Feargus O'Connor - in The UK Parliament

In The UK Parliament

In 1832, he was elected to the British House of Commons as Member of Parliament for County Cork, as a Repealer candidate in opposition to a Whig.

Feargus O'Connor came into Parliament as a follower of MP Daniel O'Connell. His speeches during this time were devoted mainly to the Irish question. He was described as active, bustling, violent, a ready speaker, and the model of an Irish patriot, but as one who did nothing, suggested nothing, and found fault with everything. He always voted with the radicals; he voted for tax on property, for Attwood's motion for an inquiry into the conditions that prevailed in England, and supported Ashley's Factory Bill.

Soon he quarreled with O'Connell, repudiating him for his practice of yielding to the Whigs, and came out in favour of a more aggressive Repeal policy.

In the general election of 1835 he was re-elected, but disqualified from being seated because he lacked property qualifications. However, it appears that he did have property valued at £300 a year.

Off on a new venture, O'Connor next planned to raise a volunteer brigade for the Queen of Spain, but abandoned this when William Cobbett died in April 1835. He decided to run for Cobbett's seat. He lost, but his candidacy drew enough support away from John Cobbett, son of William, to allow the Tory candidate to win.