John O'Hagan was born in Newry, County Down, and was educated at Trinity College, Dublin. He was called to the Bar in 1842 and defended Gavan Duffy in 1848. He was made Queen's Counsel in 1865 and became a judge of the Land Court in 1881. Many of his poems were published in The Nation and he translated the Song of Roland in 1883.

Born:	19 March 1822
Died:	12 November 1890