Biographies A-Z

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Oates, James

Oates, James (d. 1821), canal engineer, is unknown before the 1780s, when with a partner named Delahunty he constructed lock gates on the Grand Canal's branch line in Co. Kildare, extending in 1783–5 from near Robertstown down to the River Barrow at Monasterevin, and thereafter to…

O'Beirne, Seamas (Ó Beirn, Séamus; Byrne, James Fahy

O'Beirne, Seamas (Ó Beirn, Séamus; Byrne, James Fahy ) (1881–1935), medical doctor, dramatist, and businessman, was born 18 July 1881 on Tawin island, Co. Galway, the eldest son among at least three sons and two daughters of Patrick Byrne, farmer, and Mary Byrne (née Fahy), of Kinvara…

O'Beirne, Thomas Lewis

O'Beirne, Thomas Lewis (c.1747–1823), pamphleteer, polemicist, and bishop, was born at Farnagh, Co. Longford, son of Lewis O'Beirne, a Roman catholic farmer, and Margaret O'Beirne (née O'Meagher). Educated locally, and at Saint-Omer in Flanders, he and his brother were…

Ó Braccáin, Stiamna (O'Brogan, Stephanus)

Ó Braccáin, Stiamna (O'Brogan, Stephanus) (d. 1302), archbishop of Cashel, belonged to an ecclesiastical family of mid-Ulster origin. His family was probably descended from Braccán, a minor dynast of Clann Áeda, in turn an offshoot of Cenél nÉogain; in the twelfth century, the Uí…

Ó Brádaigh, Ruairí

Ó Brádaigh, Ruairí (1932–2013), republican paramilitary and political activist, was born Peter Roger Casement Brady in Upper Mount Street, Dublin, on 2 October 1932. He was the second child of two sons and a daughter of Matt (Matthew) Brady, a farmer of Longford town, and his wife…

Ó Braonáin, Seán

Ó Braonáin, Seán (fl. 1804–c.1849), poet and scribe, lived in Ballymacandrew and Baltovin, between Abbeydorney and Ardfert, Co. Kerry; nothing is known of his parents. He is presumably ‘John O'Brenan, a tenant’, cited as the authority for information on Baltovin in…

O'Brennan, Elizabeth (‘Lily’)

O'Brennan, Elizabeth (‘Lily’) (1878–1948), republican, was born probably in Dublin, third daughter of Francis Brennan , auctioneer, and his wife, Elizabeth. The family was strongly nationalist and later changed their name to O'Brennan; her father was allegedly a Fenian and her…

O'Brennan, Kathleen

This is a co-subject for the entry on O'Brennan, Elizabeth (‘Lily’). View the original entry.

O'Brennan, Martin Andrew

O'Brennan, Martin Andrew (1812–78), newspaper editor, was born in Co. Mayo, ninth or eleventh son of Martin O'Brennan (occupation unknown) and Sarah O'Brennan (née Cullen). He was educated in St Jarlath's College, Tuam, and came to Dublin c.1836, where he apparently…

Ó Briain, Donnchadh

Ó Briain, Donnchadh (1897–1981), politician and Gaelic League activist, was born 17 November 1897 in Knockaderry, Co. Limerick, one of two sons and a daughter of David O'Brien of Clonakilty, Co. Cork, creamery manager, and Kathleen O'Brien (née Casey) of Ballyguile. He was educated at…

Ó Briain, Liam

Ó Briain, Liam (1888–1974), republican, scholar of Romance languages, and Irish-language enthusiast, was born 16 September 1888 at 10 Church Street, North Wall, Dublin, seventh child of Arthur O'Brien, clerk, and Mary O'Brien (née Christie), who was from Co. Meath. He was christened…

Ó Briain, Mairín (Marianus, Maurianus)

Ó Briain, Mairín (Marianus, Maurianus) (d. 1238), archbishop of Cashel, belonged to an offshoot of the north Munster dynasty of Dál Cais. Although his parentage is not recorded, he was presumably related to the king of Thomond,…

O'Brien, Anne Monica

O'Brien, Anne Monica (1956–2016), soccer player, was born 25 January 1956 at Holles Street hospital, Dublin, one of five daughters and five sons of John O’Brien, a distillery labourer, and Rosanna O’Brien (née Giles) from 13 Oblate Drive, Inchicore, Dublin. Her father died when she was…

O'Brien (Arnold-Forster), Florence Mary

O'Brien (Arnold-Forster), Florence Mary (1854–1936), diarist, philanthropist, and craftswoman, was born 3 July 1854 in Bayswater, London, the second of four children of William Delafield Arnold and Frances Anne Arnold (née Hodgson). Her father, a son of Dr Thomas Arnold of Rugby and…

O'Brien, Arthur Patrick Donovan

O'Brien, Arthur Patrick Donovan (1872–1949), republican activist, was born 25 September 1872 in London, elder of one son and one daughter of John Francis O'Brien, merchant, from Cork, and Henrietta O'Brien (née Myers), from Kennington, Surrey, England. He was educated at St Charles…

O'Brien, Barnabas (Bryan, Barnaby)

O'Brien, Barnabas (Bryan, Barnaby) (c.1590–1657), 6th earl of Thomond and MP, was the younger son of Donough O'Brien (qv), 4th earl of Thomond, and his second wife, Lady Elizabeth Fitzgerald, daughter of…

O'Brien, Brendan

O'Brien, Brendan (1941–2008), showband singer, was born 23 July 1941 in the family home of 5 Montpellier Terrace, Wellington Road, Cork city, the youngest of five children of Edward O'Brien, engineer, and his wife Ellen (née Crowley). The O'Briens soon moved outside Cork city to…

O'Brien, Catherine Amelia

O'Brien, Catherine Amelia (1881–1963), stained-glass artist, was born 19 June 1881 at Durra, Ennis, Co. Clare, one of five children of Pierce O'Brien, JP, a gentleman landowner, of Durra house, Ennis, Co. Clare, and Sophia Angel St John O'…

O'Brien, Charles

O'Brien, Charles (1670?–1706), 5th Viscount Clare , army officer, was the second son of Daniel O'Brien (qv) (c.1630–1690), 3rd Viscount Clare, of Carrigaholt, Co. Clare, and his wife, Philadelphia Lennard (b. 1644, d. in or after…

O'Brien, Charlotte Grace

O'Brien, Charlotte Grace (1845–1909), social reformer and writer, was born 23 November 1845 at Cahirmoyle, Co. Limerick, younger daughter of the Young Ireland leader, William Smith O’Brien (qv), and his wife Lucy Caroline, daughter of…

O'Brien, Conchobar Ruad

This is a co-subject for the entry on O'Brien (Ó Briain), Donnchad Cairprech. View the original entry.

O'Brien, Conchobhar

This is a co-subject for the entry on O'Brien (Ó Briain), Tadhg an Chomhaid. View the original entry.

O'Brien, Conor

O'Brien, Conor (1535–81), 3rd earl of Thomond , was the eldest of three sons of Donough O'Brien (c.1515–1553), 2nd earl of Thomond, and Ellen (Helen; d. 2 July 1597), youngest daughter of Piers Butler (qv), 8th earl…

O'Brien, Conor Cruise

O'Brien, Conor Cruise (1917–2008), diplomat, politician and writer, was born Donal Conor David Dermot Donat (he habitually interpolated Sheehy) Cruise O'Brien on 3 November 1917 at 44 Leinster Road, Rathmines, Dublin, the only child of

O'Brien, Cornelius

O'Brien, Cornelius (c.1782–1857), landlord, lawyer, and MP, was born at Birchfield, Liscannor, Co. Clare, the third son of Henry O'Brien of Birchfield and Ennis and his wife Hellen O'Callaghan, of Kilgorey, Co. Clare. Educated in Ennis, he entered the King's Inns in 1803, qualified as…