Thomas Davis, Selections from his Prose and Poetry

In 1842-45 Davis assumed the leadership of those who left the Repeal movement to form a new political group known as the 'Young Ireland'. Like O'Connell the Young Irelanders demanded repeal of the Union. However, Davis challenged O'Connell's opposition to non-denominational education arguing that mixed education was essential for unity. Davis was disillusioned with constitutional methods and believed that Irish independence should be achieved even at the cost of bloodshed. He was more interested in promoting a vision of the future where a united Irish society would be governed by a proud and self-confident nationalism. To a large extent Davis created the culture of modern Irish nationalism. Formerly it was based on the republicans of the 1790s and on the Catholic emancipation movement