The opening of Derrynane National Historic Park marks 200th anniversary of the birth of Daniel O'Connell.
Daniel O'Connell was born on 6 August 1775 in Carhan House near Cahersiveen, County Kerry. Two hundred years to the day later, President Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh plants a tree in his memory and marks the opening of Derrynane National Historic Park.
The park includes 300 acres of land taking in the Derrynane Abbey Estate and the birthplace of the man that became known as 'The Liberator’.
Speaking at the opening ceremony President Ó Dálaigh said,
Words hardly seem adequate to declare open a park situated in the midst of such wild beauty and dedicated to a figure so difficult to pinion and to encompass as Daniel O'Connell.
He goes on to say that it may be more appropriate to release a golden eagle in O’Connell’s honour. As the eagle would dominate the Kerry mountains, O’Connell dominated Irish history in the nineteenth century.
The official ceremony is followed by a tour of the abbey.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 7 August 1975.
