John Hogan was born in Tallow in 1800. He took up carpentry at the age of 16, but when his talent for draughtsmanship and carving was recognised, he was encouraged by the architect, Sir Thomas Deane, to take up sculpture. He spent three years attending lectures on anatomy by Dr. Woodroffe. He received commissions from Sir Thomas Deane and Bishop Murphy of Cork. Hogan went to Rome where he studied at the School of St. Luke and the Vatican galleries. He never lost contact with Ireland. Hogan returned to Ireland around 1848. He was a devoted supporter of Daniel O'Connell. It was he who modelled the Repeal Cap worn by O'Connell. Arthur Griffith stated that Hogan was 'one of the five great sculptors of the nineteenth century.'

The Repeal Association commissioned him to sculpture the marble statue of O'Connell which still stands in City Hall, Dublin. Other works done by Hogan include the bronze statue of O'Connell erected in the Crescent, Limerick, the statues of Father Matthew in Cork, Dr. Doyle the Bishop of Kildare in the Catholic Cathedral, Carlow, John Brinkly, Bishop of Cloyne in Trinity College, the 'Dead Christ' in Clarendon Street Church, 'Eve' and the 'Drunken Faun' in UCD. He died at his home in Wenthworth Place, Dublin on 27 March 1858.