William of Orange

William III, Prince of Orange, was born in November 1650, just eight days after his father, William II, passed away. Despite being the son of royalty, William faced political hurdles from the start due to the Act of Seclusion in 1654, which barred him and his descendants from holding office in the Netherlands. In 1672, amidst the threat of invasion by France and England, he was appointed as captain general, tasked with defending the Netherlands during a tumultuous time. Despite initial setbacks, William’s leadership during the crisis earned him popular support, leading to his appointment as stadholder and captain general.

His reign was marked by military campaigns against France, where he orchestrated alliances with unlikely allies such as Pope Innocent XI to counter Louis XIV’s expansionist ambitions. In 1677, William married his cousin Mary, which strengthened his position in England. Eventually, he intervened in English affairs when James II’s rule provoked public outcry amongst Protestants, leading to the so-called Glorious Revolution of 1688. William and Mary took the English throne, solidifying Protestant governance.

William’s reign saw domestic and foreign challenges, including conflicts in Scotland and Ireland. He faced criticism for his handling of the Glen Coe massacre in Scotland and the Irish war, but his campaign here secured Ireland for the Protestant settlers. The Battle of the Boyne, fought on July 1, 1690, pitted King William III against the exiled King James II in Ireland. James sought to reclaim his throne through an alliance with Ireland and France, but William’s victory reassured his allies of his commitment to counter French-aligned forces. The battle, although not decisive, marked a turning point in the conflict.

The Williamite victory in Ireland had lasting effects. It ensured James II wouldn’t regain his thrones by force and solidified British Protestant dominance over Ireland, leading to the “Protestant Ascendancy” rule. Irish Catholics maintained loyalty to the Jacobite cause, viewing James as their rightful monarch promising self-government and Catholic tolerance. Many Irish soldiers fought for the Stuarts abroad. The war saw Irish Protestants rise in the British army’s officer ranks. Protestants celebrated the Williamite victory as a win for liberty, depicted in murals in Ulster and commemorated by Protestant Unionists on the Twelfth of July through events like those held by the Orange Order.

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Bono

Bono, born in Dublin, Ireland, on May 10, 1960, is renowned as the lead singer of the globally acclaimed rock band U2 and for his activism in human rights causes.

Raised by a Catholic father and a Protestant mother who passed away when he was just 14, Bono’s upbringing was marked by a blend of faiths. In 1977, he, along with David Evans (later known as “the Edge”), Larry Mullen Jr., and Adam Clayton, formed U2. 

U2’s breakthrough came in 1983 with “War,” followed by even greater success with “The Unforgettable Fire” in 1984. Bono’s star turn for Band Aid seemed to inspire the band to take an interest in human rights activism. They joined the “Conspiracy of Hope” tour in 1986, organized by Amnesty International USA. Bono’s experiences in war-torn Nicaragua and El Salvador further fueled his interest in global issues.

U2’s album “The Joshua Tree” (1987) became a monumental success, ranking 26th in Rolling Stone magazine’s list of top 500 albums of all time. Over the years, U2 continued to produce chart-topping albums, including “How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb” (2004) and “Songs of Experience” (2017), solidifying their status as one of the most influential bands of all time. Their activism also earned them numerous accolades, including more than 20 Grammy Awards and a Kennedy Center Honor in 2022.

Outside of music, Bono embarked on a second career as a global activist. In 2002, he co-founded Debt, AIDS, Trade, Africa (DATA), an organization dedicated to eradicating poverty, hunger, and AIDS in Africa through advocacy and partnerships. Despite criticism for his willingness to collaborate with leaders like President George W. Bush, Bono remained committed to securing funding for AIDS programs and debt relief for impoverished African nations.

Although Bono’s activism became less visible during the 2010s, he continued to work behind the scenes to advocate for global issues. Around the same time, the band were criticised for avoiding tax. The bands license their copyright to companies that they set up in the Netherlands, which in turn license it to companies in other countries. While the Netherlands companies receive the bands’ global royalties, they only pay tax on what is earned in the Netherlands itself, allowing the groups to cut their tax bills.

In 2022, he released his memoir, “Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story,” reflecting on his journey as both a musician and an activist. Bono’s enduring impact as a musician and a humanitarian underscores his commitment to using his fame for positive change on a global scale.

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Daniel O'Connell

Daniel O’Connell, born in 1775 in County Kerry, Ireland was the preeminent Irish figure of the 19th century. After leaving the Roman Catholic college at Douai due to the French Revolution, O’Connell pursued law studies in London, where he was called to the Irish bar in 1798. Despite his early involvement with the Society of United Irishmen, a revolutionary group, he abstained from participating in the Irish Rebellion of 1798 and was vocally hostile to it.

The Act of Union in 1801, which dissolved the Irish Parliament, prompted O’Connell to demand the repeal of anti-Catholic laws by the British Parliament to validate its representation of Ireland. He opposed several Catholic relief proposals from 1813 onwards, fearing that they would grant the government veto powers over Catholic bishoprics in Britain and Ireland. Despite the illegality of permanent Catholic political organizations, O’Connell organized mass meetings across Ireland to advocate for Catholic emancipation.

In 1823, O’Connell and Richard Lalor Sheil founded the Catholic Association, gaining support from the Irish clergy, educated Catholic laymen, and lawyers. The Association’s membership grew rapidly, making it difficult for the government to suppress it. In 1828, O’Connell, though ineligible to sit in the House of Commons as a Catholic, won the County Clare election, pressuring the British Prime Minister, Arthur Wellesley, to concede to Catholic emancipation. Following the passage of the Catholic Emancipation Act in 1829, O’Connell took his seat in Westminster.

In 1835, O’Connell played a role in toppling Sir Robert Peel’s Conservative ministry and entered the “Lichfield House compact” with the Whig Party leaders, promising a period of calm in Ireland in exchange for reform measures. His support, along with his Irish followers known as “O’Connell’s tail,” helped keep the Whig administration in power until 1841. However, disillusioned by the Whigs’ limited efforts for Ireland, O’Connell founded the Repeal Association in 1840, aiming to dissolve the Anglo-Irish legislative union.

O’Connell’s campaign for repeal culminated in his arrest for seditious conspiracy in 1843, following a series of mass meetings across Ireland. Although he was released on appeal after three months’ imprisonment, his health deteriorated rapidly afterward, and leadership of the nationalist movement passed to the Young Ireland group.

Daniel O’Connell’s legacy as a pioneering Irish nationalist leader endures, marked by his advocacy for Catholic emancipation and his efforts to repeal the Act of Union between Britain and Ireland. His opposition to violence and slavery distinguished him from some of his nationalist successors however his vision of an explicitly Catholic Irish identity has aged less well. 

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