CUSACK, M.F. [The Nun of Kenmare] The Liberator: his Life and Times, Political and Social. Two volumes.

Illustrated. Kenmare: Kenmare Publications, n.d. [1872]. Octavo. pp. (1) xlviii, 354, 23, (2) viii, 355-774, 16 (list of subscribers and Kenmare Publishing Catalogue). Bound by Galwey of Dublin in green cloth decorated in black over bevelled boards. Covers with an intricate interlaced Celtic design border in black with the arms of the four provinces in the corners, enclosing in the centre a gilt device: Hibernia with harp, a round tower, abbey, and symbols of commerce. Smooth spine, with Hibernia seated, hand on harp, and a round tower in the background, title in gilt. Spines professionally rebacked. Very scarce. A very good and attractive set.

JISC locates 7 sets only of the two volume edition.
The publication history of this biography is inseparably linked with Margaret Anna Cusack, the celebrated “Nun of Kenmare”, whose writings did much to popularise Irish history and nationalist themes among Victorian readers. The Liberator presents a detailed account of the life and career of Daniel O’Connell, tracing his emergence as the foremost advocate of Catholic Emancipation and constitutional nationalism. Combining political narrative with social history, the work seeks to place O’Connell within the broader context of nineteenth-century Ireland, emphasising both his extraordinary influence upon public life and the mass movement he inspired. The extensive list of subscribers provides a valuable insight into the readership of nationalist literature in Ireland during the later nineteenth century.
Of particular interest is the striking binding by Galwey of Dublin, one of the finest examples of Irish Celtic Revival decorative cloth work of the period. The covers are enriched with intricate interlaced Celtic ornament incorporating the arms of the four provinces, while the central gilt device depicts Hibernia with harp, a round tower, monastic ruins, and symbols of commerce, embodying a romantic vision of Ireland’s ancient heritage and modern aspirations. The spine decoration, featuring Hibernia seated beside her harp before a round tower, further enhances the distinctly national character of the design. A handsome and increasingly scarce set, remarkable as much for its iconic Irish binding as for its subject matter.

[L4 5E]