A History of Ireland in Song

Thomas Davis

Thomas Davis, (1814-1845), Irish patriotic writer and politician.

Thomas Davis was born at Mallow in the county Cork on 14th October 1814 of Protestant stock. His father was an army surgeon who died shortly before Davis was born. In 1818 his mother and the four children moved to Dublin, settling eventually at 61 (now 67) Lower Baggot Street, where Davis lived until his death. He graduated from Trinity College in 1836 and was called to the Irish Bar a year later. He also spent some time in England and on the Continent, studying languages and building up his library. He published an anonymous pamphlet on Reform of the Lords in 1837, joined the National Repeal Association founded by Daniel O'Connell and in 1840 made a notable speech at Trinity's Historical Society, pleading for studies of Irish history. So began the, alas! all too few, productive years of Davis' life. He began writing for "The Citizen", a monthly established by leading members of the Historical Society, and for the "Dublin Morning Register".

In 1842 he and two Catholics, his college and friend, John Blake Dillon, a barrister, and a young journalist, Charles Gavin Duffy, began publication of "The Nation", a weekly journal whose first issue appeared on the 15th October 1842. Its slogan was "Educate that you may be Free", its aim "to direct the popular mind and the sympathies of educated men of all parties to the great end of Nationality". Readership soon reached 250,000, higher than any other Dublin journal. Davis was the principal contributor, writing, as well as essays and articles, stirring patriotic ballads such as "A Nation Once Again" and "The West's Awake". In 1843 a selection of these ballads was printed as "The Spirit of the Nation".

Although he sat on the committee of the Repeal Association, Davis felt its approach was too sectarian. He and his associates, known as "The Young Irelanders", became impatient with O'Connell's rather limited aims, particularly after he accepted a ban on his Clontarf meeting in 1843. In 1845, Davis and O'Connell quarrelled publicly over the Colleges Bill of that year, which proposed undenominational university colleges. Davis approved of non-sectarian education while O'Connell spoke of 'godless education'.

Davis died of a fever on 16th September 1845. Although not remembered as a great writer, his songs have stood the test of time and are still enjoyed today.

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