| Thomas Francis Meagher was born in 1823 in | | | | O'Donoghue were arrested, tried, convicted and |
| Waterford, Ireland. He was educated at | | | | sentenced to be hung, drawn and quartered. |
| Clongowes Wood College, Co. Kildare and | | | | However due to public and international pressure |
| Stoneyhurst College, Lancashire, England. In 1844 | | | | the sentences were commuted to transportation |
| he moved to Dublin with the intention of studying | | | | to Van Diemens Land, Tasmania, Australia. |
| for the bar but he instead became involved in | | | | Meagher escaped to the United States in 1852, |
| Daniel O'Connell's Repeal Association. With his | | | | settling in New York City where he founded two |
| eloquent oration he became a popular figure in | | | | newspapers the Irish News and the Citizen. |
| Dublin, his speeches ensured crowded halls | | | | At the outbreak of the American Civil War, |
| wherever he went. | | | | Meagher joined the Union Army, recruiting a full |
| Meagher and other members of the Repeal | | | | company of infantrymen to be attached to the |
| Association who wrote for The Nation became | | | | 69th U.S. Infantry Regiment. Meagher was |
| known as the Young Irelanders. In January 1847, | | | | appointed Major and led the regiment into their |
| Meagher, together with John Mitchel, William Smith | | | | first engagement at the First Battle of Bull Run in |
| O'Brien and Thomas Devin O'Reilly formed a new | | | | which he was wounded. He returned to New York |
| repeal association called the Irish Confederation. | | | | and formed the Irish Brigade which he led with |
| The following year, Meagher and O'Brien went to | | | | the rank of brigadier general in the Peninsula |
| France to observe revolutionary events there and | | | | Campaign of 1862. After the war Meagher was |
| they returned with the tricolour of green, white | | | | appointed as Governor of the new Territory of |
| and gold which forms the basis of the Irish flag to | | | | Montana. In the summer of 1867, whilst travelling |
| the present day. Influenced by events in France | | | | on the Missouri River, Meagher fell overboard, his |
| and the suspension of habeas corpus in Ireland, | | | | body was never recovered. There is a fine statue |
| the Young Irelanders organised a failed rebellion. | | | | of Meagher on horseback with sword raised in his |
| Meagher, Terence MacManus, O'Brien and Patrick | | | | home city of Waterford, Ireland. |