Above: Daniel O'Connell After the Union there was no appearance of the promised bill for Emancipation. The old Catholic Committee still survived, held its meetings in Dublin, and kept the claims of the Catholics before parliament and the public; but there appeared very little hope, for king George III. continued as obstinate as ever. In 1805 Grattan became a member of the United Parlia- ment, and devoted himself almost exclusively to the cause of Irish Catholic emancipation. In 1807 the duke of Richmond ... Read More

Above: Catholic Emancipation In 1823 the " Catholic Association " was founded by O'Connell and Richard Lalor Sheil; it was the chief agency by which Catholic emancipation was ultimately achieved. The expenses were defrayed chiefly by a subscription from the people of one penny a week, which was called " Catholic rent " : and the association soon spread through all Ireland. O'Connell and Sheil were all through the mainsprings of the movement: and it was the means of establishing a free press ... Read More