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Macken, John

Macken, John (1784/5–1823), poet and newspaper editor, was born in Brookeborough, Co. Fermanagh, eldest son of Richard Macken, catholic linen merchant, and Catherine Macken (née Dugan). He ran a small business (probably in a branch of the textile trade) in Ballyconnell, Co. Cavan,…

MacKenna, John (Juan)

MacKenna, John (Juan) (1771–1814), general in the Chilean army, was born 26 October 1771 at Clogher, Co. Tyrone, the son of William MacKenna of Willville, Aghaninimy, Co. Monaghan, and his wife Eleanor (née O'Reilly). His uncle, Count…

Mac Kenna, Niall (MacCann)

Mac Kenna, Niall (MacCann) (fl.1700), poet, harper, and songwriter, was born in the Fews, Co. Armagh. His date of birth and parents’ names are unknown. Indeed very little is known about him apart from the songs he left behind. While O'Reilly gives MacKenna as the English…

MacKenna, Stephen

MacKenna, Stephen (1872–1935), journalist and translator of Plotinus, was born 15 January 1872 in Liverpool, second child of Capt. Stephen Joseph MacKenna, a flamboyant and improvident former Irish officer in the Indian army, and Elizabeth MacKenna (née Deane), of mixed Irish and…

Macken, Peter Paul (Peadar)

Macken, Peter Paul (Peadar) (1878–1916), trade unionist and revolutionary, was born 29 June 1878 at 13 Nassau Place (latterly part of the Setanta building, Nassau Street), Dublin, youngest of three children of George Macken, house painter, and Anne Macken (née Shanahan) (d. 1901), both…

Macken, Walter

Macken, Walter (1915–67), writer, actor, and theatre director, was born in Galway city on 3 May 1915, youngest son of Walter Macken, a carpenter and actor who was killed in the trenches at St Eloi, Flanders, in March 1916, and Agnes Macken (née Brady). Walter was educated at St Mary's…

Mackenzie, John

Mackenzie, John (1649?–1696?), presbyterian minister and historian, was born in 1647 or 1649 in the north of Ireland, possibly in Co. Down, though the family was also associated with a farm at Lowcross, near Cookstown, Co. Tyrone. He was educated at Edinburgh university, and…

MacKenzie, Robert Shelton

MacKenzie, Robert Shelton (1809–81), writer and journalist, was born 22 June 1809 at Drew's Court, Co. Limerick, second son of Capt. Kenneth Mackenzie, a soldier with the Caithness fencibles, and Maria MacKenzie (née Shelton). Educated at Fermoy, Co. Cork, where his father became…

Mackey, Michael John (‘Mick’)

Mackey, Michael John (‘Mick’) (1912–82), hurler, was born 12 July 1912 in Castleconnell, Co. Limerick, eldest son among four sons and four daughters of John ‘Tyler’ Mackey, labourer, and Mary Mackey (née Carroll). The Mackey family was very active in the Limerick GAA: his father…

Mackey, Patrick J. (‘Paddy’)

Mackey, Patrick J. (‘Paddy’) (c.1889–1948), Gaelic footballer and hurler, was born in Kylemore, The Rower, Kilkenny, third among four sons and two daughters of Patrick Mackey, farmer, and Catherine Mackey (née Lyng). After leaving school Mackey became an apprentice in a…

Mackey, Rex

Mackey, Rex (1911–99), barrister, actor, and writer, was born Arthur Joseph Connel Mackey on 7 December 1911, the eldest of three sons and two daughters of Joseph Arthur Mackey of Liosnamara, Bray, Co. Wicklow, and his wife Gertrude (née Gallagher). Educated at Castleknock College…

Mack, Gordon Sylvester Bradshaw (‘Curly’)

Mack, Gordon Sylvester Bradshaw (‘Curly’) (c.1899–1949), badminton and tennis player, was born in Dublin, one of at least five surviving children of the Rev. Alfred William Bradshaw Mack, Church of Ireland clergyman from Dublin, and Alice Elizabeth Mack (née Digges) from…

Mackie, James

This is a co-subject for the entry on Mackie, James. View the original entry.

Mackie, James

Mackie, James (1864–1943), engineer, was the elder son among two sons and a daughter of James Mackie (1821/3–1887) engineer, born in Dumfries, Scotland, and Mary Mackie (née Miller; m. 1860) from Broughshane, Co. Antrim. James Mackie senior came to Ireland in 1843; though only just…

Mackle, Henry

Mackle, Henry (1921–94), physical chemist and folklore writer, was born 12 May 1921 at Derrykeeran, Co. Armagh, the son of Patrick Mackle, farmer, and Sarah Mackle (née Byrne). He studied chemistry at QUB, graduating with first-…

Macklin, Charles

Macklin, Charles (d. 1797), actor and playwright, was probably born at Culdaff, Co. Donegal, one of two children of Terence Meleghin (or McLaughlin) and his wife, Agnes (née Flanagan; c.1660–1759). After his father's death in 1704, he was educated at a boarding school in…

MacKnight (McKnight), James

MacKnight (McKnight), James (1801–76), journalist and agrarian reformer, was born 27 February 1801 near Grallagh House, Rathfriland, Co. Down, son of an Irish-speaking presbyterian smallholder; other details of his parents are unknown. As a youth he aspired to the presbyterian…

MacKnight, Thomas

MacKnight, Thomas (1829–99), newspaper editor and political writer, was born 15 February 1829 at Gainsford, Co. Durham, son of Thomas MacKnight and his wife Elizabeth. He was initially educated at the Rev. Dr Bowman's school at Gainsford. After his parents moved to London he…

Maclaine, Archibald

Maclaine, Archibald (c.1650–1734), presbyterian minister, was the son of Alexander Maclaine, who was successively minister of Kilmaglass in Argyllshire and Kingarth on the isle of Bute, Scotland; his mother's name is not known. Archibald Maclaine graduated from the…

Maclaine, Archibald

Maclaine, Archibald (1722–1804), presbyterian minister, was born in Monaghan, eldest son of the Rev. Thomas Maclaine, presbyterian minister of Monaghan; his mother may have been a Milling. The family had a strong tradition of service in the church: Archibald Maclaine's paternal…

Maclaine, James

Maclaine, James (1724–50), gentleman highwayman, was born in Co. Monaghan, second son among two sons and one daughter of the Rev. Lauchlin Maclaine, presbyterian minister, from Scotland, and Elizabeth Maclaine (née Milling). His brother,

Maclear, Basil

Maclear, Basil (1881–1915), rugby international, was born 7 April 1881 in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England, fifth son of Henry Wallich (‘Harry’) Maclear, major in the British army, who had been born in Cape Town, South Africa, with family connections in Bedford, England, and Mary…

Maclear, Sir Thomas

Maclear, Sir Thomas (1794–1879), surgeon and astronomer, was born 17 March 1794 at Newtownstewart, Co. Tyrone, eldest son of the Rev. James Thomas Maclear. His mother's maiden name was Magrath. His father intended him to enter the church but, refusing to embark on a clerical career…

Mac Liacc, Muirchertach

Mac Liacc, Muirchertach (d. 1016), was described in the Annals of Ulster on his death as ardollam Érenn (chief poet of Ireland). In later tradition he is primarily associated with Brian Bórama (qv) whose literary…

MacLiammóir, Micheál

MacLiammóir, Micheál (Alfred Lee Willmore) (1899–1978), actor, stage and costume designer, and author, was born 25 October 1899 at 150 Purves Road, Willesden, London NW10, only son and youngest of five children of Alfred Willmore, a forage buyer for the firm of Whitney's of Bayswater,…