Ireland’s Liberator: The Lingering Mystery of Daniel O’Connell’s Heart

Nation marks 250th birthday amid fervent search for missing relic

As Ireland commemorates the 250th anniversary of the birth of national hero **Daniel O’Connell**, a curious question echoes through the commemorations: where is the heart of the man known as “the Liberator”? His final wish was clear: “My body to Ireland, my heart to Rome and my soul to heaven.”

A Prized Relic Vanishes

Following his passing in 1847, **O’Connell**’s heart was indeed sent to Rome, becoming a cherished relic at the Irish College within the church of St Agata dei Goti. However, by 1927, authorities discovered the heart was no longer in its intended resting place. It remains missing to this day, sparking renewed calls for a dedicated search effort.

“It’s a travesty if it was just left like that,” expressed **Maurice O’Connell**, a descendant of the statesman, to RTÉ. He added, “I think with the 250th anniversary, if you’re not going to search now, you’re never going to do it, so at least there’s some impetus behind it. I’m sure there’s interest in government to help the Daniel O’Connell story. But you’ve got to try and find it.”

The great-great-great-grandnephew hopes the heart could eventually be laid to rest on Abbey Island in County Kerry, beside **O’Connell**’s wife, **Mary**. “It would be fantastic if the heart was reunited with her,” he stated.

A Giant of Irish Nationalism

**O’Connell**, a barrister and Member of Parliament, is widely regarded as the founding father of Irish nationalism. He championed Catholic emancipation and led a significant movement to repeal the Act of Union, which formally incorporated Ireland into the United Kingdom. His powerful oratory and ability to mobilize vast crowds influenced civil rights movements globally. As historian **William Gladstone** once remarked, **O’Connell** was “the greatest popular leader the world has ever seen.”

While statues of **O’Connell** adorn Irish cities and his body rests beneath a tower at Dublin’s Glasnevin cemetery, the whereabouts of his heart remain an enigma.

Theories of Disappearance

The heart was embalmed and reportedly housed in an urn behind a marble plaque within the church at the Irish College. However, during the college’s relocation in 1927, the urn could not be found. One prevailing theory suggests it may have been inadvertently removed with other remains during construction work for the Bank of Italy, which encroached upon the church’s crypt, and subsequently reinterred at Campo Verano cemetery.

Another possibility is that the heart was transferred to a silver casket which later fell victim to theft. Historian **John Crotty** expressed concern over these scenarios, telling RTÉ, “What a tragedy to think that the heart of **O’Connell** could have been swept up and taken and stolen. But that is the worst-case scenario.” He holds out hope, however, that it might have been included in the Campo Verano move or still lies undisturbed beneath the church.