Biographies A-Z

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Nachstern, Arthur

Nachstern, Arthur (1911–99), violinist, was born 16 June (29 June NS) 1911 in Odessa, Ukraine, only child of Arthur Nachstern (1881–1951), lawyer, and Janina-Alina Nachstern (née Januszewska; 1889–1966), both of whom were Polish. He himself wrote that his early years – before the…

Nagle, John Charles (‘Jack’)

Nagle, John Charles (‘Jack’) (1910–96), civil servant, was born 7 March 1910 at ‘Archville’, Commons Road, Cork, fourth child among three sons and two daughters of Michael James Nagle, local cattle dealer, and Mary Nagle (née Scriven) of Killeens, Blarney, Co. Cork. About 1918 his…

Nagle, Nano (Honora)

Nagle, Nano (Honora) (1718–84), nun, educator, and founder of the Presentation Order, was born 9 April 1718 at Ballygriffin near Mallow, Co. Cork, eldest among five daughters and two sons of Garret Nagle (d. 1746), landowner, and Ann Nagle (née Mathew), who was from Annfield, Thurles,…

Nagle, Sir Richard

Nagle, Sir Richard (c.1636–1699), lawyer and Irish attorney general, was second of five sons of James Nagle of Claner, Co. Cork, and his wife Honora, daughter of Maurice Nugent of Aghanagh, in the same county. The Anglo-Norman de Nangle or Nagle family settled in this…

Naish, John

Naish, John (1841–90), lawyer and lord chancellor of Ireland, was born at Ballycullen, Co. Limerick, second son of Carrol Naish, merchant, and Anna Margaret Naish (née O'Carroll); he came from a prosperous Roman Catholic family. Educated at Clongowes Wood College, Kildare, he…

Nally, Dermot

Nally, Dermot (1927–2009), civil servant, was born in Dublin on 10 December 1927, son of W. F. Nally, a civil servant who retired as secretary of the Department of Lands; he had at least one brother and one sister. Educated in Dublin at CBS…

Nally, Patrick William

Nally, Patrick William (1855–91), athlete and Fenian, was born 17 March 1855 in Rockstown House, Balla, Co. Mayo, fourth among eight children of William Nally, a prosperous farmer and former landlord's agent, and Bridget Nally (née Dolan). As a young man he joined the republican…

Nally, William Francis

Nally, William Francis (1890–1961), civil servant, was born 12 July 1890 in Templemore, Co. Tipperary. His father was court clerk at Templemore; his mother was Mary Nally (née McNamee) from near Tralee, Co. Kerry. He had two brothers, Nicholas and Frank, and three sisters, Louise,…

Nangle, Edward Walter

Nangle, Edward Walter (1800–1883), Church of Ireland clergyman, was born 25 November 1800 in Dublin, third son of the second marriage of Walter Nangle (1757–1843) of Kildalkey, near Athboy, Co. Meath, an officer in the 16th Regiment of Foot. Walter Nangle was a catholic, as were…

Nangle, Richard

Nangle, Richard (d. 1543), bishop of Clonfert, was a member of a family long established in Connacht. Educated by Augustinian friars (OESA), Nangle entered the order and ultimately became provincial. He persuaded Margaret Athy, wife of Stephen Lynch, who several times held the…

Nannetti, Joseph Patrick (‘J. P.’)

Nannetti, Joseph Patrick (‘J. P.’) (1851–1915), trade unionist and politician, was born 19 March 1851 in Dublin, son of Giacomo Nannetti, sculptor and modeller, of 6 Great Brunswick St. Educated at Baggot St. convent schools and CBS

Napier, Oliver

Napier, Oliver (1935–2011), politician, was born on 11 July 1935 in Downpatrick, Co. Down, the eldest son of James Napier, a catholic solicitor, and his wife Sheila (née Bready); he had two brothers and a sister. Oliver attended St Malachy's College, Belfast, and then studied law at…

Napier, Sir Joseph

Napier, Sir Joseph (1804–82), 1st baronet, judge and politician, was born 26 December 1804 in Belfast, son of William Napier, merchant (a descendant of a Scots gentry family, which included the inventor of logarithms), and his wife Rosetta (née Macnaghten). He was educated at the…

Napier, Sir William Francis Patrick

Napier, Sir William Francis Patrick (1785–1860), general and historian, was born 17 December 1785 at Castletown, near Celbridge, Co. Kildare, third son of Col. the Hon. George Napier and his second wife, Lady Sarah Lennox, seventh daughter of the duke of Richmond and previously wife…

Nary, Cornelius

Nary, Cornelius (1658–1738), catholic controversialist and activist, is believed to have been born at Tipper, near Naas, Co. Kildare. The names of his parents have not been discovered; however, it is probable that his father was a substantial tenant farmer. Two brothers and three…

Nash, Robert

Nash, Robert (1902–89), Jesuit priest and apologist, was born 23 April 1902 at Cork, third and only surviving child of Robert Nash (d. Southampton, 21 November 1901) and his wife Delia (née Kearney). He was brought up in Limerick by his mother and maternal uncle Joseph Kearney, a shop…

Nathan, Sir Matthew

Nathan, Sir Matthew (1862–1939), soldier and administrator, was born 3 January 1862, second son among nine children of Jonah Nathan and Miriam Nathan (née Jacobs) of London. Both his parents were Jewish; his father – of German origin and a partner in the paper-making firm of Thomas de…

Nath Í (Nathí)

Nath Í (Nathí) (6th cent.?), founder and first bishop of Cúil Foithirbe, and saint in the Irish tradition, is assigned by the genealogists to the Leinster lineage of Dál Messin Corb. His father is named as Senach son of Fergus Láebderc; his mother is not identified. He is three…

Neal, John

This is a co-subject for the entry on Neal (Neale), John. View the original entry.

Neal (Neale), John

Neal (Neale), John (fl.1701–40), publisher of music, manufacturer of musical instruments, and musician, worked in Dublin throughout his adult life and may have been born in the city. He appears, c.1701, running a recorder-making shop in Christ Church Lane, Dublin. From…

Nealon, Ted

Nealon, Ted (1929–2014), journalist, broadcaster and politician, was born on 24 November 1929 in Coolrecuill, Aclare, Co. Sligo, the younger of two sons of Ted and Una Nealon. Una died when Ted was two and the boys were raised by their father. Ted completed his education at St Nathy’s…

Neal, William

This is a co-subject for the entry on Neal (Neale), John. View the original entry.

Nedley, Thomas

Nedley, Thomas (1819–99), surgeon and wit, was born in Dublin; nothing is known of his family background. Educated at Castleknock College, he then went to Scotland to study medicine and was made a licentiate of the Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh (1851). In August 1856 he…

Needham, Alicia Adelaide

Needham, Alicia Adelaide (1863–1945), musician and composer, was born Alicia Adelaide Montgomery in Co. Meath, daughter of John Wilson Montgomery (c.1834–1911); she spent most of her childhood at the family home in Downpatrick, Co. Down. Educated at Victoria College,…

Needham, Francis Jack

Needham, Francis Jack (1748–1832), 1st earl of Kilmorey , soldier and MP, was born 15 April 1748 in Co. Down, third and youngest son of John Needham, 10th Viscount Kilmorey, and his wife Anne, daughter of John Hurleston of Newton, Cheshire, and widow of Geoffrey Shakerley of…