Saturday, 11 October 2008

PRESS RELEASE

The Tamworth based Peel Society recently took 35 members and friends on a tour of Southern Ireland in search of Peel connections.

Robert Peel was appointed Chief Secretary for Ireland at the age of 24 in 1812.  He stayed until 1818.  These were turbulent times in Ireland after the Union of the Dublin Parliament and Westminster in 1801.  Peel established his reputation as an able administrator and Ireland dominated the rest of his political life.  His opponent was Daniel O'Connell, "The Liberator".  Indeed they irritated each other so greatly that they nearly fought a duel.

The tour took in Dublin Castle, where Peel was based, Leinster House where the Dìal and Senate are located and The National Archives of Ireland, where the members had a fascinating glance at correspondence by and to Peel.  After touring Dublin, the group went to Kinsale, where they had a historical tour of the famous harbour with its forts.

One of the highlights of the tour was a visit to Derrynane House, the home of Daniel O'Connell.  It is situated in a beautiful valley near the sea on the Ring of Kerry.  The Irish present an excellent picture of the life and times of their hero.

One of the most moving items on display is a declaration by O'Connell after he was released from prison in 1844 when Peel was Prime Minister.  Essentially, he was a man of peace so he said "No Riot, No Tumult, No Blow, No Violence".  Unfortunately, this precept by O'Connell was not followed, neither was Peel's advice on how to ameliorate the famine between 1845 and 1849.  Anglo-Irish history may have been quite different if they had been followed.

The tour finished at Powerscourt, where the group visited the lovely gardens and spectacular waterfall in the Wicklow Mountains.

The Peel Society group at Leinster House in Dublin, the seat of the Dìal and Senate.	Group at the falls at Powerscourt
Nigel Morris, Vice Chairman of the Peel Society handing over to theCarah O'Sullivan, a curator at Derrynane House, a set of prints of cartoons from the 1820 and 1840's illustrating the relationship between Sir Robert Peel and Daniel O'Connell.	Life member J. Robert Peel, Mrs Janice Morris, Hon. Secretary of the Peel Society and Mrs Hilda Barriskell, enjoying looking at Peel related archives in the National Archives of Ireland.

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