The troubled life of Richard Russell, the Hero of Kilkee

Wed 5th August 2026

After saving the lives of a hundred people during the wreck of the Edmond at Kilkee in November 1850, Richard Russell was considered a local hero. However, in the years following the tragedy, his behaviour became erratic, especially after his brother Francis William’s unsuccessful campaign to become MP for Limerick City in 1851.

Throughout the 1850s and 1860s, Richard became involved in dubious schemes to help his brother attain and keep a seat in Westminster that caused havoc in the city and alienated him from the citizenry.

His difficulties were compounded by personal losses and his struggle to run J.N. Russell & Sons, his late father’s prosperous mercantile concern.

This talk will examine the course of his life following the shipwreck and discuss his complicated legacy.

“Helpless before the storm, the Edmond was blown into Kilkee Bay and stuck on the Duggerna Reef. It was soon blown off that and, after the anchor had been lowered, it came to rest against the rocks off Sykes’ House. The time was about 11:30 pm”

speaker

Rachel Beck

date

Wed 5th August 2026

time

8:00 PM

location

Cultúrlann Sweeney,
O’Connell St.,
Kilkee V15 P960

admission

Free

About the speaker

Rachel Beck

Rachel Beck is a doctoral candidate at the University of Limerick, where she is studying under the supervision of Dr Karol Mullaney-Dignam.

Her research examines the use of webcomics in public history. As part of her research, she created a webcomic about the life of Richard Russell.

Rachel has read papers based on her work at conferences in Dublin, York, Aberdeen, and Wrocław in Poland. She is a committee member of the Methodist Historical Society of Ireland.

In 2021, Rachel Beck was awarded the Brian Faloon Prize for the best final-year project in history at the University of Limerick and the silver medal for the highest graduating QCA in the Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences faculty.