Family Background
Thomas was the seventh of twelve children of Andrew J. Kettle (1833–1916) a progressive farmer, and founder of the Irish Land League, and his wife, Margaret, daughter of Laurence McCourt of St. Margaret’s Finglas, north co. Dublin, and was born in Clontarf, Dublin. His father was an exacting stern man, demanding and stubborn, influencing his son Thomas considerably through his political activities, having been involved from an early age in the constitutional movement to achieve Irish Home Rule. Andrew J. joined Michael Davitt in the foundation of the Irish Land League and was one of the signatories of the "No Rent Manifesto". He adhered to Parnell in his crisis of 1890, and stood for election as a nationalist candidate on several occasions.
Read more about this topic: Tom Kettle
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