Leopoldo O'Donnell: A prime minister with Irish roots

Calle D'Donnell in Malaga's Bailén-Miraflores district is named after Leopoldo O'Donnell, a Spaniard of Irish origin who became prime minister of Spain.

Leopoldo was born in Santa Cruz de Tenerife on 12 January 1809 into a military family. His grandfather was Joseph (José) O'Donnell (1722 – 1787), an Irish-Spanish general and the family descended from Calvagh O'Donnell, head of the O'Donnell clan and leader of Donegal.

Born in Ireland, Joseph O'Donnell came to Spain in 1739 where he enlisted in the Irlanda Regiment. Two distant relatives had come to Spain earlier; Lieutenant-colonel John O'Donnell and Carlos O'Donnell.

In 1839 Leopoldo was appointed Captain General of Aragón, Valencia and Murcia and from 1853 he began to take an interest in politics. In June of the following year he was appointed Minister of War.

O'Donnell became prime minister in July 1856, forming a government that would last until October 1857, when he was replaced by Ramón María Narváez.

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He returned to power in July 1858 and declared war on Morocco on 22 October 1959. The Treaty of Tetouan, signed in 1860, ended the war and extended the territory of Ceuta.

The victory earned Leopoldo the title of Duke of Tetouan and Grandeur of Spain. His government was also responsible for the rapid expansion of the Spanish railway.

He governed until February 1863 and after leaving the government in 1866 he went to Biarritz, where he died on 5 November 1867. Juan Antonio O'Donnell (Pontevedra, 1946), is a former head of press and spokesperson for the National Police in Malaga and is the great-nephew of Leopoldo.

Juan's father, also Juan Antonio O'Donnell, retained a family home in Malaga, the Palacete de la Marquesa de Donadio, known as Casa de la Marquesita and, in 1956, the family returned there from Pontevedra.

Juan Antonio junior was enrolled at Los Maristas school.