Thomas Desmond was born in Cobh, County Cork, Ireland, in 1838. He immigrated to the United States in 1854, initially settling in New York as a carriage maker. He made his mark on San Francisco when he was elected as Sheriff in 1880, running on the Working Man's ticket.

     Desmond is best known for his role in the daring raid that liberated six Irish Republican prisoners from Freemantle Prison in Australia in 1876. The elaborate plan was hatched by Clan na Gael leader John Devoy. Devoy and his colleagues purchased a whaling vessel, The Catalpa. With Captain George Anthony at the helm, The Catalpa set sail for Fremantle in 1875.

     Desmond and another Clan na Gael member, John Breslin, travelled separately to Australia to lay the groundwork for the actual escape. In a hair raising series of events, Desmond and Breslin arranged for the jailbreak, picked up the prisoners on the road and raced to the landing site, where rowboats awaited. After dodging British warships for several hours, the Catalpa sailed safely to America.

     Thomas Desmond is buried in Holy Cross Cemetary, Colma, CA. Every Easter, a ceremony honoring the sacrifices made throughout history to achieve an independent Irish nation is held at his grave site.