Name Thomas Meagher | Role MP | |
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Thomas Meagher (1796–1874) was an Irish businessman and politician from Waterford.
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His father, also named Thomas Meagher (1763–1837), had emigrated from Tipperary to St John's, Newfoundland, where he became a successful businessman. 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.
Meagher was Mayor of Waterford in 1843 and 1844, the first Roman 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. He was re-elected in 1852, and held the seat until he stood down at the 1857 general election.
Meagher's own son, Thomas Francis Meagher (1823–1867), was a leader 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.
Great irishman thomas meagher part 2
Death
Thomas Meagher, who died in 1874, having been predeceased by all save possibly one of his children; the year of death of his daughter, Christine Mary Meagher, is unknown. Thomas Meagher's grave can be seen at Faithlegge Church cemetery outside Waterford City.