Biographies A-Z

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Carty, Francis Joseph (‘Frank’)

Carty, Francis Joseph (‘Frank’) (1897–1942), revolutionary and politician, was born 3 April 1897 in Clooncunny, Co. Sligo, the only son of John Carty, farmer, of Clooncunny, Ballymote, Co. Sligo, and Ellen Carty (née Rice). Educated locally, he became commandant of the Tubbercurry…

Carty, James

Carty, James (1900–59), historian, librarian, and bibliographer, was born in Wexford on 7 August 1900, one of the four sons of Francis Carty, a barber, and his wife, Margaret (née Storey). In 1920, while he was still a student at UCD…

Carver, Robert

Carver, Robert (d. 1791), landscape and scene painter, was born in Dublin, the son of Richard Carver (d. 1754), a Waterford-born history and landscape painter, who practised mainly in Dublin and was known for an altarpiece executed at Waterford. Robert received his early training…

Cary, (Arthur) Joyce (Lunel)

Cary, (Arthur) Joyce (Lunel) (1888–1957), author, was born 7 December 1888 at the home of his maternal grandparents in Derry, elder of two sons of Arthur Pitt Chambers Cary (d. 1937), engineer, of 41 Kitto Rd, London, and Charlotte Louisa Cary (d. 1898), daughter of James Joyce,…

Cary, Henry

Cary, Henry (c.1576–1633), 1st Viscount Falkland, lord deputy of Ireland, was the eldest son of the three sons and four daughters of Sir Edward Cary of Aldenham, Hertfordshire, and his wife, Katherine, daughter of Sir Henry Knyvett of Buckenham, Norfolk, and widow of Henry,…

Cary (Tanfield), Elizabeth

Cary (Tanfield), Elizabeth (1585–1639), Viscountess Falkland , writer and translator, was born at Burford Priory, Oxfordshire, the only child and heir of Lawrence Tanfield (c.1551–1625), a wealthy lawyer, later appointed chief baron of the exchequer, and his wife,…

Casement, Sir Roger David

Casement, Sir Roger David (1864–1916), humanitarian and Irish nationalist, was born 1 September 1864 in Sandycove, near Dublin, youngest child among one daughter and three sons of Roger Casement, retired army officer, and Anne Casement (née Jephson). His elder brother was…

Casement, Thomas Hugh (‘Tom’)

Casement, Thomas Hugh (‘Tom’) (1862/3–1939), soldier and adventurer, is believed to have been born aboard a ship bound for Boulogne (where his birth was registered on 3 January 1863), third child and second son among one daughter and three sons of Roger Casement (1819–77), a retired…

Casey, Charles Francis (‘Charlie’)

Casey, Charles Francis (‘Charlie’) (1895–1952), barrister, attorney general, and judge, was born 2 January 1895 in Dublin, second son among six children of Dr Charles Casey (d. 1911) of Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, and his wife Mary Genevieve (d. 1949), daughter of Matthew Conran of…

Casey, Elizabeth Owens Blackburne

Casey, Elizabeth Owens Blackburne (1845?–94), author (as ‘E. Owens Blackburne ’), was born 10 May 1845/8 in Slane, Co. Meath, daughter of Andrew Casey and his wife (née Mills), and great‑granddaughter of Richard Blackburne of Mulladillon House, Co. Meath. She lost her sight as a…

Casey, John

Casey, John (1769/70–1861), priest and antiquary, was born in Castleshannon, Ballyheigue, Co. Kerry; his father was possibly a native of Ballyheigue, his mother a Lawlor from Ardfert. Educated at the college of Killarney, he was ordained in 1804, aged thirty-five. It is believed…

Casey, John

Casey, John (1820–91), mathematician and teacher, was born 12 May 1820 in the townland of Coolattin, in the parish of Kilbeheny, Co. Limerick. Nothing is known of his parents; tradition has it that he was orphaned at the age of nine and raised by neighbours. He became a teacher…

Casey, John Keegan

Casey, John Keegan (1846–70), poet and Fenian, was born 22 August 1846 at Mount Dalton near Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, son of Luke Casey, the local schoolmaster; nothing is known of his mother. He was educated at Mount Dalton and at Ballymahon, Co. Longford, where his family moved. A…

Casey, John Sarsfield (‘the Galtee boy’)

Casey, John Sarsfield (‘the Galtee boy’) (1846–96), Fenian, was born 25 March 1846 in Mitchelstown, Co. Cork, son of Jeremiah Casey, shopkeeper, and his wife whose surname was Lewis. Casey was educated at the local national school (1854–7) and the…

Casey, Joseph Theobald

Casey, Joseph Theobald (1846–c.1907), Fenian, was born in April 1846 in Kilkenny city, third among four sons of Patrick Casey, shopkeeper, and Maryanne Casey (née Corcoran). After attending a local school, he moved to Gleethorpe, Lincolnshire, where he worked as a shop…

Casey, Juanita

Casey, Juanita (Joy Barlow) (1925–2012), novelist, poet, artist and expert horse breeder, was born on 10 October 1925 and adopted soon after. In the 1980s she tracked down her birth certificate, which revealed that she had been named Lorna and born within London’s outer suburbs at Elm…

Casey, Patrick

Casey, Patrick (1843–1908), Fenian, was born in Parliament St., Kilkenny city, son of Patrick Casey, ironmonger and his wife, Mary Anne Corcoran. Her sister, Anne, was the mother of James Stephens (qv), founder of the Fenian movement and…

Casey, Philip

Casey, Philip (1841–1904), handball player, known as Phil Casey, was born in Shannon Street, Mountrath, Queen's County (Co. Laois), in 1841, the son of Patrick and Brigid Casey. He was educated at the Patrician College, Mountrath, where he began to play handball on the college's three-…

Casey, Steve (‘Crusher’)

Casey, Steve (‘Crusher’) (1908–87), wrestler and rower, was born 4 December 1908 in Loughane, near Sneem, Co. Kerry, eldest among seven sons and three daughters of Michael Casey, stonemason, and Bridget Casey (née Sullivan) of Ballaugh, Sneem, Co. Kerry. His father, who had returned to…

Casey, William

Casey, William (1844–1907), Catholic priest and Land Leaguer, was born at Kilbeheny, Castlequarter, near Mitchelstown, Co. Cork, in 1844 and was educated briefly at Mount Melleray and then at St Colman's College, Fermoy, before going to Carlow College to train for the Catholic…

Casey, William Francis

Casey, William Francis (1884–1957), dramatist and journalist, was born 2 May 1884 in Cape Town, South Africa, son of Patrick Joseph Casey, theatre proprietor, native of Glenageary, Co. Dublin. After the family returned to Dublin in the 1890s, he was educated at Castleknock College (…

Cashell, Oliver

Cashell, Oliver (fl. 1624–62), politician, was the son of John Cashell of Dundalk, who was a member of a prominent family in the town and syndic of the suppressed Franciscan monastery. He entered Gray's Inn on 17 November 1624 and served as MP for Dundalk in 1634 and 1640–…

Cashier, Albert

Cashier, Albert (1843–1915), soldier, was born Jennie Irene Hodgers on 25 December 1843 in Clogherhead, Co. Louth. Although born female, from an early age he dressed as a male. Little is known about his early life – he gave conflicting accounts throughout his life and was suffering from…

Cashman, Denis B.

Cashman, Denis B. (1843–97), Fenian and writer, was born in 1843 at Dungarvan, Co. Waterford. He worked at first in Waterford city as a clerk for the law firm of Dobbyn & Tandy. He joined the IRB (probably soon after it was…

Cashman, Joseph

Cashman, Joseph (1881–1969), photographer, was born John Joseph Cashman on 12 September 1881 at 47 Commons Road, Blackpool, Cork city, the son of Jeremiah Casham, a porter of Commons Road, and his wife Hannah (née Desmond). He had at least one brother and one sister (both older). He was…