Biographies A-Z

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | Y | Z

Carbery, Ethna

Carbery, Ethna (1866–1902), poet, writer, and journalist, was born Anna Johnston 3 December 1866 into a catholic family in Ballymena, Co. Antrim, the second of three children. She lived nearly all her life in Belfast, where her father,

Carbery, James Joseph

Carbery, James Joseph (1820–87), Dominican priest and bishop, was born 2 May 1820 in Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, son of Christopher Carbery, small farmer, and Catherine Carbery (née Dodwell or Dowdall). Making preparatory studies in the catholic seminary at Navan, Co. Meath, he…

Carden, John Rutter

Carden, John Rutter (1811–66), landlord, was born 5 February 1811, eldest among six sons and a daughter of John Carden (1772–1822) of Barnane, near Templemore, Co. Tipperary, landowner, DL, and high sheriff (1796) of the county, and Ann Carden…

Cardiff, Patrick Joseph ('Paddy')

Cardiff, Patrick Joseph ('Paddy') (1925–2005), trade union leader, was born 8 November 1925 at 11 Upper Basin Street, near James's Street, Dublin, third child and second son among five sons and one daughter of Patrick Cardiff (d. 1945), a foundry labourer, and later a boiler scaler in…

Cardwell, Edward

Cardwell, Edward (1813–86), 1st Viscount Cardwell , chief secretary for Ireland (1859–61), was born 24 July 1813, son of John Cardwell, Liverpool merchant. Educated at Winchester and Balliol College, Oxford, where he became a scholar and fellow, he was called to the bar in 1838.…

Carew (Carve) Thomas

Carew (Carve) Thomas (1590–1672?), historian and priest, was born at Mobarnan, Co. Tipperary. He claimed descent from a noble branch of the Munster Carews and that his brother, Sir Ross Carew, was married to Lady Hyde, sister of the great Clarendon. His mother was probably a…

Carew, James Laurence

Carew, James Laurence (1853–1903), politician and newspaper proprietor, was the youngest son of Laurence Carew of Kildangan, Co. Meath, and his wife Anne, only daughter of Garrett Robinson of Kilrainy, Co. Kildare. Educated at Tullabeg College, Clongowes, and…

Carew, John Edward

Carew, John Edward (c.1782–1868) sculptor, was born at Tramore, Co. Waterford, and was possibly the son of a local sculptor, who signed himself ‘Carew fecit Waterford’. He appears to have studied art for some time in Dublin, before travelling to London. By about 1809 he was…

Carew (le Carreu, Carrue), John

Carew (le Carreu, Carrue), John (d. 1362), knight, deputy justiciar, and escheator of Ireland, was son of John Carew and his second wife, Joan, daughter of Gilbert Talbot. His father died in 1323; John succeeded Nicholas, his older half-brother, and probably came of age when he…

Carew, Sir George

Carew, Sir George (1555–1629), earl of Totnes , general, and antiquarian, was born 29 May 1555, second son of George Carew, a clergyman from Cockington, Devon, England, and his wife Anne, daughter of Sir Nicholas Harvey. Admitted (c.1570–72) to Broadgates Hall (later…

Carew, Sir Peter

Carew, Sir Peter (1514–75), adventurer, was born at Mohun's Ottery, Devonshire, second son of Sir William Carew; his mother was a Courteney. George Carew (qv), later earl of Totnes, was a first cousin. After a fragmented education he…

Carey (Cary), Walter

Carey (Cary), Walter (1685–1757), politician, was born 17 October 1685, eldest son of Walter Carey of Everton, Bedfordshire, and his wife Annabella, daughter of Sir William Halford. Educated at New College, Oxford (matriculating 1704), his varied political career began as clerk of…

Carey, James

Carey, James (1845–83), Fenian and informer, was born in James's St., Dublin, son of Francis Carey, bricklayer, originally from Celbridge, Co. Kildare. James worked as a bricklayer for eighteen years, becoming a master builder and a foreman in a building contractor's firm. He joined…

Carey, John

Carey, John (1800–91), presbyterian minister, was born 15 June 1800 in Duneane, near Toome, Co. Antrim, probably in the townland of Cloghogue, son of John and Margaret Carey. Two brothers died in 1842 of fever. He later claimed a distinguished lineage, but though he inherited property…

Carey, John Joseph ('Johnny', 'Jackie')

Carey, John Joseph ('Johnny', 'Jackie') (1919–95), footballer, was born 23 February 1919 at 4 Adelaide Place, Lower Baggot Street, Dublin, the son of John Carey, a van driver, and Sarah Carey (née Byrne). Educated at Westland Row CBS, he…

Carey, John or Terence

Carey, John or Terence (d. 1594), catholic martyr, was born in Dublin. He was a servant in the family of John Bosgrove at Chideock Castle in Dorset. On 14 April 1594 he was arrested at Chideock Castle along with another servant and Thomas Bosgrove (later beatified) for aiding a…

Carey, Mathew

Carey, Mathew (1760–1839), author, bookseller and publisher, was born 28 January 1760 in Dublin, one of five sons to Christopher Carey, a baker who prospered provisioning the British navy, and Mary Carey (née Sheridan). Small and lame from infancy (having been dropped by his nurse),…

Carey, Patrick

Carey, Patrick (1916–94), film-maker, was born Gerard Patrick Carey 5 September 1916 in Streatham, London, the youngest of four children of Cork-born William Denis Carey (d. 1959), a revenue commissioner (1923–44; chairman 1939–44), and May Frances (Wilkinson) Carey (d. 1966) from…

Carey, William Paulet

Carey, William Paulet (1759–1839), journalist, art critic, engraver, and United Irishman, was born in Dublin, third of five sons of Christopher Carey of Redmond's Hill, a catholic baker who had prospered supplying the Royal Navy during the American war. Stung by the disabilities…

Carleton, Hugh

Carleton, Hugh (1739–1826), Viscount Carleton , judge and politician, was born 11 September 1739, third son among four sons and seven daughters of Francis Carleton (d. 1791) of Cork, a merchant known as the ‘king of Cork’ because of his wealth and influence, and Rebecca, daughter…

Carleton, Sir Guy

Carleton, Sir Guy (1724–1808), 1st Baron Dorchester , soldier, and colonial governor, was born 3 September 1724 in Strabane, Co. Tyrone, third son of Christopher Carleton of Newry and his wife Catherine (née Ball) from Co. Donegal. He had three brothers and three sisters. Guy Carleton…

Carleton, William

Carleton, William (1794–1869), novelist and short-story writer, was born, probably on 4 March 1794, in Prillisk, near Clogher, Co. Tyrone, the youngest of fourteen children (eight of whom survived) of James Carleton, a catholic tenant farmer, and his wife Mary Kelly. James Carleton…

Carlile, Anne Jane

Carlile, Anne Jane (1775–1864), temperance pioneer and philanthropist, was born 8 April 1775 in Rooskey, Co. Monaghan, the youngest child of David Hamill , a farmer and linen merchant, and Martha Hamill (née Armstrong). Both her father and her brother John were connected with the…

Carlile, James

Carlile, James (1784–1854), presbyterian minister and administrator, was born in Paisley, Scotland, and baptised 15 February 1784 in Paisley Abbey, eldest surviving son among twelve children of James Carlile, a prosperous thread manufacturer, distantly related to the historian…

Carlin, Terry (Terence)

Carlin, Terry (Terence) (1946–2003), trade unionist, was born 25 January 1946 in Derry city, the seventh child among eight sons and four daughters of Neil Carlin (d. 1981), a painter and decorator, and his wife Lizzie. The family resided on Elmwood Street in the city's Bogside. His…