O'CONNELL, Daniel 1775-1847 (Irish Nationalist Leader, named 'The Liberator' )

The O’Connell plate, an Imari plate by repute from a service used by him during his three month stay at Richmond Bridewell Prison, Dublin, for three months in 1844 after his proposed 'monster meeting' at Clontarf in favour of Repeal of the Union, or Irish self-government, had been declared illegal. With a manuscript ink letter of provenance dated 1890 from Mrs E Rothe, one time Lady Superintendent of *Grangegorman Prison prior to 1890, and a printed copy of a testimonial address given to her on her retirement (3)

*Grangegorman Prison held female prisoners, alongside the Richmond Bridewell, a male prison. O'Connell was said to have had a comfortable stay in the Governor's quarters, and had plenty of visitors, hence the need to have suitable table ware for dining purposes.