The eldest son of Denis O'Conor, he was educated at Downside School in England and became an Irish Liberal Party Member of Parliament (MP) for Roscommon from March 1860 until he was defeated at the 1880 general election. He was an unsuccessful candidate for Wexford in 1883. He was appointed High Sheriff of Sligo for 1863 and High Sheriff of Roscommon for 1884.

He was also President of the Society for the Preserving the Irish Language, a precursor of the Gaelic League. He wrote a history of his family called "The O'Conors of Connacht".

He married on the 21 April 1868, Georgina Mary Perry, the daughter of Thomas Perry of Bitham House, Warwickshire, England, with whom he had four sons; Denis Charles Joseph O'Conor, O'Conor Don2

• Denis Charles Joseph O'Conor, O'Conor Don (b. 26 Oct 1869, d. 22 Feb 1917)
• Owen Phelim O'Conor, O'Conor Don (b. 10 Dec 1870, d. 1 Mar 1943)
• Charles Hugh O'Conor of Lucan house, Dublin (b. 24 Jan 1872, d. 28 Apr 1939); he was the father of Rev. Charles Denis Mary Joseph Anthony O'Conor, O'Conor Don SJ (b. 25 Mar 1906, d. 1981), on whose death in 1981, the title of O'Conor Don passed to Charles's Owen's great nephew Denis Armar O'Conor, O'Conor Don (b. 13 Jan 1912, d. 10 Jul 2000).
• Roderick Joseph O'Conor (b. 24 Jan 1872, d. 1878)

Georgina died on the 18 August 1872 and he married on 16 September 1879 to Ellen Letitia More-O'Ferrall, the daughter of Lewis More O'Ferrall, of Lissard House, Co. Longford.

He died on 30 June 1906 at age 68.

Citations edit

Sources edit

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Charles Owen O'Conor