Biographies A-Z

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Mac Cerbaill, Mauricius

Mac Cerbaill, Mauricius (d. 1316), archbishop of Cashel, belonged to an ecclesiastical family of Munster. Earlier members of his kindred to hold senior church office included David MacCarwell (qv) (d. 1289). Mauricius was…

Mac Cluain, Seoirse

Mac Cluain, Seoirse (1894–1949), Irish-language scholar, was born 16 February 1894 in Capparoe, Scariff, Co. Clare, son of farmer John Clune and his wife, Ellen Rohan. He received his earliest education in Scariff national school and afterwards in the Sacred Heart College in Limerick…

Mac Coitir, Uilliam (Liam) ‘Rua’

Mac Coitir, Uilliam (Liam) ‘Rua’ (c.1675–1738), poet, was born at Curraghdermot, near Castlelyons, Co. Cork. Nothing is known of his parents except that his mother was a Murphy, but he had at least two brothers, Éamonn and Séamas. The latter, known as Séamas Mór Mac Coitir, was…

Mac Conaill, Michael Isadore Aloysius

Mac Conaill, Michael Isadore Aloysius (1902–87), anatomist, was born Michael McConnell on 27 July 1902 at Woodvale, Ballymena, Co. Antrim, eldest child as one of the two sons and three daughters of Michael McConnell, spirit merchant, and Lucie Agnes McConnell (née Gallagher). His…

Mac Conmara, Donnchadh ‘Rua’

Mac Conmara, Donnchadh ‘Rua’ (c.1715–1810), poet, is believed to have been born in Cratloe, Co. Clare, but his early life is obscure and nothing is known of his family. According to tradition, he studied for the priesthood at the Irish college in Rome for five years, was…

Mac Con Midhe (MacNamee), Giolla Brighde

Mac Con Midhe (MacNamee), Giolla Brighde (c.1210–p. 1272), bardic poet, belonged to the famous bardic family of Mac Con Midhe (MacNamee) who were settled around Ardstraw in Co. Tyrone, in the land between the rivers Finn and Mourne. They had a school of bardic…

MacCormac, Henry

MacCormac, Henry (1800–86), physician and writer, was born in Carnan, Co. Armagh, fourth among six sons and two daughters of John MacCormac (d. 1811), linen merchant, and Mary MacCormac (née Hall). MacCormac was probably educated at the Royal School, Armagh; the records for this…

MacCormac, Sir William

MacCormac, Sir William (1836–1901), surgeon, was born 17 January 1836 in Belfast, son of Henry MacCormac (qv), physician, and Mary MacCormac (née Newsham). Initially educated at the Royal Belfast Academical Institution, he later studied…

Mac Craith, Aindrias

Mac Craith, Aindrias (c.1710–c.1795), poet, was born probably at Fantstown, near Kilmallock, Co. Limerick. Nothing is known of his immediate family or their circumstances, but by the early 1730s Mac Craith was teaching in the village of Croom, where he may have…

Mac Crimthainn, Áed

Mac Crimthainn, Áed (d. p.1201), is the only known scribe of the Book of Leinster. His genealogy (identified by F. J. Byrne) occurs in his own hand in the manuscript (p. 313). The relevant parts, back to the eponym of the surname, read: AEd m Gillai Ciarain . . ./…

Mac Cruitín, Aindrias

Mac Cruitín, Aindrias (c.1670–1738), poet and scribe, was born at Moyglass, about 8 km south of Milltown Malbay, Co. Clare. The Mac Cruitíns were one of the hereditary learned families of Gaelic society and acted as seanchaithe (antiquaries or chroniclers) to the O'…

Mac Cruitín, Aodh ‘Buí’ (MacCurtin, Hugh)

Mac Cruitín, Aodh ‘Buí’ (MacCurtin, Hugh) (c.1680–1755), poet and antiquary, was born in the parish of Kilmacrehy, Co. Clare, close to the modern village of Liscannor. The MacCurtins belonged to the hereditary learned caste of Gaelic society and members of the family served the…

Mac Cuarta, Séamas ‘Dall’

Mac Cuarta, Séamas ‘Dall’ (c.1650–1732/3), poet, was probably born near Omeath, Co. Louth, although the Drumcondra area of Co. Meath is given as his birthplace in some sources. Little is known of his immediate family or their circumstances except that his father's name was…

Mac Cuilinn

Mac Cuilinn (d. 496/7), founder and first bishop of Lusk and a saint in the Irish tradition, is assigned by the pre-Norman genealogists to the ruling lineage of Cianachta, which provided local kings of the coastal region between north Co. Dublin and Louth. His father is named as…

Mac Cuill

Mac Cuill (5th–6th cent.), founder and bishop of St Maughold's in the Isle of Man, and saint in the Irish tradition, is linked by the genealogists to the Uí Bairrche dynasty of Leinster. This places him among a group of church founders that includes…

MacCullagh, James

MacCullagh, James (1809–47), mathematician and mathematical physicist, was born in Landahussy townland in the parish of Upper Badoney, Co. Tyrone, eldest among twelve children of James MacCullagh (1777–1857), farmer, and his wife Margaret (née Ballentine; 1784–1839). He was educated…

Mac Cumhaigh (MacCooey), Art

Mac Cumhaigh (MacCooey), Art (c.1738–1773), poet, was probably a native of the townland of Mounthill in the parish of Creggan, Co. Armagh, but local tradition also links him with Mahereagh in the parish of Barronstown, near Dundalk, Co. Louth, and he may have lived in the…

MacCurtain, Frances (née Foad)

MacCurtain, Frances (née Foad) (1936–98), speech therapist and voice coach, was born 12 October 1936 in Belfast, the only daughter of the two children of Roland Foad, chartered accountant, and his wife, Betty. Her father was a financial director in various government bodies involved in…

MacCurtain, Tomás

MacCurtain, Tomás (1884–1920), republican, was born Thomas Curtin in Ballyknockane, Co. Cork, on 20 March 1884, the youngest of twelve children of Patrick Curtin, tenant farmer, and his wife, Julia (née Sheehan). The area had a Fenian tradition – Ballyknockane police barracks was…

MacDermot, Brian

MacDermot, Brian (d. 1592), lord of Moylurg in north Roscommon and patron of the Annals of Loch Cé, was the son of Ruaidhri MacDermot (d. 1568), lord of Moylurg, and Sadhb, daughter of Richard Óg Mac William, lord of Clanricard. Brian's father, Ruaidhri, was inaugurated as MacDermot in…

MacDermot, Brian Óg

This is a co-subject for the entry on MacDermot, Brian. View the original entry.

MacDermot, Francis Charles (‘Frank’)

MacDermot, Francis Charles (‘Frank’) (1886–1975), politician and author was born 25 November 1886, tenth among thirteen children (and eighth and youngest son) of Hugh Hyacinth O'Rorke MacDermot (qv),…

MacDermot, Hugh

MacDermot, Hugh (1756–1824), physician, was the eldest of the five sons of Myles MacDermot (d. 1793) of Coolavin, Monasteraden, Co. Sligo, and his wife, Bridget (d. 1777), eldest daughter of Charles O'Conor (qv) of Belanagare. Both the…

MacDermot, Hugh Hyacinth O'Rorke

MacDermot, Hugh Hyacinth O'Rorke (1834–1904), solicitor general and attorney general for Ireland, was born 1 July 1834 at the family seat at Coolavin, Co. Sligo, the eldest of twelve children of Charles Joseph MacDermot (1794–1873), JP and…

MacDermott, John Clarke

MacDermott, John Clarke (1896–1979), Baron MacDermott , lord chief justice of Northern Ireland, was born 12 April 1896 in Belfast, third surviving son and sixth of seven children of the Rev. John MacDermott, DD, minister of Belmont…