Sport

Gilmartin, John Joe (‘Gil’) (1914–80), handball player, was born 9 June 1914 at Maudlin St., Kilkenny city, son of Joseph Gilmartin, printer for the Kilkenny Moderator, and Martina Gilmartin (née McNally). His uncle, Joe McNally of Westport, Co. Mayo, won the All-Ireland…

Glen, William Matthew (‘Sacky’) (1903–81), soccer player, was born 18 July 1903 in 25 North William St., Dublin, son of Robert Glen, blacksmith, and Maria Glen (née Hillan). He joined Shamrock Rovers at the age of sixteen, while the club was still in the Leinster Senior League, and…

Goodall, Ken (Kenneth George) (1947–2006), rugby player, was born 23 February 1947 at St Mary’s hospital, Leeds, England, to George Goodall, a roofer, and his wife Kathleen (née Daly). George, a Yorkshireman, had married Kathleen, from Derry, during the second world war; the family…

Goold, Vere Thomas St Leger (1853–1909), first notable Irish lawn tennis player, was born 2 October 1853 in Waterford, sixth son among seven children of George Ignatius Goold, justice of the peace and resident magistrate, and his wife Clara, daughter of Major General James Webber-Smith…

Gordon, Maurice Leonard (‘Maurie’) (1910–90), sports administrator, businessman, and community activist, was born 10 January 1910 in Leeds, England, only son and elder of two children of Joseph Gordon (originally Seltzer), textile worker from Russia, and Bessie Gordon (née Bellow…

Grace, John (‘Jack’) (1884–1915), Gaelic footballer and hurler, was born 8 February 1884 at Gaulstown, Tullaroan, Co. Kilkenny, one among eleven children of Nicholas Grace, farmer, of Gaulstown, and Catherine (‘Kate’) Grace (née Keoghan) of Purcellsgarden, Threecastles, Co.…

This is a co-subject for the entry on Grace, John (‘Jack’). View the original entry.

This is a co-subject for the entry on Grace, John (‘Jack’). View the original entry.

Greene, Philip Desmond (1920–2011), sports broadcaster, was born on 2 October 1920 in Broadstone, Dublin, the eldest of four children of Patrick Henry Greene, a clerk with the Midland Great Western Railway, and his wife Agatha (née Malone). He was educated at St Canice's…

Greer, Sir (Joseph) Henry (1855–1934), horse breeder, was born 9 February 1855 at Grange, Moy, Co. Tyrone, eldest son of Lt.-gen. Henry Harpur Greer, CB, and Agnes Isabella Greer (née Knox). Educated at Wellington and the Royal…

Greer, Thomas (1875–1949), entomologist and pioneer motorcyclist, was born 24 April 1875, elder son among two sons and two daughters of Frederick Greer, a landowner of independent means, and Cecilia Greer (née Staples), of Tullylaggan, Co. Tyrone. The family was connected to many of…

Gregory, (William) Robert (1881–1918), painter, theatre designer, sportsman, and airman, was born 20 May 1881 in London, only child of Sir William Gregory (qv) of Coole Park, Co. Galway, and his second wife, Isabella Augusta…

Grimes, Philip (1929–89), hurler, was born 8 May 1929, the son of Terence Grimes and his wife, Kathleen, née Keogh, at Monastery Street, located in the heart of the ‘up the roads’ area of Waterford city, a hurling stronghold. He received his education at the fabled hurling nursery…

Grosvenor, Anne Winifred (‘Nancy’) (1915–2003), duchess of Westminster , landowner, and racehorse owner, was born 13 April 1915 at The Retreat, Bandon, Co. Cork, only daughter among three children of Edward Langford Sullivan , soldier, who became a brigadier-general in the Indian…

Gubbins, John Russell (1838–1906), racehorse owner and breeder, was born 16 December 1838, fourth son of Joseph Gubbins, landowner, and Maria Gubbins (née Wise) at their family home, Kilfrush, Co. Limerick. Educated privately, he inherited the property of his elder brother, Stamer…

Guiney, David (1921–2000), athlete, sports journalist, sports historian, and author, was born 31 January 1921 in Kanturk, Co. Cork, one of four sons of John Guiney, solicitor and nationalist MP for Cork North (1913–18), and Mary Guiney (née Buckley) of O'Brien St., Kanturk. Guiney…

This is a co-subject for the entry on Guinness, Sir Algernon Arthur St Lawrence Lee. View the original entry.

Guinness, Sir Algernon Arthur St Lawrence Lee (1883–1954), racing driver, was born 11 May 1883, eldest son of Benjamin Lee Guinness – soldier and younger brother of Arthur Edward Lee Guinness (qv), 1st Lord Ardilaun – and Eliza…

Gwynn, Lucius Henry (1873–1902), cricketer and rugby international, was born 5 May 1873 at Ramelton, Co. Donegal, fourth of seven sons of the Very Rev. John Gwynn (qv), clergyman and author, and Lucy Josephine, eldest daughter of…

Hamilton, Willoughby James (1864–1943), tennis, badminton, and soccer player, was born 9 December 1864 in Monasterevin, Co. Kildare, seventh child among six sons and three daughters of the Rev. Canon William Alfred Hamilton, rector of Taney, and canon of Christ Church, Dublin, and…

Hannan, Edward Joseph (1836–1891), catholic priest, was born 21 June 1836 on the family farm in Ballygrennan, near Ballingarry, Co. Limerick, the second son of eleven children of John Hannan, tenant farmer, and his wife Johanna (née Sheehy). A dairy farmer with ninety acres, John Hannan…

Harty, Cyril Bold (1898–1970), show jumper, was born in July 1898 at Glebe House, Fedamore, Co. Limerick, sixth child of Michael Harty, former jockey, and Irene Henrietta Harty (née Hunt). Educated locally, he entered the Free State army in March 1923 as a lieutenant. He was by this…

Haughey, Padraig Columb ('Jock') (1932–2003), sportsman and would-be arms smuggler, was born in Dunshaughlin, Co. Meath, on 9 October 1932, third of four sons (there were also three daughters) of Sean 'Johnnie' Haughey, farmer and former commandant in the Free State army, and his…

Haverty, Joseph ('Joe') (1936–2009), footballer, was born 17 February 1936 in Dublin, the son of Patrick Haverty, a brushmaker, and his wife Margaret (née Walsh). From the age of 14 he played schoolboy soccer with Home Farm (where he was a teammate of Tony O'Reilly) and won schoolboy…

Hayes, Seamus (1924–89), showjumper, was born 5 November 1924 in Cork, son of Maj.-gen. Liam Hayes and Kathleen Hayes (née Walsh). The family moved to Dublin in 1930 when his father became commanding officer of the equestrian school in McKee Barracks, Dublin; he later became…