Biographies A-Z

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Daborne, Robert

Daborne, Robert (c.1580–1628), playwright and cleric, was the son of Robert Daborne (1551–1612), a tradesman of Guildford, Surrey, and his wife, Susan (née Travis; d. 1626). He states in the preface to A Christian turn'd Turke (1612) that his descent was ‘not…

Dabzac, Henry Joseph

Dabzac, Henry Joseph (1737–90), academic, was born in Minorca, son of Henry d'Abzac (1677–1750) and his wife (m. 1711 in Dublin) Magdalen, daughter of Capt. D'Artoux. Henry d'Abzac, naturalised as a subject of the crown in Ireland, was the son of Marc Dabzac by Jane (b. 1703 at…

Dagán

Dagán (d. 641), founder and first abbot of Inber Doíle (Ennereilly, Co. Wicklow) and a saint in the Irish tradition, was a member of the familia of Glendalough. According to the genealogies his father was Colmad, whose ancestry is traced to the Leinster dynasty of Dál…

Dagg, Thomas Sidney Charles

Dagg, Thomas Sidney Charles (1875–1964), civil servant, hockey player, and hockey administrator, was born 25 December 1875, younger son of George William Jackson Dagg, barrister, of Airfield Terrace, Rathgar, Dublin, and Mary Dagg (née Kellett; d. 1877) of Dublin. Educated (1890–91…

Daig

Daig (d. 587), son of Cairell, founder and first bishop of Inis Caín and a saint in the Irish tradition, is traced by the genealogists to the Uí Néill dynasty of Cenél nÉogain. His father is named as Cairell son of Laisre Lond, a descendant of

Daiken, Leslie Herbert

Daiken, Leslie Herbert (1912–64), author, film-maker, and expert on children's toys, was born in Dublin. He graduated M.Litt. from TCD in 1933. As a student he was already publishing poetry and short…

Dalgarno, Alexander

Dalgarno, Alexander (1928–2015), mathematician, physicist and astrophysicist, was born, along with his twin sister Pamela, on 5 January 1928 in Wood Green, London, at the home of their parents William Dalgarno and Margaret (née Murray). Alexander and Pamela had an older brother, Murray…

Dallán Forgaill

Dallán Forgaill (fl. c.600), poet, church founder, and saint in the Irish tradition, is placed by the genealogists among the Uí Macc Uais. The indications are that he belonged to a subject population – perhaps the Cathraige or Mascraige. His original name is given as…

Dallas, Alexander Robert Charles

Dallas, Alexander Robert Charles (1791–1869), evangelical missionary, was born 29 March 1791 in Colchester, Essex, eldest son of Robert Charles Dallas (d. 1824), minor polemicist, and Sarah Dallas (née Harding). Suffering, by his own account, a claustrophobic early upbringing, in…

Dalton, Charles Francis

This is a co-subject for the entry on Dalton, (James) Emmet. View the original entry.

Dalton, James

Dalton, James (1834–1919), Irish-Australian merchant and pastoralist, was born 24 May 1834 at Duntryleague, Co. Limerick, third child of James Dalton, farmer, and his first wife Ellen (née Ryan). While Ellen was pregnant with James, his father assisted in the failed kidnapping of a…

Dalton, (James) Emmet

Dalton, (James) Emmet (1898–1978), soldier, revolutionary, and film producer, was born 4 March 1898 in Fall River, Massachusetts, USA, eldest among seven children of James Francis Dalton, manufacturer's agent, of Oniville, Rhode Island, and Katherine Lee Dalton (née Riley; d. 1957) of…

D'Alton, John

D'Alton, John (1792–1867), historian and genealogist, was born 20 June 1792 at Bessville, Co. Westmeath, first son of William D'Alton and his wife Elizabeth Leyne. He was educated privately by the Rev. Joseph Hutton before entering TCD (1806…

D'Alton, John Francis

D'Alton, John Francis (1882–1963), cardinal and classical scholar, was born on 11 October 1882 in Claremorris, Co. Mayo, son of Joseph D'Alton, a shopkeeper, and Mary D'Alton (née Brennan). He was a nephew of the antiquary and dean of Tuam Monsignor Edward Alfred D'Alton,…

Dalton, Joseph

Dalton, Joseph (1817–1905), Jesuit priest and missioner, was born in Co. Waterford at Slieveroe or Glenmore 12 February 1817, third of two sons and four daughters of Patrick Dalton and his wife Mary Foley, who married on 15 January 1809. In 1841 they were living at 11 Michael St…

D'Alton, Louis

D'Alton, Louis (1900–51), writer and actor, was born Louis Dalton at Fairview, Dublin, on 24 May 1900, eldest of five children (of whom two sons and a daughter survived to adulthood) of Frank Dalton, actor and theatre producer, and his wife Catherine (née Lynch). Louis later adopted…

Daly, Anne

Daly, Anne (1860–1924), superior general of the Sisters of Charity, Australia, was born 28 May 1860 in Tipperary, the ninth child of John Daly, blacksmith, and Mary Daly (née Cleary). Around 1865 the family emigrated to Australia and settled at Braidwood, New South Wales. Anne was…

Daly, Cahal Brendan

Daly, Cahal Brendan (1917–2009), cardinal and theologian, was born on 1 October 1917 in Loughguile, Co. Antrim, third of seven children (four sons and three daughters) of Charles Daly, a schoolteacher originally from Keadue, Co. Roscommon, and his wife Susan (née Connolly), who came…

Daly, Denis

Daly, Denis (c.1638–1721), judge, was the first son of James Daly of Carrownakelly, Co. Galway, and his wife, Anastase Darcy, granddaughter of James Riveagh Darcy, vice-president of Connacht in the late sixteenth century. While the details of his early life are obscure, it is…

Daly, Denis

Daly, Denis (1747–91), politician, was born 24 January 1747, the eldest son of James Daly of Carrownakelly and Dunsandle, Co. Galway, and his second wife, Catherine Daly, the fifth daughter of Sir Ralph Gore (qv). Educated by a private…

Daly, Denis Bowes

Daly, Denis Bowes (c.1745–1821), politician, was born in Dalystown, near Loughrea, Co. Galway, the eldest son of Hyacynth Daly and his wife, Rose Daly, of Raford, Co. Galway. Educated by the Rev. Benson in Dublin, he entered TCD…

Daly, Edward

Daly, Edward (1891–1916), republican, was born 28 February 1891 at 26 Frederick St., Limerick city, the only son and youngest among ten children of Edward Daly (1848–90), Fenian and wood-measurer, and Catherine Daly (née O'Mara), dressmaker. An uncle,…

Daly, Edward Kevin

Daly, Edward Kevin (1933–2016), catholic bishop and social activist, was born in West Rock Nursing Home, Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal, on 5 December 1933, eldest of five children (two sons and three daughters) of Thomas Daly, shopkeeper, undertaker and farmer of Belleek,…

Daly, Emily Lucy de Burgh

Daly, Emily Lucy de Burgh (1859–1935), traveller and writer, was born at her father's residence at Clooneyquin, Co. Roscommon, fourth daughter among nine children of Christopher French , JP, DL, and…

Daly, Fred

Daly, Fred (1911–90), professional golfer, was born 11 October 1911 in Causeway Street, Portrush, Co. Antrim, youngest among six children of Dan Daly, blacksmith and motor mechanic, and his wife Nancy. When Fred left the local school at 14, he was apprenticed to an electrician.…