Thomas Meagher (MP)

Thomas Meagher (1796–1874), was an Irish businessman and politician from Waterford.

His father Thomas Meagher (1763–1837) had emigrated from Tipperary to St John's, Newfoundland, where he became a successful businessman.^[1] The younger Thomas was born in St Johns, and returned to Ireland in his 20s to represent his father's business interests, where he prospered.

He was Mayor of Waterford in 1843 and 1844,^[2] the first Catholic mayor of the city since the penal laws.

He was elected at the 1847 general election as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Waterford City.^[3] He was re-elected in 1852, and held the seat until he stood down at the 1857 general election.^[3]

His son Thomas Francis Meagher (1823–1867) was one of the leaders of the Young Irelanders in the Rebellion of 1848. His death sentence for the rebellion was commuted to transportation to Australia, from where he escaped and went to United States. During American Civil War, and rose to the rank of brigadier general in the U.S. Army, and later became acting governor of the Montana Territory.

The grave of Thomas Meagher can be seen at Faithlegge Church cemetery outside Waterford city.

References

1. "Meagher, Thomas". Dictionary of Canadian Biography (online ed.). University of Toronto Press. 1979–2016.
2. Hansard, Joseph (1870). The History, Topography and Antiquities (natural and Ecclesiastical) with Biographical Sketches of the Nobility, of the County and City of Waterford. Dungarvan. Retrieved 24 May 2014.
3. Walker, Brian M., ed. (1978). Parliamentary Election Results in Ireland 1801–1922. A New History of Ireland. Dublin: Royal Irish Academy. pp. 317–8. ISBN 0901714127. ISSN 0332-0286.

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Thomas Meagher