The paper was started by two medical students, Richard D'Alton
Williams and Kevin Izod O'Doherty. It was seized by the government after its
sixth week and the editors were brought to court. Williams was acquitted but
O'Doherty was convicted and transported to Australia in August 1848 and the
paper was suppressed (like The
Irish Felon and The
Nation). The Tribune and others served unfortunately to
help the government, "providing a chronicle of the rebels' intentions,
names of the leading figures and, through the distribution system, an
indication of the supporters and their organisation."
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