Biographies A-Z

Delaney, Malachy (1758?–1807), United Irishman, was from Ballitore, Co. Kildare. Little is known of his family background, but Mary Shackleton Leadbeater (qv), also of Ballitore, described him and his brother Peter as sons of a…

This is a co-subject for the entry on Brady, Joe. View the original entry.

Delany, Cathleen (1907–97), actress, was born Kathleen Mary Delany on 21 July 1907 at 98 Marlborough Road, Donnybrook, Dublin, daughter of Alfred Patrick (A. P.) Delany, journalist, and his wife Kathleen Mary (née Kilgannon); she had at least two siblings, a brother and a sister. By…

Delany, Daniel (1747–1814), catholic bishop of Kildare and Leighlin, and founder of the Patrician and Brigidine orders, was born in Paddock, Mountrath, Queen's Co. (Laois), the elder of two sons of Daniel Delany, a prosperous farmer, and Elizabeth Delany (née Fitzpatrick), also from…

Delany, Mary (1700–88), artist, was born 14 May 1700 in Coulston, Wiltshire, England, elder daughter and second among four children of Col. Bernard Granville and his wife Mary, daughter of Sir Martin Westcomb, former consul at Cadiz. Her father, the younger brother of George…

Delany, Maureen (c.1888–1961), actress, was born in Kilkenny, daughter of Dr Barry Delany, medical officer to the Kilkenny mental home, and his Kerry-born wife (née Nagle). Her father died when she was three months old. She was educated at the Dominican College in Galway…

Delany, Patrick (1685?–1768), clergyman and writer, was born in Rathcrea, Queen's Co. (Laois), probably on 15 March 1685. His father, Dennis Delany, is reputed to have been a servant to the Irish judge Sir John Russell. Delany was educated in Athy, Co. Kildare, at the school of Mr…

Delany, Patrick Bernard (1845–1924), electrical engineer and inventor, was born 28 January 1845 in Killavilla, King's County (Offaly), son of James Delany and Margaret Delany (née White). In 1854 his family moved to Hartford, Connecticut, USA, where he attended parochial schools for…

Delany, William (1804–86), catholic bishop of Cork, was born 25 December 1804, reputedly in the sacristy of the catholic chapel in the Kilbrogan parish of Bandon, Co. Cork, where his mother Mary (née McCarthy) was hearing mass. His father, Cornelius Delany, who may have been a…

Delany, William (1835–1924), Jesuit and president of UCD, was born 4 June 1835 at Leighlinbridge, Co. Carlow, second of ten children (of whom five survived) born to John Delany and Mary Delany (née Brennan). As with many Irish catholic families of farming stock, there was an…

This is a co-subject for the entry on Delap, Maude Jane. View the original entry.

Delap, Hugh Alexander (1906–97), engineer, was born 21 October 1906 at Newbay, Rosslare, Co. Wexford, third son of Alfred Dover Delap, civil engineer, and Jeannie Ethel Delap (née Jefferies), of Newbay. His father, subsequently a partner in the Dublin civil engineering firm of…

Delap, Kathleen Hilda (née Orpen) (1910–2004), activist in women's organisations, was born on 27 January 1910 in the family home, Lisheens, Carrickmines, Co. Dublin, fourth child and third daughter among five daughters and one son of Charles St George Orpen (1864–1939) and Cerise…

Delap, Maude Jane (1866–1953), naturalist and marine biologist, was born 7 December 1866 at Templecrone rectory, Co. Donegal, seventh of ten children of the Rev. Alexander Delap and Anna Jane Delap (née Goslett). In 1874 the family moved to Co. Kerry on her father's appointment as…

Delaune, Thomas (d. 1685), nonconformist writer, was born in Brinny, Co. Cork, son of a poor catholic tenant farmer. Maj. Riggs (fl. 1650–95), landowner and one of the earliest supporters of the baptists in Cork, was impressed by his ability and sent him to a friary at…

Delmonte, (Simeon) Koert (1913–82), portrait and landscape painter, was born 15 April 1913 in van Mierlestraat, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, eldest of three children of Solomon Delmonte, banker, and his wife Nanetha, daughter of Simon Speyer, diamond merchant. His younger brother…

Dempsey, Jack (‘The Nonpareil’) (1862–95), world middleweight boxing champion, was born John Edward Kelly on 15 December 1862, near Clane, Co. Kildare, son of Martin Kelly and Alicia Kelly (née Lennon). In 1867, aged four, he emigrated with his family to America, where he attended…

Dempsey, Jeremiah Francis (1906–93), businessman, was born 14 October 1906 at 15 Victoria Villas, Clontarf, Dublin, the third child of Patrick Dempsey, postal clerk, and Ellen Dempsey (née Kenefick). He was educated at the CBS,…

Denham, Sir James Steuart (1744–1839), of Coltness and Westshield, baronet, British army general, was born in August 1744 in Scotland, the only son of Sir James Steuart of Coltness and Westshield, baronet and political economist, and Lady Frances Steuart, eldest daughter of the earl…

Denham, Sir John (1559–1639), judge, was born probably in London, second son of William Denham – a goldsmith of St Matthew's, Friday St., London, who later settled in Thorpe, Surrey – and his wife Joan. Having been a member of Furnival's Inn, Denham entered Lincoln's Inn on 19…

Denham, Sir John (1615–69), poet and architect, was born in Dublin, the only son of Sir John Denham (qv), lord chief justice of Ireland 1612–17, and his wife Eleanor, daughter of Sir Garret…

Denieffe, Joseph (1833–1910), Fenian, was born in Kilkenny city, eldest son of an artisan (d. 1855); other details of his family are not known. He had a fringe involvement with one of the Young Ireland confederate clubs set up in the early summer of 1848. Emigrating to the USA (June…

Dennehy, William Francis (1853–1918), journalist and editor, was born in 1853, the eldest son of Alderman Cornelius Dennehy, JP, a Dublin rectifying distiller, wine merchant and supporter of …

Denny (Fitzmaurice), Lady Arabella (1707–92), philanthropist, was the second daughter of Thomas Fitzmaurice (d. 1741) of Lixnaw castle, Tralee, Co. Kerry, 21st lord of Kerry, created 1st earl of Kerry in 1722, and Anne Fitzmaurice (née Petty; d. 1737), only daughter of the…

Denny, Sir Barry (c.1741–1794), 1st baronet, politician, was the second son of four sons and two daughters of the Rev. Barry Denny, of Ballyvelly, provost of Tralee, Co. Kerry, and his wife, Jane Denny (née O'Connor), the daughter, and eventual heir, of the Rev. Maurice O…