Newmarket-on-Fergus library renamed in honour of William Smith O’Brien

On Friday 23rd August 2013 Newmarket-on-Fergus Public Library was officially named in honour of William Smith O’Brien. Pictured at the naming ceremony were Grania O’Brien Weir and the Mayor of Clare, Cllr. Joe Arkins.

Also pictured at the recent naming ceremony of the William Smith O’Brien Public Library, Newmarket-on-Fergus were (L to R): Michael O’Brien, John O’Brien, Emby Cunningham, Director of Service Bernadette Kinsella, Mayor of Clare Cllr Joe Arkins, Conor O’Brien, Grania O’Brien Weir, Margaret O’Brien and Hugh Weir.

William O' Brien, Patriot, was born in Dromoland, County Clare on October 17th, 1803. He was the second son of Sir Edward O' Brien, fourth baronet of Dromoland. William's brother was the well-known Sir Lucius O'Brien, Conservative member for Clare. His mother was Charlotte, nee Smith, whose father owned a property called Cahirmoyle in County Limerick. William inherited it and adopted the additional surname of Smith, thereafter he is known as William Smith O'Brien...

1848 was a year of revolution all over Europe. In Ireland, William Smith O' Brien urged the formation of a National Guard, and an armed rising was planned. However, the Famine had left the country spiritless and they had made no real preparations. At the end of July a small group under O' Brien clashed with forty-six policemen at Ballingarry, Co. Tipperary. This skirmish at widow McCormack's cabbage garden brought the rising of 1848 to an inglorious end. William Smith O' Brien was arrested and sent to Clonmel for trial. Continue...