Feargus O'Connor was a leader of the Chartist movement which was one of the world's first mass working-class movements. I have just written an Irish Diary in the Irish Times newspaper about his life and times. Read it here.
Feargus O'Connor (1794-1855). Image source.
Feargus O'Connor was a fascinating figure who left behind what could have been a comfortable life as a parliamentarian, lawyer or landlord for a life of struggle helping to bring about better civic rights for ordinary citizens.
His entry in the Dictionary of Irish Biography is worth a read if you want to find out more about him. This website about Chartist ancestors has lots of information about O'Connor. There is also a good resume of O'Connor's life on the Manuscripts and Special Collections webpage of the University of Nottingham.
If you would like to find out more about Chartism, its origins and its aims, here are some useful links where you could start:
What was Chartism? UK National Archives website
Chartism BBC 'In Our Time' podcast
The Chartist movement BBC Bitesize
The Chartist movement UK Parliament website
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