He was the eldest son of Achilles Daunt who died 28 August 1871, by Mary, third daughter of John Isaac Heard, Member of Parliament for Kinsale.
He was educated at Kinsale endowed school, and at the age of sixteen entered Trinity College Dublin, where he gained a classical scholarship, and was awarded the vice-chancellor's prize for English poetry in 1851.
[1] He held the curacy of St. Matthias' Church, Dublin, for seven months in 1855, and was afterwards presented by his grandfather, Mr. Heard, to the vicarage of Rincurran.
His popularity was such that it became necessary to rebuild his church, and while it was being rebuilt he preached in a large concert hall to a congregation that averaged upwards of three thousand people.
He was also chosen the representative canon in St. Patrick's Cathedral for the united diocese of Dublin and Glendalough, and was named a member of the committee connected with the general synod called the ‘revision committee’, where he sided with the ‘party of movement’; but his influence was largely exercised in acting as a peacemaker.