Above : Another Painting Of Daniel O’Connell

A monster meeting, to be held on the 8th of the month at Ciontarf, near Dublin, had been arranged, and preparations for it had been going on for some weeks. Only on the previous afternoon (Saturday, October 7th) was a proclamation, signed by the Lord Lieutenant (Lord de Grey), issued, announcing that the meeting would not be allowed. Thousands of people were already on their way to Ciontarf, many from the most remote parts of Ireland. O’Connell at once decided that the proclamation should be obeyed. He sent in all directions duly accredited messengers to meet the bodies of people on the various roads and desire them to return home. The measures taken were successful. The troops massed about the site of the intended meeting-place, the warships which had come into Dublin Bay, the cannon of the Pigeon-house fort which had been made ready, found nothing to do. Quietly and without disturbance the multitude dispersed. It was the supreme test of their obedience and their confidence in “the Liberator” and they stood it well.

From the affair of the Ciontarf meeting may be dated the beginning of the downfall of O’Connell’s Repeal Movement. It was apparent to all thinking men, though not at first to the masses in general, that his sagacity had been at fault, and his estimate of the strength of the English Government’s determination a wholly mistaken one. He had told the people again and again that the Monster Meetings were perfectly legal, that the Government would not dare to forcibly repress them. He had repeatedly assured them that if they would only obey him, and limit their activities within the boundaries of the Constitution, Repeal would, Jim a few months be there. Now the Government had actually meet and had made every preparation to compel ace to its decree by military force, if this were found necessary.

As the trusted weapon had broken in O’Connell’s hand, till a new o could be forged, should this be possible, Repeal appeared to have reced H into the distance.

The first blow dealt by the Government was soon followed bv another. Before the end of October, O’Connell, with eight of his chief supporters, was arrested on a charge of ” Conspiracy and other Mis. demeanours.” They were, however, at once admitted to bail, and their trial was not commenced till the January of 1844. In the composition of the jury great carelessness, or more probably great dishonesty shown. The names of over twenty Catholics were omitted from the panel, from which the names of the actual jurors were to be drawn. When the names were drawn, they were found to include those of eleven Catholics. All these were challenged by the Crown, so that no single man of his own creed found a place amongst those before whom the great leader of the Irish Catholics was to be arraigned.

The result was, under these circumstances, a foregone conclusion. The charge of the Chief Justice showed the grossest partiality. The ” traversers ” were found guilty. In May (1844) the sentence was pronounced. O’Connell was condemned to a fine of £3,000 and a year’s imprisonment; the rest to lesser fines and imprisonments of nine months. The place of confinement assigned to the prisoners was Richmond Jail, Dublin, but they suffered nothing except the loss of their liberty. Comfortable quarters were given them, and a good-sized garden for exercise. They were allowed the visits of their friends, could read, write, and receive letters as they pleased.