One of the greatest 19th century parliamentarians, William O'Brien was born on the 2nd October 1852 at Bank Place (O'Meara's Solicitors) near the entrance to St. James Church.

Having worked as a journalist for the 'Cork Daily Herald' until 1869 and for the 'Freemans Journal' until 1875, he became editor of the 'United Irishman' by recommendation of Parnell and made this Land League journal the most militant of its kind ever published. He was lodged in Kilmainham Jail with Parnell and while there drafted the 'No Rent Manifesto'. He secured the publication of the 'United Irishman' in London, Liverpool and Paris, from where it was secretly delivered to Ireland.

O'Brien was elected M.P. for Mallow in 1882. After the rejection of Gladstone's Home Rule Bill of 1886, O'Brien and John Dillon initiated the 'Plan of Campaign'. After a fund raising visit to Canada in 1887, he was committed to Tullamore Prison for six months. In 1890 he and Dillon were charged with conspiracy, but being granted bail they fled to France and thence to the United States of America where news of the Parnell split reached them.

O'Brien refused to lead the party but he was mainly responsible for the final settlement which brought Redmond to the fore in 1910. When returned as M.P. for Cork City in 1902, O'Brien campaigned strongly for the Wyndham Land Purchase Act of 1903, which rang the death knell of landlordism. He strove unsuccessfully to unite Unionists and Nationalists.

In 1910, he founded his 'All for Ireland Movement'. In 1918, he retired from politics thus leaving a clear field for the inevitable break between Sinn Fein and the Redmonites and finally he was opposed on principle to the setting up of an Irish Free State at the expense of a United Ireland.

Besides his writings, 'When we were Boys', 'Recollections' and 'A Queen of Men', William O'Brien was author of many political treaties. In 1890, he married Sophie Raffalovich whose 'Around Broom Lane', while not acceptable to the Mallow people, is still part of the O'Brien legacy to the town.

O'Brien, whose Mallow residence was at Bellvue, died on 25th February 1928 and he was buried in his native town.