Daniel O’Connell: The Emancipator Documentary Screening and Panel Discussion
Friday, November 13 at 7:00 pm (doors open at 6:30 pm)
The Debartolo Performing Arts Center, Browning Cinema, University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame Dublin and the Keough-Naughton Institute for Irish Studies invite you to a special screening of landmark documentary Daniel O'Connell: The Emancipator, narrated by Domnhall Gleeson, directed by Ruán Magan, and produced by Create One in association with the University of Notre Dame, University College Cork, and RTÉ, Ireland’s national broadcaster. View the trailer here.
The film run time is 50 minutes, followed by a panel discussion with director Ruán Magan (Create One) and documentary participants on Daniel O'Connell's legacy of democracy, non-violence, equality, and liberty.
Please note: This is a free but ticketed event. To guarantee your seat, please pick up your tickets at least 15 minutes prior to the show, at which point your unclaimed tickets may be used to seat patrons waiting on standby. Tickets will be available for pick-up at the Ticket Office beginning one hour prior to the performance.
More on the film:
In 2025, Ireland and the world commemorated the 250th anniversary of the birth of Daniel O’Connell – a visionary statesman, reformer, and champion of human rights. To mark the occasion, a powerful new documentary, Daniel O’Connell: The Emancipator, was released, offering a fresh exploration of the life and enduring impact of one of Ireland’s greatest figures.
This one-hour documentary, produced by Create One in association with University College Cork, the University of Notre Dame, and RTE, traces O’Connell’s journey from Kerry lawyer to global advocate for justice. Known as The Liberator, he secured Catholic Emancipation, pioneered non-violent mass political mobilization, and inspired democratic movements around the world.
Featuring insights from leading historians and scholars, including:
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Colin Barr (University of Notre Dame)
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Cornelius Buttimer (University College Cork)
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Claire Connolly (University College Cork)
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Niamh Gallagher (University of Cambridge)
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Patrick Geoghegan (Trinity College Dublin)
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Anne Hodge (National Gallery of Ireland)
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Declan Kiberd (University of Notre Dame)
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Mary McAleese (Former President of Ireland)
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Chanté Mouton Kinyon (University of Notre Dame)
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Jay Roszman (University College Cork)
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Kevin Whelan (University of Notre Dame)
With newly uncovered archival material, an original score by Colm Mac Con Iomaire and vivid storytelling, Daniel O’Connell: The Emancipator reveals how O’Connell’s campaigns reshaped Ireland’s political and cultural landscape and positioned him as a model for later figures, including Frederick Douglass, Mahatma Gandhi, and Martin Luther King Jr.
“Daniel O’Connell was not only a transformative leader for Ireland,” said producer, writer, and director Ruán Magan. “His ideas and methods reverberated far beyond his time, influencing struggles for liberty, inclusion, and equality that continue today. This film seeks to reintroduce him to a new generation.”
The release of Daniel O’Connell: The Emancipator formed part of a year-long programme of commemorations honouring O’Connell’s 250th anniversary, inviting audiences to reflect on how his vision for justice and democracy continues to shape our world. The documentary kicked off a four-year long research project on “Global O’Connell,” led by the University of Notre Dame’s Keough-Naughton Institute for Irish Studies, culminating in 2029, the 200th anniversary of Catholic Emancipation in Ireland.
The documentary premiered in December 2025 on RTÉ, with further screenings, educational events, and discussions planned in Ireland, Europe, and the United States as a part of the University of Notre Dame's Global Network.