SNIPPET: Per the Jan-Feb 2009 issue of Dublin's "Ireland of the Welcomes" magazine, Ireland was the first country in the world to introduce gun licences - and Daniel O'CONNELL shot a man dead in a row over Dublin Corporation, the civic authority in charge of the city. These are two aspects of the "Blaze Away" exhibition, subtitled duelling, gunmakers and swordmakers in the 19th century Ireland, now running in the Collins Barracks adjunct of the National Museum of Dublin. The Liberator, as (Kerry's) Dan O'CONNELL was known, criticised Dublin Corporation for its neglect of Catholics, and John D'ESTERRE, a member of the Corporation, wrote to O'CONNELL demanding an apology. When he refused, this led to a duel. A large group was present at Bishopscourt in County Kildare on February 2nd 1815 for the occasion. D'ESTERRE fired first and missed. When O'CONNELL fired he hit D'ESTERRE and he died the following day. Perhaps the most bloodthirsty duellist was George Robert "Fighting" FITZGERALD, born in the late 1740's in County Mayo. He fought 12 duels, and was described at the time as having "an implacable, revengeful and sanguinary nature." He was 38 when he was sentenced to death for murder and hanged. Of 306 Irish duels fought between 1771 and 1790, there were 65 instant deaths and 16 mortal wounds, while less than a hundred ended without injury." www.museum.ie