Young Ireland - The Nation

The three decided to found a new national newspaper, which they called The Nation. Into this new venture, Dillon brought two young friends, the barrister John O'Hagan and law student John Edward Pigot. Davis brought some of his circle of young friends from the Historical Society, and Duffy brought in the poet James Clarence Mangan; William O’Neill Daunt, a County Cork landowner; and T. M. Hughes, former editor of the London Charivari, which was later absorbed into Punch. On 15 October 1842, the first number of The Nation was launched. “The appearance of The Nation and its immediate and phenomenal success was a reinforcement for which O’Connell had scarcely dared to hope”.

For the next three years, the newspaper was a major influence in nationalist thinking. O’Connell was aware of the significance of the support of the young men, but was wary of their professed freedom from the “gratitude of the past.” Davis was a skilful propagandist who worked behind the scenes, but exerted a singular influence. The success of the newspaper soon produced significant results. One of the most distinctive developments was the organisation of Repeal reading rooms all over the country which The Nation was soon addressed. They found this an effective method of spreading their propaganda. By the spring of 1843, when The Nation had been in existence for six months, agitation for Repeal agitation was becoming formidable, and the Government was beginning to consider the old problem of how to suppress it.