The founders of the Nation were three young men - two of whom were Catholics and one a Protestant, but all free from the slightest taint of bigotry and anxious to unite all creeds and classes for the country's welfare. They were Charles Gavan Duffy who became editor; Thomas Osborne Davis and John Blake Dillon. The contributors in addition to the founders included Clarence Mangan, Denis Florence McCarthy Father C. P. Meehan Father John Kenyon Thomas Francis Meagher William Smith O'Brien M.P> William Carleton Denny Lane Thomas MacNevin John Mitchel Richard Dalton Williams Michael Doheny Martin MacDermott John Thomas campion Thomas D'Arcy Mcgee John O'Hagan Michael Joseph Barry Michael Joseph McCann John Kells Ingram Edward Walsh John Keegan William Drennan John Cashel Hoey Dr. R. R. Madden James Fintan Lalor Father P. O'Brien Davern James McBurney Thomas Devin Reilly John Edward Pigot Arthur Gerald Geoghegan John Fisher Murray John Walsh J.D. Frazer William Pembroke Mulchinock John Cornelius O'callaghan W. J. O'Neill Daunt Bartholomew Dowling Hugh Harkin K.T. Buggy Charles Kickham Dr. Robert Dwyer Joyce Terence Macmahon Hughes And others.... O'Donovan and O'Curry the Irish scholars became subscribers to the journals from the start and co operated with Davis in presenting to the public the correct spelling of Irish names which had been changed. Samuel Ferguson who founded the Protestant Repeal Association came to sympathise with the aims of the journal. William Elliot Hudson provided suitable airs for a number of the lyrics from the Nation when they were published in book form. Women also contributed: Jane Francesca Elgee: Lady Wilde (mother of Oscar Wilde) Elizabeth Willoughby Treacy Mary Eva Kelly Ellen Mary Patrick Downing