Sport

Dickson, Thomas Arnell ('Tommy') (1929–2007), footballer, was born 16 July 1929 in the Sandy Row area of Belfast. As a teenager he played with the local Roosevelt Street Boys' Club and, while working as an apprentice fitter at the Brookfield Linen Company, was signed by Brantwood as an…

Dinneen, Frank Brazil (1863–1916), GAA president, proprietor of Croke Park, and journalist, was born in Ballylanders, Co. Limerick, son of Nicholas Dinneen of Ballylanders. In the early 1880s he was one of the leading sprinters in the Munster area and regularly competed at meetings…

Dockrell, George Shannon (1886–1924), swimmer and water-polo player, was born 22 October 1886 in Rathdown, Co. Dublin, the son of Sir Maurice Edward Dockrell (qv), merchant and politician, and his wife…

Doherty, Peter Dermot (1913–90), soccer player and manager, was born 4 June 1913 in Church St., Magherafelt, Co. Londonderry, son of William Doherty, carter, and Sarah Doherty (née Duffin). His family moved to Coleraine, Co. Londonderry, where he was educated at St Malachy's primary…

Donnellan, Michael (‘Mick’) (1900–64), politician and GAA footballer, was born in Dromore, Co. Galway, the eldest of four children (two boys and two girls) of a local farmer. After being educated at the local national school and St Jarlath's College, Tuam, Co. Galway, he worked…

Donnelly, Dan (1788–1820), pugilist, was born in 1788 in Townsend Street, Dublin, eldest surviving son among seventeen children of Joseph Donnelly, carpenter, of Dublin; his mother’s surname was Gore. His life is one in which reality and mythology are not easily separated. The main…

Donoghue, Stephen (1884–1945), jockey, was born 8 November 1884 at Aikin Street, Warrington, Lancashire, the eldest of three sons and two daughters of an Irish immigrant, Patrick Donoghue, an iron puddler, and Mary, née Mitchell, also of Irish ancestry. He was educated at St Mary'…

Doonan, William (‘Willie’; ‘Bill’) (1920–76), Gaelic footballer, was born 16 April 1920 in Cavan town, one of thirteen children of John Doonan, a UDC employee from Bawnboy, Co. Cavan, and Mary Anne Doonan (née Dempsey) from Templeport, Co…

Dougan, (Alexander) Derek (1938–2007), footballer and author, was born 20 January 1938 at 41 Susan Street in the Newtownards Road district of east Belfast, the eldest of six children (three boys and three girls) of John 'Jackie' Dougan, a boilermaker at the Harland and Wolff…

Dowdall, Paddy (1920–68), boxer, was born 16 June 1920 at 23 The Coombe, Dublin city, son of Patrick Dowdall, porter, and Catherine Dowdall (née Kinsella). His mother died when he was an infant, and the children were raised by their father. He was educated locally at Francis St.…

This is a co-subject for the entry on Doyle, Richard (‘Dick’). View the original entry.

Doyle, Jack (1913–78), boxer, actor, singer and playboy, was born Joseph Alphonsus Doyle, 31 August 1913 at 12 Queen Street, Queenstown, Co. Cork, eldest son among four sons and two daughters of Michael Doyle, sailor, of Queenstown, and Anastasia Doyle. His schooling, at St Joseph's…

Doyle, Jimmy (1939–2015), hurler, was born on 20 March 1939 at Bohernanave, Thurles, Co. Tipperary, the eldest among six children (two surviving sons and three daughters; another son died in infancy) of Gerry Doyle, a shoemaker, and Bridget Doyle (née Slattery). Gerry Doyle was also a…

Doyle, John (1930–2010), hurler, was born on 12 February 1930 in Glenbane, Holycross, Co. Tipperary, the only child of Timothy Doyle, farmer, and his wife Margaret (née Spillane). His mother died forty-six days later from blood poisoning, after which his father struggled with raising…

This is a co-subject for the entry on Doyle, Richard (‘Dick’). View the original entry.

Doyle, Mick (Michael Gerard) (1940–2004), rugby player and coach, was born 13 October 1940 in his maternal grandparents' house at Currow, Farranfore, Co. Kerry, the elder of two sons of Michael Doyle, a general merchant, publican and poultry farmer, of Castleisland, Co. Kerry, and…

Doyle, Richard (‘Dick’) (1886–1959), hurler, was born 4 February 1886 in Dournane, Mooncoin, Co. Kilkenny, third among nine surviving children of William Doyle, farmer, originally from Piltown, Co. Kilkenny, and Ellen Doyle (née Dunphy) from Dournane. He was educated at Mooncoin…

Dreaper, Thomas (‘Tom’) William (1898–1975), racehorse trainer, was born 28 September 1898 in Donaghmore, Ashbourne, Co. Meath, the second son of James Dreaper, farmer, and Harriet Dreaper (née McKeever). He was educated at St Andrew's College, Dublin. In 1930 he moved to Greenogue…

Duffy, Patrick Joseph (‘Paddy’) (1921–87), Olympian and fencing master (maitre d'armes), was born 15 April 1921 at the Rotunda Hospital, Dublin, one of a large family born to James Duffy, labourer, and Kathleen (‘Kate’) Duffy (née McCarney), of 5 Commons St., Dublin. Duffy…

Duke, Philip James (‘P. J.’) (1925–50), Gaelic footballer, was born 22 April 1925 in Stradone, Co. Cavan, one of four sons and two daughters of Andrew Duke, farmer and shopkeeper, and Rose Anne Duke (née Donoghue). He was educated at Laragh national school, St Patrick's College,…

Dunlop, Henry Wallace Doveton (1844–1930), sports promoter, civil servant and engineer, was born in February 1844 in Bombay (Mumbai), India, the only son of (William) Henry Glasgow Dunlop (d. 1869), deputy superintendent of the Bombay Water Police, and his wife Mary Anne (née Pilkington…

Dunlop, Robert (1960–2008), motorcycle racer, was born 25 November 1960, fourth child among three sons and four daughters (including his twin sister Margaret) of William Dunlop, a motor mechanic, and his wife May (née Barkley), of Ballymoney, Co. Antrim, where Robert attended school.…

Dunlop, William Joseph (‘Joey’) (1952–2000), racing motorcyclist, was born 25 February 1952 at Unshinagh, near Dunloy, Co. Antrim, second among seven children of William Dunlop, motor mechanic, and his wife May (née Barkley). Joey received his early education at Ballymoney High School,…

Dunne, James (‘Fairy’) (c.1841–1927), horse-racing trainer, was son of James Dunne, farmer (details of his mother are not known), and was initially apprenticed as a jockey to Peter Davis of Hawthorn Lodge, and subsequently to …

Dunne, James (‘Jimmy’) (1905–49), soccer player, was born 3 September 1905 in Ringsend, Dublin, son of Thomas Dunne, bottle blower of 18 Cambridge Street, Ringsend, and Catherine Dunne (née Shea). He began his soccer career with local Ringsend teams Parkview and Riverside Athletic.…