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| Brian Boru, Chapel Royal, Dublin Castle |
Two members of the O'Brien family, a royal and a rebel, are represented in sculpture in Dublin city. Brian Boru (c.941-1014), the founder of the family, and his descendant, William Smith O'Brien (1803–1864). Brian Boru was the greatest of Ireland's medieval kings and he, more than any other, came closest to making the title 'High King of Ireland' a reality. Brian came from the relatively obscure dynasty of Dál Cais in North Munster and would have been considered as somewhat of an upstart by established clans like the O'Neill. The dynasty became increasingly prominent over the course of the 10th century and by the turn of the millennium Brian Boru had become the chief overlord of Ireland's provincial kings.
The 1,000th anniversary of the Battle of Clontarf was commemorated earlier this year and is probably the best known of Ireland's medieval battles. It took place on Good Friday 1014 and is reputed to have lasted from sunrise to sundown. Brian's forces were victorious that day and it was considered a turning point in curtailing Viking expansion, although Viking control of Dublin continued until the Normans wrested control from them in the late 12th century.
Brian did not live to see the day out and is said to have been killed while praying in his tent. Petty rivalries prevented Brian's descendants, the O'Briens, from keeping other provincial kings in check and building on his work. They did, however, carve out the petty kingdom of Thomond which existed until they accepted titles from Henry VIII and conformed to the established faith.
They became earls of Thomond and barons Inchiquin, and in the 19th century a scion of the family was to emerge as a rebel. Born in 1803, 111 years ago on this day at Dromoland Castle, William Smith O'Brien entered politics in 1828 as MP for the borough of Ennis. His liberal views were those of Young Ireland and frequently at variance with the Old Ireland views of Daniel O'Connell. This came to a head in 1846 when he led a split from O'Connell's Repeal Association over the issue of non-violence.
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| Detail of William Smith O'Brien statue on O'Connell St., by Thomas Farrell |
Although a moderate he took up arms against the state during the tumultuous years of the Great Famine. At the head the Irish Confederation's ramshackle insurgency the uprising of July 1848 culminated in what was little more than a skirmish against a group of policemen who had barricaded themselves inside a house near Ballinagarry, Co. Tipperary. He was captured shortly after and sentenced to death for high treason but this was commuted to transportation for life to Van Dieman's Land (Tasmania) along with other Young Irelanders.
His death sentence was was commuted on the condition that he never return to the United Kingdom but he was granted an unconditional pardon in 1856 and returned to Ireland. In his latter years he became an advocate of passive resistance and following his death in Wales in 1864, crowds turned out in Dublin to mourn his passing. His final resting place is in the family mausoleum at Rathronan churchyard, Co. Limerick.
