Philanthropy and Community Work

McLaughlin, (Florence) Patricia (Alice) (1916–97), politician and community activist, was born 23 June 1916 at Downpatrick, Co. Down, the only daughter of Canon Frederick Basil Aldwell , rector of St George's Church, Belfast, and his wife (named on the birth certificate as E. N.…

McMaster, William (1811–87), merchant, Canadian senator, and philanthropist, was born 24 December 1811 in Co. Tyrone, the son of William McMaster, linen merchant. Privately educated by local teachers, he began work in a mercantile house before moving to New York and then York (…

McMordie, Julia (1860–1942), philanthropist and politician, was born 30 March 1860 in Hartlepool, Co. Durham, England, fifth daughter of Sir William Gray , shipbuilder and shipowner, and his wife Dorothy (d. 1906), daughter of Capt. John Hall. A presbyterian, she was educated at…

McShain, Mary (1907–98), landowner and benefactor, was born Mary Horstmann on 27 March 1907 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, fifth among six children of Ignatius J. Horstmann and his wife Pauline. She was educated at St Leonard's Academy, Philadelphia, and Rosemont College, Rosemont…

Mills, Rosaleen Patricia Broughton (1905–1993), activist and educator, was born on 16 July 1905 in Ballinasloe, Co. Galway, the fourth of five children of John Mills, medical director at the Connaught District Lunatic Asylum (later St Brigid's Hospital), Ballinasloe, and Rosetta Mills (…

Moore, Kieron (1924–2007), actor and catholic activist, was born Ciarán Ó hAnnracháin in Skibbereen, Co. Cork, on 5 October 1924, one of four sons and two daughters of the Gaelic Leaguer and political activist Peadar Ó hAnnracháin (1873–1965) and his wife Máire Ní Dheasúna (Desmond) (…

Morrow, Addie (Adam James) (1928–2012), community activist and politician, was born on 17 July 1928 at the family farm, Hill House, Ballyhanwood, Gilnahirk, Dundonald, Co. Down, eldest of five children (three sons and two daughters) of a dairy farmer; his mother's maiden name was Watson…

This is a co-subject for the entry on Morrow, Addie (Adam James). View the original entry.

Mosse, Bartholomew (1712–59), obstetrician, philanthropist, and founder of the Rotunda Hospital, was probably born in Wexford or in Maryborough (Portlaoise), Queen's County (Laois), second son among five sons and two daughters of the Rev. Thomas Mosse, rector of Maryborough, and…

Mulally, Teresa (1728–1803), educationist, businesswoman, and philanthropist, was born in October 1728, in Pill Lane, near Chancery Street, Dublin, the only child of Daniel and Elizabeth Mulally. While she was young, her father, a provisions dealer, retired from his business and…

Mulcahy, John Augustine (‘Jack’) (1906–94), industrialist, businessman, and philanthropist, was born 26 August 1906 at Dungarvan, Co. Waterford, fifth among twelve children of Patrick Mulcahy, town clerk of Waterford , and Mary Mulcahy (née O'Shea). He was educated locally in the…

Mulchinock, John (1781?–1863), merchant and benefactor, was the son of Nicholas and Christiana Mulchinock, and was baptised into the Church of Ireland in Tralee, Co. Kerry, on 2 March 1781. Nothing is known for certain of his early life but, as a young man, he may have been at sea…

Mullen, Madeleine ffrench- (1880–1944), nationalist and social advocate, was born 30 December 1880 in Malta, eldest child among two daughters and one son of St Laurence ffrench-Mullen, a Royal Navy surgeon. While she was a child, her father moved the family back to Ireland and they…

Murray, James Andrew (1840–1921), businessman, was born in 1840 in Co. Clare, the eldest of five sons and one daughter of Michael Murray and his wife Ann (née MacNamara), of whom little is known. The family emigrated to Canada about 1845, and in 1858 at age eighteen, James left for the…

Nicholson, Asenath (1792–1855), traveller and social reformer, was born 24 February 1792, youngest child and only daughter among three children of Michael Hatch (c.1747–1830), farmer, and his wife, Martha (maiden name unknown; 1745–1837), in Chelsea, Vermont, USA. Educated at…

Nolan, Christopher (1965–2009), writer and advocate for the disabled, was born 6 September 1965 in the county hospital in Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, second and youngest child (he had an elder sister) of Joseph Nolan, psychiatric nurse and small farmer, and his wife Bernadette (née Martin…

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, Denis Thomas (1736?–1814), merchant, catholic politician, and benefactor, was the younger son of Thomas O'Brien (d. 1756) of Fairfield, near Ahascragh, Co. Galway, and his wife Mary (1710?–83), a daughter of Christopher French of Tyrone, Co. Galway. Thomas was in business as a…

O'Brien, Francis Cruise (1885–1927), journalist, author, and cooperationist, was born 18 November 1885, at 6 Grantham St., Dublin, one of two children of John Cruise O’Brien, a law clerk, and Mary Cruise O’Brien (née Lally); his sister, Cathleen, married the novelist…

O'Brien, Anna Maria (née Ball) (1785–1871), philanthropist, was born at 5 Werburgh Street in Dublin, the second eldest of five children (four girls and a boy) of John Ball (qv), a wealthy Dublin silk manufacturer, merchant, and catholic convert,…

O'Donohue, Maura (1933–2015), missionary doctor and public health campaigner, was born on 2 March 1933 at Likeen, her family home in Kilfenora, Co. Clare, the second of four children (two girls and two boys) of Andrew O’Donohue, a farmer, and his wife Kate (née O’Brien). Mary Brigid, as…

O'Hanlon, Paddy (Patrick Michael) (1944–2009), political activist, community worker, barrister and author, was born in Drogheda, Co. Louth, on 8 May 1944, second of seven children of Paddy O'Hanlon, butcher and Old IRA veteran, and his wife Margaret (née Grant). Both parents came from…

O'Leary, Con (1915–98), pioneer of the co-operative movement, was born 18 May 1915 in Glendine, Inchigeela, west Co. Cork, son of Daniel O'Leary, farmer, and Kate O'Leary (née Barrett). He was educated at the local national school, before being forced to leave school to work on…

O'Mahony, Donal (1936–2010), Capuchin priest and activist for social justice, was born on 2 August 1936 in Blackrock, Cork, son of Jeremiah O'Mahony and his wife Ellen (née Walsh). He was educated at Rochestown College, and then trained as a sports journalist with the Irish…

Orpen, Edward Richards Richards- (1884–1967), agriculturalist, conservationist and senator, was born Edward Richards Orpen on 20 October 1884 in London, the son of Goddard Henry Orpen (qv) and his wife…