Frederick Douglass, an African American abolitionist and former slave, visited Ireland in 1845. His trip was shaped by a number of experiences, including meeting Daniel O’Connell and achieving a level of personal freedom unimaginable in his home country.

In 2022, a new plaque was unveiled honouring his Dublin visit, one of a number of memorials across the island of Ireland commemorating this important speaking tour.

Cecelia Hartsell is a U.S. historian, specialising in African American history and American social history.