireland lay in agreement between unionists and nationalists. In 1910 he led a party of seven Cork MP's who combined in the "All for Ireland" League under the slogan "Confrence, conciliation, consent." By 1918 Sinn Fein was sweeping the country, and O'Brien and his followers did not contest the general election of that year. He wrote two novels: When we Were Boys (1890), a story of the Fenians, and "A Queen of Men" (1898), with Grace O'Malley as the herione. His "Recollections (1906), " The Irish Revolution (1928) and other volumes of reminiscences are useful source book. Died in London on 25 February 1928: buried in Mallow. |
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