Charles O'Conor (priest)

Charles O'Conor (1736-1828) was an Irish Catholic priest, writer, and librarian, known for his historical research and advocacy for Catholic rights in Ireland during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He was a key figure in the Catholic Committee and a vocal opponent of the penal laws which restricted the rights of Catholics.

O'Conor was born in Belanagare, County Roscommon, a member of the O'Conor Don family, a historically significant Gaelic Irish lineage. He received his early education privately and was ordained a Catholic priest in 1762. He served as parish priest in several locations before becoming librarian to the Duke of Buckingham at Stowe in 1798.

His historical writings focused primarily on Irish history, particularly the period before the Norman invasion. He argued for the importance of preserving Irish cultural heritage and challenged interpretations of Irish history that he believed were biased against Catholics. His major works include Dissertations on the History of Ireland (1766), Memoirs of the Life and Writings of the Late Charles O'Conor, Esq. of Belanagare (1796), which he wrote about his grandfather, and Rerum Hibernicarum Scriptores Veteres (1814-1826), a collection of Latin translations of early Irish chronicles.

O'Conor's work was significant in shaping Irish historical consciousness and contributing to the movement for Catholic Emancipation. He engaged in extensive correspondence with prominent figures, including Edmund Burke and Henry Grattan, advocating for the repeal of the penal laws and greater political rights for Catholics. He is considered a pioneer in the field of Irish historiography and a significant figure in the history of Irish Catholicism. His efforts helped lay the groundwork for the granting of Catholic Emancipation in 1829, the year after his death.