William O'Brien
O'Brien disagreed with the establishment of a southern Irish Free State under the Treaty, still believing that Partition of Ireland was too high a price to pay for partial independence. He wrote in 1923, "It is now obvious enough that, had the Irish Council Bill been allowed to pass in 1907, the Partition of Ireland would never have been heard of." Retiring from political life, he contented himself with writing and declined Éamon de Valera's offer to stand for Fianna Fáil in the 1927 general election. He died suddenly on 25 February 1928 while on a visit to London with his wife at the age of 75. His remains rest in Mallow, and one of the principal streets in the town bears his name to this day. His head-bust overlooks the town Council's Chamber Room and one of his finest portraits hangs in University College Cork.
William O'Brien (Australian politician)
He was born in Parkes to carrier William O'Brien and Bridget, "née" O'Sullivan. He worked as a cabinetmaker and in the railways, and was an official in the Furniture Trades' Union, being a delegate to and later president of the Trades and Labor Council. In 1916 he was a foundation member of the Industrial Vigilance Council and a delegate to the Anti-Conscription League, and from 1913 to 1917 he served on the central executive of the Australian Labor Party (vice-president 1916–17). In 1917 he was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly as the member for Annandale, transferring to Murray with the introduction of proportional representation in 1920. O'Brien served until 1925. He died at Leichhardt in 1953.