* Born in Co Monaghan in 1823
* Emigrated to Liverpool to work as a shipping agent
* Became very successful, earning €2000 per year and
rose to become leader of Liverpool Irish.
* Returned to Ireland and became heavily involved in
Young Irelander movement.
* Sentenced with fellow NFI and transported to Tasmania
* Escaped to San Francisco
* Tried unsuccessfully to set up a shipping business
* Died in poverty in St Mary's hospital in January 1861
* His heroism not forgotten, his remains were brought in military style procession across America to New York with huge crowds meeting the cortege en route
* His body was shipped to Cork, Ireland and transported to Dublin where he was laid to rest surrounded by a 50,000 strong torchlight procession.