Biographies A-Z

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Curry, John

Curry, John (1702?–1780), historian and physician, was born in Dublin, son of a wealthy catholic merchant. According to Charles O'Conor (qv), he was descended from the O'Corras of Cavan, whose estates were confiscated in the seventeenth…

Curtayne, Alice

Curtayne, Alice (1901–81), writer and journalist, was born 6 November 1901 in Upper Castle Street, Tralee, Co. Kerry, the youngest child of John Curtayne, founder and proprietor of the Tralee Carriage Works, and Bridget Curtayne (née O'Dwyer). She received her initial education at…

Curtin, Jeremiah

Curtin, Jeremiah (1835–1906), folklorist, writer, translator and linguist, was born 6 September 1835 in Detroit, Michigan, USA, eldest among seven children of David Curtin, an Irish-speaker who emigrated from Bruree, Co. Limerick, and his wife Ellen (née Furlong) who came from Buttevant…

Curtis, Amy

Curtis, Amy (1894–1970), administrator, was born 4 February 1894, daughter of George Frederick Wilkinson Curtis and Mary Noble Curtis (née Hewson), of 5 Proby Square, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, and was educated at home and at Belgrave School, Rathmines. She served as a Voluntary Aid…

Curtis, Edmund

Curtis, Edmund (1881–1943), historian, was born 25 March 1881 at Bury, Lancashire, England, fifth child among five sons and a daughter of Francis Curtis, architectural draughtsman, of Rathmullen, Co. Donegal, and Elizabeth Curtis (née Elliott) of Belfast. The family's circumstances were…

Curtis, John

Curtis, John (1794–1885), Jesuit provincial, was born 19 June 1794 at Tramore, Co. Waterford, second son among eight children of Stephen Curtis and Fanny Curtis (née Evers). Blind until the age of 3, he claimed that he was cured after a priest prayed over him, although he remained…

Curtis, Lionel George

Curtis, Lionel George (1872–1955), English public servant, writer, and political polemicist, was born 7 March 1872 in his mother's home at The Outwoods, Derbyshire, youngest among four children of Revd George James Curtis, rector of Coddington, Ledbury, Herefordshire, and Frances…

Curtis, Maeve

Curtis, Maeve (1911–71), journalist and teacher, was born Alice Margaret, 7 August 1911, at West Teebane, Co. Tyrone, fifth child of four daughters and one son of John Curtis and his wife Alice Geown, both from Tyrone. Her father was a farmer-builder. Her mother died when she was…

Curtis, Patrick

Curtis, Patrick (1747/8–1832), college head and catholic archbishop of Armagh, was born either at Drogheda, Co. Louth, or at his family's home at Stamullen, Co. Meath. He attended the classical school at Stamullen and, after a short time in trade, took up ecclesiastical studies in…

Curwen, Annie Jessie

Curwen, Annie Jessie (1845–1932), music educationist, was born 1 September 1845 in Dublin; her name at birth was Gregg . Educated at the Royal Academy of Music in Dublin, she taught piano in the city, before moving to Scotland, where she met her future husband, the musician and…

Curwin (Curwen, Coren), Hugh

Curwin (Curwen, Coren), Hugh (c.1507–1568), catholic and Church of Ireland archbishop of Dublin, was born in High Knipe, in the parish of Bampton, Westmorland. He attended Brasenose College, Oxford, graduating Bachelor of Civil Law in 1528 and Doctor of Civil Law on 5 July 1532…

Cusack, Adam

Cusack, Adam (d. 1681), judge, was the second son of Robert Cusack of Rathgar, sometime MP for Kells, and his wife Alice, the second daughter of Sir George Sexton. His father is sometimes recorded as having married Alice, daughter of John Eustace of Harristown, Co. Kildare, though…

Cusack, Christopher

Cusack, Christopher (c.1560–1624), priest, was second son among two sons and three daughters of Robert Cusack, second baron of the exchequer, and his second wife, Catherine, daughter of Sir Christopher…

Cusack (Cusacke, Cusake), Thomas

Cusack (Cusacke, Cusake), Thomas (c.1505–1571), government official, was eldest son of John Cusack, a wealthy landowner of Cushington, Co. Meath, and his wife, Alison Welesley. Some sources put his birth in 1490, but c.1505 seems a better estimate, given that he…

Cusack, Cyril James

Cusack, Cyril James (1910–93), actor, director, and writer, was born 26 November 1910 in Durban, South Africa, son of James Walter Cusack, an Irish officer with the Natal mounted police, and Alice Violet Cusack (née Cole), a Cockney chorus girl, who was related to the music-hall…

Cusack, George

Cusack, George (d. 1677), army officer, was from a landed family in the Pale, and was the brother of Christopher Cusack of Donore, Co. Meath. He held the rank of captain in the confederate Leinster army of General Thomas Preston (qv),…

Cusack, James

Cusack, James (c.1590–c.1659), lawyer and politician, was third son of Edward Cusack and Elizabeth Aylmer, both of whom belonged to prominent Old English catholic families of the Pale. The Cusacks had a distinguished history of governmental service, and James…

Cusack, James William

Cusack, James William (1788–1861), surgeon, was born 26 May 1788 at Laragh, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, third son among four sons and one daughter of Athanasius Cusack (1749–1813), country gentleman, and Mary Ann Cusack (née Rotheram). Apprenticed in 1806 to Ralph Smith Obré (d. 1820)…

Cusack, John

Cusack, John (d. 1626), merchant, was the eldest son, of the seven sons and three daughters, of Nicholas Cusack of Ballymolghan, Co. Meath, and his wife, Maud, daughter of Thomas Plunket of Lagore. He was admitted a freeman of Dublin in 1592, having served his apprenticeship. He…

Cusack, Margaret Anna (‘The nun of Kenmare’)

Cusack, Margaret Anna (‘The nun of Kenmare’) (1829–99), nun and author, was born 6 May 1829 at Coolock, Co. Dublin, the elder of two children of Dr Samuel Cusack and his wife, Sarah (née Stoney). Early life and conversion to catholicism She was educated privately, learning informally…

Cusack, Michael

Cusack, Michael (1847–1906), GAA founder and sportsman, was born 20 September 1847 in Carron, on the eastern edge of the Burren, Co. Clare, third of five children of Matthew Cusack, herdsman, and Bridget Cusack (née Fleming), both native Irish-speakers. Educated at Carron national…

Cusack, Nicholas

Cusack, Nicholas (d. 1299), bishop of Kildare, was born into an Anglo-Norman family of Meath, his forbears being among the principal feudatories of the de Feypo Manor of Skryne. Following the death on 20 April 1272 of Simon of Kilkenny, the previous bishop of Kildare, divisions…

Cusack, Nicholas

Cusack, Nicholas (fl. 1688–91), soldier, was the third son of James Cusack of Cushintown, barrister, and his wife, Frances, sister of Richard Talbot, earl of Tyrconnell (qv). After James's death Frances married Thomas Newcomen,…

Cusack, Ralph Desmond Athanasius

Cusack, Ralph Desmond Athanasius (1912–65), artist, was born 28 October 1912 at Drumnigh House, Portmarnock, Co. Dublin, the only child of Maj. James Robert Roland Cusack, banker (later stockbroker), and Eileen Cusack, daughter of Capt. Watson of the 7th Dragoon Guards and widow of Hugo…

Cussen, Denis John

Cussen, Denis John (1901–80), rugby international and athlete, was born 19 July 1901 at North Quay, Newcastle West, Co. Limerick, second son of Robert ‘Bob’ Cussen, solicitor, and Mary Cussen (née Moylan) of Newcastle West. Both his parents were members of prominent local sporting…