CUSACK, M.F. A History of The Irish Nation. Social, Ecclesiastical, Biographical, Industrial and Antiquarian.

Illustrated. London: J.G. Murdoch, 41 Castle Street, Holborn, [1876]. First edition. Large quarto. pp. viii, 968. pp. xvi, 956, [18 (unnumbered leaves of plates, illustrations, portraits)]. Additional engraved titlepage. Handsomely bound in full contemporary morocco, richly decorated in gilt and blind to covers and spine, with elaborate Celtic and heraldic panels, the upper cover featuring an armorial crest with the motto “Erin go Bragh”, together with figures of Irish chieftains and saints. Spine divided into six panels with ornate gilt tooling. All edges gilt. Some light rubbing and mild wear, but overall a fine and most attractive copy. Very rare in this state. Spine professionally rebacked at the Abrams Bindery.
Daniel O’Connell (1775-1847), The Liberator, was born at Carhan near Caherciveen, County Kerry to the O’Connells of Derrynane, a once-wealthy Roman Catholic family, which had been dispossessed of its lands. Among his uncles was Daniel Charles, Count O’Connell, an officer in the Irish Brigades in France. Under the patronage of his wealthy bachelor uncle Maurice “Hunting Cap” O’Connell, he studied at Douai in France. He became a barrister first at Lincoln’s Inn, later transferring to Dublin’s King’s Inns. O’Connell devoted his life to the cause of Catholic Emancipation.
Margaret Anne Cusack wrote extensively, from pamphlets to books, biographies of saints, prelates and nationalist leaders. By 1870 more than 200,000 copies of her works had circulated throughout the world. The money made from her publications went to feed the poor in her community at Kenmare. Margaret Anna was the founder of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace and established communities of her order in Nottingham, and Newark, New Jersey. A woman before her time she was misunderstood and reviled and became embroiled in quarrels with the hierarchy in various parts of Ireland and America. Because of her outspoken views and her support of many radical causes she was not popular with all Roman Catholics and in 1888 she returned to the Anglican Communion after an altercation with her bishop. Margaret Anna Cusack, ‘the nun of Kenmare,’ died in 1899, aged sixty-seven, and was buried in a Church of England reserved burial site at Leamington Spa, Warwickshire.

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