Daniel O'Connor was one of the most remarkable people in 19th century Europe whose success in securing the passage of the Catholic Emancipation Act at Westminster in 1829 set British and Irish politics on the course it maintained until well into the 20th century. This biography concentrates on O'Connell's glory period, culminating in 1829.

Daniel O'Connell – 'The Liberator' – lived a big, great and graphic life. Born in Kerry in 1775, he witnessed some of the most pivotal events in European history: the Penal Laws, the French Revolution, the 1798 Rebellion and the Great Famine. In his struggle for Catholic emancipation, O'Connell achieved the first and most important step towards Irish freedom. He stormed into the House of Commons against the wishes of the Government and the King, smashing down the door that had denied Catholics a place in Parliament. One of the greatest legal men in Europe, he put fear into opponents, judges and the British establishment alike. He shot and killed a man in a deadly duel, fought against slavery and spent time in jail. He also struggled with his weight and his debts, and was sometimes very vain. With lively text and striking illustrations, this book brings Daniel O'Connell and his world to life.