O’Connell not the first ‘liberator’

Professor John A Murphy has called on the Government to honour Daniel O’Connell, whom he deems the father of democracy in Ireland, with a national holiday.

Now, when the Royal Irish Constabulary and the Dublin Metropolitan Police, which attempted to strangle Irish democracy at birth, are commemorated and honoured by Irish ministers and the garda commissioner, it is heartening that a professor of the National University of Ireland, and former luminary of Seanad Eireann, has a good word to say for democracy.

But it is distressing to learn that the professor imagines that O’Connell, who was a great man, first raised the banner of democracy in Ireland.