Barry O'Meara facts for kids
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Barry Edward O'Meara (1786–1836) was an Irish surgeon. He was born in Newtown House, in a place now called Blackrock, Dublin. He is best known for being the doctor who took care of Napoleon when Napoleon was held captive on the island of Saint Helena. O'Meara was a surgeon on the ship Bellerophon when Napoleon surrendered. He also helped start a group called the Reform Club.
Barry Edward O'Meara's Story
Barry Edward O'Meara studied medicine at Trinity College Dublin. He became a surgeon, which is a doctor who performs operations. His life took an interesting turn when he became involved with one of history's most famous figures, Napoleon Bonaparte.
Life with Napoleon
O'Meara was the surgeon on the British warship HMS Bellerophon. This was the ship Napoleon surrendered to after his defeat. When Napoleon was sent to live in exile on the remote island of Saint Helena, O'Meara went with him. He became Napoleon's personal doctor.
During his time on Saint Helena, O'Meara was the first doctor to perform a medical operation on Napoleon. This happened in 1817 when he removed one of Napoleon's wisdom teeth.
His Famous Book
O'Meara is well-known for writing a book called Napoleon in Exile, or A Voice From St. Helena. It was published in 1822. In this book, O'Meara claimed that Sir Hudson Lowe, the British governor of Saint Helena, treated Napoleon poorly.
The book caused a lot of discussion and debate when it came out. It gave people a unique look into Napoleon's life as a prisoner. O'Meara also sent secret letters from Saint Helena to London. These letters shared Napoleon's thoughts and feelings while he was a captive. They also explained why Napoleon complained about Governor Lowe and the British government.
What He's Remembered For
O'Meara's granddaughter, Kathleen O'Meara, also became a writer. She lived in Paris and wrote about Catholic topics.
Barry Edward O'Meara's story has even been told in movies. An actor named Michael Williams played him in a 1972 film called Eagle in a Cage.
