Tom Steele was born on the third of November 1788 in Derrymore, Tulla, Co. Clare the son of a protestant landlord. Steele was a fiery passionate man with an eccentric streak which drove him at a fast pace throughout his life. A graduate of Cambridge University and never a person to sit still, he was an author, inventor of the diving bell (left), Spanish war veteran and a companion and accountant to Daniel O'Connell who was fighting hard for Catholic Emancipation (freeing someone from the control of another). In 1828 he seconded O'Connell's nomination for the county of Clare, after which the friendship grew and Steele was by the Liberator's side when the new Catholic Relief Bill was passed a year later.
AuthorWe are Mr Davorens' 4th and 5th Class. We hope you enjoy our blog! Archives
June 2013
Categories |