Davis, Thomas Osborne (1814-1845)

Irish poet and journalist. Brought up in Mallow, Cork, Davis was educated at Trinity College, Dublin, and called to the bar in 1838. Regarded as the national poet in the 19th century, Davis was a driving force behind the Young Ireland movement and highly critical of Daniel O'Connell's cautious political methods. His best work appeared in the weekly paper The Nation, which he helped found with Charles Gavan Duffy and John Blake Dillon (1814-1866). It included such political ballads as the ‘Lament for Owen Roe O'Neill’ and ‘The Battle of Fontenoy’, and some historical sketches.