This is the ancestral home of Daniel O’Connell, Ireland’s most influential 19th-century politician, whose tireless nonviolent agitation gained equality for Catholics 185 years ago. The coastal lands of the O’Connell estate that surround Derrynane (rhymes with MaryAnn) House are now a national historic park.
A visit here is a window into the life of a man who not only liberated Ireland from the last oppressive anti-Catholic penal laws but also first developed the idea of a grassroots movement – organizing on a massive scale to achieve political ends without bloodshed.
The house has a quirky floor plan. Downstairs in the study, look for the glass case containing the pistols used in O’Connell’s famous duel. Beside them are his black gloves, one of which he always wore on his right hand when he went to Mass (out of remorse for the part it played in taking a man’s life).
The dining room is lined with family portraits. Upstairs in the drawing room, you’ll find his ornately carved chair with tiny harp strings and wolfhound collars made of gold. And in another upstairs room is his deathbed, brought back from Genoa.
The coach house (out back) shows off the enormous grand chariot that carried O’Connell through throngs of joyous Dubliners after his release from prison in 1844.
In the glass case opposite the chariot is a copy of O’Connell’s celebrated speech imploring the Irish not to riot when he was arrested. He added the small chapel wing to the house in gratitude to God for his prison release.
We arrived about 40 minutes before opening, so had the opportunity to wander around the beautiful gardens. Not ceremonial like some other estates, but full of beautiful pathways that lead past exotic plants and a pixie village. On such a glorious morning it was a fantastic way to start the day.
