 In his later years O'Donnell began investigating misconduct by both the British Civil Service and the Roman Catholic church in Ireland.His "Paraguay on Shannon" (1908) is an amusing but serious critique of unethical practices by the Catholic clergy in local politics, education, and their involvement in the Congested Districts Board that was financed by Parliament in order to improve the depressed economy of western Ireland.Parliament believed that by improving the living standards of the Irish peasant class, they could "kill Home Rule with kindness."