He was born at 73 Main Street (now Thomas Davis Street) Mallow on the 14th October 1814 and was baptised in St. Anne's Church. Shortly after this the family moved to Dublin and he graduated from Trinity College 1836. He was Called to the Bar in 1836. A year later he joined Daniel O' Connell's Repeal Association but soon disagreed with "the Liberator". In July 1842 he formed Young Ireland and began the publication of the Nation with strong nationalistic aims. Unfortunately he died on the 16th September 1845.