Journalism and Broadcasting

Falloon, Cecil Samuel Gordon ('Paddy') (1911–2003), businessman, hotelier, and restorer of historic buildings, was born 10 July 1911 in Camly Macullagh, a townland near Newtownhamilton in south Co. Armagh, younger son and youngest of four children of Samuel Falloon, farmer, and his…

Falls, Cyril Bentham (1888–1971), military historian and journalist, was born 2 March 1888 in Dublin, elder of two sons of Charles Fausset Falls (1860–1936) and his wife Clare (née Bentham), who also had a daughter. His father was a prominent Enniskillen solicitor and a leading…

Fanning, Aengus (1944–2012), newspaper editor, was born on 22 April 1944 in the family home at Cloonbeg Terrace, Tralee, Co. Kerry, the fourth child among five sons and one daughter of Arnold ('Paddy') Fanning, a teacher, and his wife Clara (née Connell). Originally from Rostrevor,…

Farrell, Brian (1929–2014) broadcaster and academic, was born Bernard Brendan Farrell on 9 January 1929 at 16 Lowe Street, Miles Platting, Manchester, England. He was the fourth of five children of Francis (Frank) Farrell, a railway porter from Glasgow (whose family were from Wicklow),…

Farrell, James Patrick (‘J. P.’) (1865–1921), politician and journalist, was born 13 May 1865 in Longford, eldest of five children of Patrick Farrell of Longford and Ann Farrell (née Lynam) of Strokestown, Co. Roscommon. Educated at St Mel's College in Longford, he became involved…

Feehan, Matthew (‘Matt’) (1913–90), soldier and newspaper editor, was born 11 November 1913 at 4 Great Denmark St., north-east of Rutland (later Parnell) Square, Dublin, youngest son of Matthew Feehan, grocer, and Aileen Feehan (née Boland), of Clonmel, Co. Tipperary. He was educated at…

Fenton, Tony (Anthony Fagan, ‘the Dude’) (1961–2015), music broadcaster and disc jockey (DJ), was born Anthony James Fagan in Donnycarney, Co. Dublin, on 25 March 1961, the second of four sons and one daughter to Brendan Fagan, a carpenter with his own business, and his…

Figgis, Darrell (1882–1925), journalist, author, and nationalist propagandist, was born 17 September 1882 at Glen-na-Smoil, Palmerston Park, Rathmines, Dublin, son of Arthur William Figgis, tea merchant, and Mary Anne Figgis (née Deane). The family moved to London and then Ceylon…

Finerty, John Frederick (1846–1908), journalist and nationalist, was born 10 September 1846 in Galway city, son of M. J. Finerty, nationalist and editor of the Galway Vindicator, and Margaret Finerty (née Flynn). After his father's death (1848) he was reared by an uncle. He…

Finlay, Francis Dalzell (1793–1857), journalist and printer, was born 12 July 1793 at Newtownards, Co. Down, son of John Finlay, tenant farmer. He joined the Belfast Monthly Magazine (1812–14) as a printer, and when it closed he set up his own printing press at Joy's Entry…

Finnerty, Peter (1766?–1822), printer, journalist and parliamentary and war reporter, was born probably at Loughrea, Co. Galway, where his father was a small tradesman. In the 1790s he served as an apprentice to William Corbet (qv),…

Firth, Virginia Arabella ('Gay') (1937–2005), author, journalist and political campaigner, was born in Belfast on 9 January 1937, the eldest of three daughters of Lancelot Turtle, a Belfast businessman and stockbroker, and Helen Ramsey Turtle (1911–46), born in Denver, Colorado,…

Fisher, Joseph Robert (1855–1939), journalist and unionist, was born in Raffrey, Co. Down, youngest among three sons and one daughter of the Rev. Ringland Fisher, presbyterian minister and his wife Sarah, née English. He was educated at the…

Fitzgerald, Martin Thomas (1865–1927), last owner of the Freeman's Journal, was born 9 November 1865 in Charlestown, Co. Mayo, second child of James Fitzgerald, shopkeeper, and Bridget Fitzgerald (née Mullarky). He had an elder brother and two sisters. Moving to Dublin at an…

Fitzgibbon, Denis (‘Din Joe’) (1921–98), businessman and broadcaster, was born in Cork city. He was reared and educated locally in a traditional catholic environment, attending Presentation Brothers College, Cork. He was a noted rugby player for the Dolphin club and for Munster.…

Fitzgibbon, Edward (1803–57), journalist known as ‘Ephemera’, was born in August 1803 in Limerick, son of a land agent; nothing else is known of his family. On the death of his father (1817) he went to London, aged 14, and two years later was articled to a surgeon. Within two…

Fitzsimons, Edward John Bourke (c.1787–p. 1824?), writer, tax inspector, and newspaper editor, was the only son of John Bourke Fitzsimons (1771–1824) and Mary Gaylard. John Bourke Fitzsimons was born 25 February 1771, probably in Tipperary, but subsequently moved…

Flackes, William David (‘Billy’) (1921–93), journalist, was born 14 April 1921 in Bogay, Co. Donegal, son of William David Flackes, coachman and gardener, and Jane Flackes (née McGarvey). The family later moved to Jordanstown, on the outskirts of Belfast, where Billy (as he was always…

Flanagan, John Woulfe (1852–1929), journalist on The Times, was born 6 April 1852, the eldest of six sons and five daughters in the family of Stephen Woulfe Flanagan (1817–91), PC (Ire.), a judge of the landed estates court and owner of 3…

Flannery, Austin (1925–2008), priest, scholar, editor, journalist and social justice campaigner, was born William ('Liam') Flannery on 10 January 1925 at Rear Cross, Co. Tipperary, the eldest of seven children of William K. Flannery and his wife Margaret Flannery (née Butler),…

Flood, John (1835–1909), Fenian, journalist and politician, was baptised on 25 May 1835 in Howth parish, Co. Dublin, son of a shipping merchant based in the area who was originally from Wexford; no further details of his family are known. After a local national school education, he was…

Foley, Donal (1922–81), journalist and editor, was born 4 September 1922 in Ring, Co. Waterford, seventh among twelve children of Daniel Joseph Foley, headmaster in Ferrybank, Co. Waterford, and Catherine Foley (née Power). His childhood was idyllic, between the small village of…

Ford, Patrick (1837–1913), journalist and land reformer, was born 12 April 1837 in Galway, the son of Edward Ford (1805–80) and his wife Anne (née Ford) (1815–1893). He emigrated with his parents to the US in 1845 and never revisited Ireland. Although he devoted his life to Irish…

Forristal, Desmond Timothy ('Des') (1930–2012), priest, broadcaster and writer, was born on 25 September 1930 at 70 Botanic Road, Glasnevin, Dublin, to Anthony James Forristal, civil servant, and his wife Máirín Genevieve (née McInerney), who were then living at 8 Weston Villas,…

Fox, Richard Michael ('R. M. ') (1891–1969), writer and trade unionist, was born on 13 November 1891 in Leeds, Yorkshire, the second of four sons of Richard Fox and his wife Elizabeth (née Rathmell). Richard senior worked as a gymnasium instructor in Leeds, and later as a skilled…