Feargus O’Connor: Irishman and Chartist
Donald Read describes how, during the 1830s and 1840s an Irishman, claiming royal descent, became the hero of British working men in the Chartist campaign for universal suffrage and equal Parliamentary representation.
Historians have written much about the Chartist movement, but little about its leader, Feargus O’Connor. This is surprising, since O’Connor’s career as a demagogue was both picturesque and important; and, during the 1830’s and ’40’s, he was the idol of hundreds of thousands of British working-men. Feargus Edward O’Connor was born at Connerville, his family’s seat in Co. Cork, on July 18th, 1796.
At the time of his birth, both his father, Roger O’Connor, and his uncle Arthur were active leaders of the United Irish movement. Roger O’Connor died insane in 1834, claiming to be the rightful king of Ireland, for the O’Connors traced their descent from Roderick O’Connor, high king of Ireland in the eleventh century.
Arthur O’Connor died in 1852, spending the last fifty years of his life in exile in France. As Chartist leader, Feargus O’Connor never tired of reminding his humble audiences both of the royal descent of his family and of its sacrifices in the popular cause.
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