The Duke of Wellington was a horse?

Snickers Man · 09-10-2009 1:49pm #1

I owe my poor old father an apology. For years he told us that the famous line about the Duke of Wellington's Irishness: "being born in a stable doesn't make one a horse" was said not by the Duke himself but by Daniel O'Connell.

In other words, it was not Wellington disowning his Irishness but O'Connell denying it to him.

Like most sons I take things my father told me with a pinch of salt and I was usually right to do so. (eg it didn't make me go blind, nice girls did and do do it and even the church now says there's no such place as Limbo)

So I thought he was just being obtuse because I never ever heard anybody else attribute that quote to O'Connell.

But my dad was right and everybody else was wrong! Coming across a reference in Shaw's Authenticated Report of an 1844 State Trial it clearly shows that it WAS O'Connell who made the jibe at a Monster Meeting in Mullaghmast. You can see it on page 93 of the book linked to above during the testimony of reporter Frederick Bond Hughes.

O'Connell was in some ways the George Galloway of his day. Well able and never afraid to get a laugh at the expense of his rivals with the use of withering invective. I reckon he would have been great on TV!

A similar humorous device is used by the great songwriter Randy Newman in a monologe during his song "A few words in defence of our country". REferring to people who praise America's diversity by pointing out:
"we got two Italians and a brother on our Supreme Court.
Well, I defy you to find two Italians anywhere as tight assed as the two we got.
And as for the Brother..Well, Pluto ain't a planet no more neither."

A Disgrace · 14-10-2009 1:19am

Not so sure, I'd heard the Duke answered with the above quote when being quizzed by Daniel O'Connell about his Irish-ness.. to which Daniel O'Connell responded "Perhaps not, but it does make one an Ass!".

The Duke of Wellington never turned his back on his Irish-ness in fairness, and regularly returned here to visit family and friends.. He was even an MP for Trim and I think, Tralee!.

But good link, thanks!

Fratton Fred · 14-10-2009 11:30am

A Disgrace wrote: »

Not so sure, I'd heard the Duke answered with the above quote when being quizzed by Daniel O'Connell about his Irish-ness.. to which Daniel O'Connell responded "Perhaps not, but it does make one an Ass!".

The Duke of Wellington never turned his back on his Irish-ness in fairness, and regularly returned here to visit family and friends.. He was even an MP for Trim and I think, Tralee!.

But good link, thanks!

He was also the man who pushed through the emancipation of Catholics act as well.

Rebelheart · 18-10-2009 12:36pm

Snickers Man wrote: »

But my dad was right and everybody else was wrong! Coming across a reference in Shaw's Authenticated Report of an 1844 State Trial it clearly shows that it WAS O'Connell who made the jibe at a Monster Meeting in Mullaghmast. You can see it on page 93 of the book linked to above during the testimony of reporter Frederick Bond Hughes.

Excellent reference. Very well done. Thank you.

Fuinseog · 18-10-2009 8:16pm

i don/t think the dubs liked Sir Arthur W. much. it took forty years to complete the obelisk in the park

bonerm · 11-08-2010 11:57am

Thanks for posting this thread. I'd always wondered why we would persist in keeping a 60 meter testimonial to a man who would (allegedly) have rejected the country of his birth.

ejmaztec · 11-08-2010 3:03pm

bonerm wrote: »

Thanks for posting this thread. I'd always wondered why we would persist in keeping a 60 meter testimonial to a man who would (allegedly) have rejected the country of his birth.

You have to bite your tongue and think of the tourists. They'd have a lot more places to visit if things hadn't been blown up or torched during the last 90 years.:(

The Duke of Wellington was a horse?

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