The “Monster Meeting”, Alarm Of Goverment
Above : Another Picture Of Prime Minister Peel
O’Connell now (1842-1843) tried another method, and organised in various parts of Ireland huge assemblies, known as ” monster meetings,” to which the people came in thousands ; at one held at Tara at least a quarter of a million persons were present. A platform was erected from which O’Connell spoke, but, wonderful as was the power of his voice, its tones could reach the ears of only a relatively small part of the vast multitude, All, however, stood quietly in their ordered ranks ; never was there the least impatience, the slighest interruption or sign of disorder. O’Connell had impressed on them the necessity of avoiding any disturbance, and no one dream of disobeying him.
