Biographies A-Z

Norcott, William (1773?–1820), barrister, satirist, and bon vivant, was eldest son of William Norcott of Charleville, Co. Cork, and Mary Norcott (née Knight). He entered TCD in July 1790, graduating BA…

Norman, Conolly (1853–1908), psychiatrist, was born 12 March 1853 in Newtown Cunningham, Co. Donegal, fifth of six sons of Hugh Norman, rector of All Saints Church, and Anne Norman (née Ball). He was educated at home before studying medicine at Trinity College Dublin (TCD), the…

Norris (Norreys), Sir John (c.1547–97), military commander and lord president of Munster, was second son of Henry Norris, 1st Baron Norris of Rycote, and his wife Margaret, daughter of John Williams, 1st Baron Williams of Thame. In the course of one of the most…

Norris, Philip (c.1400–1465), scholar and controversialist, was probably born in Dundalk, where on 31 July 1427 he was presented to the parish church of St Nicholas. Granted leave of absence for seven years in order to study at a university, he went to Oxford; there he…

Norris, Sir Thomas (1556–99), soldier and president of Munster, was fifth son of Henry Norris, 1st Baron Norris of Rycote, Oxfordshire, and his wife Margaret, daughter of John Williams, 1st Baron Williams of Thame, and was a younger brother of Sir…

Northalis, Richard (d. 1397), archbishop of Dublin, chancellor of Ireland, possibly the son of John Northhales, mayor of London, appears as a member of the Carmelite house in London during the reign of Richard II (qv) He was apparently in…

Norton, William Joseph (‘Bill’) (1900–63), trade unionist and politician, was born 2 November 1900 at 21 Bath Avenue, Dublin, eldest of eight children of Patrick Norton, a tramcar conductor, and Bridget Norton (née Malone). He attended Rathmines national school, leaving aged…

Nowlan, David Shackleton (1936–2010), journalist, critic and medical doctor, was born on 19 May 1936 at 16 Lower Hatch Street, Dublin, the eldest of four children (two boys and two girls) of Revd George Nowlan (1904–74), rector (1935–9) of St Matthias's church, Dublin, and his wife…

Nowlan, James (1854?–1924), sports official, nationalist, and politician, was born in Kilkenny city; he was probably the James Nowlan baptised 14 July 1854 in St Canice's church, son of Michael Nowlan and Catherine Nowlan (née Tully), of Green's Hill, Kilkenny. A cooper by trade,…

Nowlan, Kevin Barry (1921–2013), historian and champion of Dublin’s architectural heritage, was born on 2 November 1921, the only son of John Joseph Nowlan, a heating engineer, and his wife Barbara Nowlan (née O’Neill), of 40 Crannagh Road, Rathfarnham, Co. Dublin. He was educated at…

Nowlan, Kevin Ingram (1910–2003), engineer, planning officer, and university lecturer, was born 2 November 1910 at Iona House, Iona Drive, Glasnevin, Dublin, second son of John William Nowlan, assistant superintendent of Glasnevin cemetery, and his wife Kathleen Winifred (née Browning…

Noyek (Noyk), Michael (1884–1966), lawyer and republican activist, was born in Dublin, son of Jewish immigrants. Little is known of his parents; his father was from Kovno in Russia and his mother from Berlin. He was educated at the High School and entered…

Nuadu Argatlám , a figure from the mythological cycle, features as king of the Tuatha Dé Danann. It is said that in the battle with the Fir Bolg at Mag Tuired (Moytirra, Co. Sligo), he lost an arm, an imperfection which obliged him to abdicate his kingship in favour of Lug. He was…

Nugent, Christopher (1697/8–1775), physician, was born into a prosperous catholic family, possibly in Co. Tipperary, in late 1697 or early 1698. Educated in France, he graduated MD (probably in Montpellier) and returned to work as physician…

Nugent, Christopher (d. 1731), Jacobite and army officer, was the eldest son of Francis Nugent of Dardistown, Co. Meath, and his wife, Bridget, sister of William Dongan (qv), created earl of Limerick in 1685. His grandfather was…

Nugent, Christopher (Criostóir Nuinseann) (1544–1602), 14th Baron Delvin , was the eldest son of Richard, 13th Baron Delvin, and his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Jenico, Viscount Gormanston. The Nugents, whose estates lay on the frontier of the Pale in Co. Westmeath, with their…

Nugent, Francis Lavalin (1569–1635), founder of the Irish Capuchin mission, was the son of Sir Edward Nugent of Walshetown, Mullingar, and his wife, Margaret O'Connor, of the O'Connor Fahy family. Initially educated locally, he enrolled at Pont-à-Mousson, France, in 1582. He…

Nugent, George Frederick (1760–1814), 7th earl of Westmeath , nobleman and politician, was born 18 November 1760, the third son of Thomas Nugent (1714–92), 6th earl of Westmeath, and his second wife, Catherine, daughter and co-heir of Henry White of Pitchfordstown, Cloncurry, Co…

This is a co-subject for the entry on Nugent, George Frederick. View the original entry.

Nugent, John (1671–1754), 5th earl of Westmeath , Jacobite officer in the French service, was the third of three sons of Christopher Nugent (d. a.1680), Lord Delvin, and his wife Mary (d. 1737), niece of James Butler, 1st duke of …

Nugent, John Dillon (1869–1940), politician and insurance manager, was born 22 December 1869 in Keady, Co. Armagh, the son of John Nugent, auctioneer and publican, and his wife Sarah (née Dillon). He moved to Dublin in 1890. Employed as assistant superintendent with the Prudential…

Nugent, Laval(l) (1777–1862), field-marshal and count in Austria, was born 3 November 1777 at Ballinacor, Co. Wicklow, eldest son of John Nugent, landowner, from Westmeath, and Jane Nugent (née McDonagh). His father died when he was four, and in 1789 he moved to Austria, where he…

Nugent, Nicholas (d. 1582), chief justice of the common pleas in Ireland, was fifth son of Sir Christopher Nugent and his wife Marian, daughter of Nicholas St Lawrence. Educated as a lawyer, in 1564 he was appointed to a commission to hear and determine lawsuits in the Pale. On 5…

Nugent, Richard (c.1395–1475), 10th lord of Delvin , was son of Sir William Nugent, 9th lord of Delvin, and his wife Katherine, daughter of John fitz John, 8th lord of Delvin. He succeeded to his father's lands in 1415, and in the following year was one of the signatories…

Nugent, Richard (c.1465–1538), 12th baron of Delvin , was son of Christopher Nugent, 11th baron, and his wife, Elizabeth, daughter of Robert Preston (qv), 1st Viscount Gormanston, and succeeded to his family's lands after his…