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."