Biographies A-Z

Kane, Katherine Sophia (1811–86), botanist and horticulturist, was born 11 March 1811, the only child of Henry Baily , who came from Berkshire, England, to Limerick as a distiller, and Bridget Baily (née O'Kelly). Katherine's uncle Francis Baily was an eminent astronomer and vice-…

Kane, Paul (1810–71), artist, was born 3 September 1810, probably at Mallow, Co. Cork, the sixth of the four sons and four daughters of Michael Kane, from Preston, Lancashire, British army corporal, and Frances Loach, of Mallow, Co. Cork. About 1819 the family emigrated to Upper…

Kane, Richard Rutledge (1841–98), clergyman and politician, was born at Newtownstewart, Co. Tyrone, and educated locally. He was raised a methodist but joined the Church of Ireland as a teenager. Extremely religious, he held strict protestant views, and was highly critical of…

Kane, Sir Robert John (1809–90), chemist and scientist, was born 24 September 1809 at 48 Henry St., Dublin, younger son of John Kean, chemist, and Eleanor Kean (née Troy), sister of Archbishop John Thomas Troy (qv). John Kean had…

Karl, Tom (1846–1916), tenor, was born Thomas Carroll on 19 January 1846 in Dublin. He studied in England under Henry Phillips and, on the recommendation of the great English tenor Sims Reeves, went to Italy (1868), where he studied under Sangiovanni and Trivulzi. It was as ‘Tom…

Kavanagh, Arthur Macmorrough (1831–89), landlord and politician, was born 25 March 1831 at Borris House, Co. Carlow, youngest of three sons and one daughter of Thomas Kavanagh (1767–1837), landowner, and his second wife, Lady …

Kavanagh (Caomhánach), Séamus (1910–64), teacher, actor, and broadcaster, was born 28 October 1910 in Sarsfield Quay, Dublin, son of Jack Kavanagh, shoemaker, and Julia Kavanagh (née Holohan). Educated at the Carmelite school in Whitefriar St., he was a monitor there for four years…

This is a co-subject for the entry on MacMurrough Kavanagh, Domhnall. View the original entry.

Kavanagh, James Blake (1822–86), priest, nationalist, and philosophical and scientific writer, was born in Kilballyowen, in the parish of Killaveny, Co. Wicklow, son of Thomas Kavanagh and Mary Kavanagh (née McDonald). He received his early education at St Peter's College, Wexford…

Kavanagh, Joseph Malachy (1856–1918), painter, was born in Dublin; nothing is known of his family background. He first exhibited at the RHA in 1875, and in the same year was awarded the silver medal at the…

Kavanagh, Julia (1824–77), novelist, short-story writer, and biographer, was born 7 January 1824 in Thurles, Co. Tipperary, the only child of Bridget Fitzpatrick (d. 1887) and Morgan Peter Kavanagh (d. 1874), writer and philologist. She spent much of her childhood in Normandy and…

Kavanagh, Lady Harriet Margaret (1800–85), artist, traveller, and antiquarian, was second daughter among three sons and four daughters of Richard Le Poer Trench (qv), later 2nd earl of Clancarty, and Henrietta Margaret Le Poer Trench…

Kavanagh, Muiris (‘Kruger’) (1894–1971), publican and raconteur, was born 28 March 1894 at Baile na Ratha, Dún Chaoin, Co. Kerry, one of four sons and a daughter of John Kavanagh and his wife Mary (née Hoare), who had a farm and a small shop. While attending the local primary school…

Kavanagh, Patrick Fidelis (1838–1918), Franciscan priest and historian, was born at Wexford on 14 March 1838, son of Lawrence Kavanagh, shipowner and merchant; his mother's family, the Prendergasts of Knottown, took part in the 1798 rebellion with their relatives the Prendergasts of…

Kavanagh, Patrick Joseph (1904–67), poet, novelist, and journalist, was born 21 or 23 October 1904 at the family home in the townland of Mucker, Inniskeen parish, Co. Monaghan, the elder son and fourth of ten children of James Kavanagh, cobbler, and his wife, Bridget (née Quinn) of…

Kavanagh, Peter Paul (1916–2006), writer and critic, was born 19 March 1916 in Mucker, Iniskeen, Co. Monaghan, youngest of ten children of James Kavanagh, shoemaker and small farmer, and his wife Bridget (née Quinn). His godfather was his elder brother, the poet…

Kavanagh, Rose (1859–91), poet, was born 24 June 1859 in Killadroy, Co. Tyrone. Nothing is recorded of her parents except that her mother was a cousin of Archbishop John Hughes (qv) of New York. When Rose was 11 years old the family…

Kavanagh, Thomas Henry (‘Lucknow Kavanagh’) (1821–82), East India Company official and first civilian recipient of the VC, was born 15 July 1821 in Mullingar, Co. Westmeath. Details of his early life are scarce but it is believed that his father…

Kavanagh, Walter MacMorrough (1856–1922), landlord, politician, and financial expert, was born at Borris House, Co. Carlow, on 14 January 1856, the eldest son of Arthur MacMorrough Kavanagh (qv) and his wife, Frances Mary…

Kay, Dorothy Moss (1886–1964), artist, was born 3 December 1886 in Greystones, Co. Wicklow, one of seven children of (John) William Elvery , merchant, and his wife, Mary Teresa (d. 1925), daughter of Dr William Moss of Kilternan, Co. Dublin, and Teresa Moss (née Richardson) of…

Keane, Eamonn Patrick (1925–90), actor, was born Edmund Keane on 30 March 1925 in Listowel, Co. Kerry, second among nine children of William Keane, national school teacher, from Listowel, and Hannah Keane (née Purtill), farmer's daughter, from Ballydonoghue, near Listowel. Educated…

Keane, Edward Thomas (‘E. T.’) (1867–1945), journalist and editor of the Kilkenny People, was born 16 July 1867, son of Edward Keane, shopkeeper, in Listowel, Co. Kerry, where he was educated at the local primary school and St. Michael's college, before joining the …

Keane, J. J. (1870–1956), athlete, Gaelic footballer, and sports administrator, was born in Anglesboro, Co. Limerick. Having moved to Dublin by the 1890s, he won two all-Ireland senior football finals with Dublin teams, represented by his club, Geraldines (1898, 1899). Also an…

Keane, John (1916–75), hurler, was born at 80 Barrack Street, near Walsh Park in Waterford city, the youngest son of Thomas Keane, labourer. His education at Mount Sion CBS, famed for nurturing hurling talent in Waterford, as well as a…

Keane, John (1899–1971), chemist, was born 30 November 1899 in Dublin, the son of John Keane, of Gowerhass, Co. Clare, a customs and excise officer, and Ellen Keane (née McKenna). The eldest of three children, he had one brother (Conor) and one sister (Anne). He graduated from…