Thomas Meagher: Forgotten Father of Thomas Francis Meagher is a biography of the father of one of Ireland’s most famous patriots. He emerges from his son’s shadow as a man of deeply held political and religious principles. Born in Newfoundland, Canada, he was to be heavily influenced by his experiences on that rugged island. He settled in Waterford in 1819 and quickly established himself as a champion of political and religious equality.

In 1842 he was elected Mayor of Waterford, the first Catholic to hold this office since the seventeenth century. Meagher served as an MP for the city from 1847 to 1857, and was a determined supporter of an independent Irish party to defend Irish interests at Westminster. A staunch follower of Daniel O’Connell, the age-old conflict between constitutional and revolutionary nationalism in Ireland was played out between him and his son, who was a leader of the 1848 Young Ireland rising. The fascinating and complex relationship between him and Thomas Francis is explored, presenting a very human story against the backdrop of political turbulence.

This book is the study of a man who was a significant representative of the Catholic middle class which helped shape the character of post-Famine Ireland, and who had the unexpected experience of having a rebel in his family.