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Daniel O’Connell sculpture unveiled at Leinster House
A sculpture of Daniel O’Connell, the Liberator, was unveiled by Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy at Leinster House on Wednesday to mark the 250th anniversary of his birth.
O’Connell, who was born in Kerry, was the foremost Irish nationalist leader of the 19th century.
He was the first Irish Catholic to speak in British Parliament and advocated for the abolishment of slavery.
His last speech in the British Parliament focused on the plight of the Irish people during the famine.
The unveiling took place in the coffee dock of LH2000.
The Ceann Comhairle opened the event with a short welcome address to guests in attendance including members of both Houses of the Oireachtas and the staff of Bank of Ireland.
Addressing those in attendance, the Ceann Comhairle said that sculptures have a way of slowing us down, asking us to pause, look and examine from different angles.
She said: “We are not here to simply unveil a statue today, but to acknowledge a chapter in the history of this island. A statue is never only about the person it depicts. It is also about us, the people who choose to remember, to reflect, and to learn. This sculpture marks moments in time; reminders of choices and a tale of a man who shaped the path we walk today.”
The sculpture, created by Andrew O'Connor in 1932, was donated to the Houses of the Oireachtas by Bank of Ireland.
The Daniel O'Connell sculpture will sit on the Kildare Street side of the Leinster House complex, outside the entrance to LH2000.
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