Daniel O’Connell personified the perpetual importance of an independent Bar

Daniel O’Connell demonstrated how a skilled barrister could transform an oppressive legal system into an instrument of political change.

Daniel O'Connell's performance in The King v. John Magee exemplifies the best traditions of forensic advocacy at The Bar of Ireland. Picture: Universal History Archive/Getty Images

On July 27, 1813, in the Court of King’s Bench in Dublin, Daniel O'Connell rose to defend John Magee, publisher of the Dublin Evening Post, against a charge of criminal libel. 

His speech that day demonstrated how a skilled barrister could transform an oppressive legal system into an instrument of political change. The case of  The King v. John Magee  remains one of the most memorable examples of O'Connell’s extraordinary ability to use his legal expertise in the service of justice and reform.