Morgan O'Connell

Morgan O'Connell was one of 7 children of the Irish politician Daniel O'Connell, the first Roman Catholic Lord Mayor of Dublin, and his wife, a cousin, Mary O'Connell. Although claiming to be opposed to the spilling of blood, Daniel O'Connell was an admirer of the Latin American revolutionary Simon Bolivar, and in 1820, at the age of 15, Morgan was sent to Venezuela where he became the youngest officer in the Irish Legion of Bolivar's army. Morgan O'Connell served in the British Parliament as did all his brothers.

Related Topics:
Daniel O'Connell - Lord Mayor of Dublin - Simon Bolivar - Venezuela

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He almost engaged in a duel in 1835 with the British politician Benjamin Disraeli, but apparently the duel never actually occurred. His own father had killed a man, John D'Esterre, in a duel allegedly over "gentlemanly honour" in 1815 in Dublin, Ireland, but later professed to regretting it and tried to help the D'Esterre family wherever possible afterwards.

Related Topics:
1835 - Benjamin Disraeli - 1815 - Dublin, Ireland

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In Derrynane House (the O'Connell homestead), near Caherciveen, County Kerry, Ireland, there is a portrait of Morgan O'Connell (painted by John Gubbins in 1820) wearing the huzzar-type uniform made for him in Dublin before he embarked for Venezuela in 1820. He looks a fine young man in his elaborate uniform. He has two jackets, one worn buttoned and the other draped over the left shoulder. The cuffs of both jackets are heavily embroidered in gold work and both jackets have ornate lacework on the chest and close round brass buttons, 19 on the buttoned jacket and 16 on the draped one. All the work on the jacket would have been done by hand as would the decorative belt from which his sword is suspended. He carries what appears to be a bearskin hat, probably a busby, which has a gilt chain. A short plume is attached to the top of the busby. In battle, he would have a cap-line attached to his jacket and to the busby to prevent its loss.

Related Topics:
Caherciveen - County Kerry - Ireland

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