Biographies A-Z

MacAdam, James (1801–61), manufacturer and geologist, was born in High Street, Belfast, the first child and the elder of two surviving sons of James MacAdam (1775–1821), merchant, and Jane MacAdam (née Shipboy) (1774–1827), a Belfast native. Two siblings died in infancy while a…

MacAdam, Robert Shipboy (1808–95), folklorist and antiquary, was born in High St., Belfast, younger of two surviving sons of James MacAdam (1755–1821), who owned a hardware shop in the same street, and his wife Jane Shipboy (1774–1827), a native of Belfast. MacAdam was educated at…

Mac Áeda, Máel Sechlainn (Malachy, Malachias) (d. 1348), archbishop of Tuam, was a native of Iar Connacht and related to the ruling O'Flaherty family. A canon of Elphin, he was elected bishop of Elphin sometime after 2 September 1307 by a group of canons, though another group…

Macafee, Charles Horner Greer (1898–1978), physician, was born on 23 July 1898 at the Manse, Dergmoney, Omagh, the only son and elder child of the Reverend Andrew Macafee, presbyterian minister, and his wife Annie Horner Macafee (née Crowe), MBE (Member of the Order of the British…

Mac Airt, Seán Breandán (Arthurs, John Brendan) (1918–59), Irish-language scholar, was born 16 May 1918 in Keady, Co. Armagh, one of eight sons and two daughters of James Arthurs, owner of a hardware shop, and Mary Arthurs (née Nugent). One of his brothers, Eugene Arthurs, was bishop of…

Mac A Liondain (Mac Giolla Fhiondáin), Padraig (c.1665–1733), poet, was probably a native of the barony of Fews, Co. Armagh, the district in which he spent his adult life. The son of Eoghan Mac a Liondain and his wife Siobhán Nic Ardail, Mac a Liondain was a prosperous farmer…

Macalister, Alexander (1844–1919), zoologist and anatomist, was born 9 April 1844 in Dublin, the second son of Robert Macalister, a member of an Argyllshire family who had come to reside in Dublin, and Margaret Anne Macalister (née Boyle), youngest daughter of Colonel James Boyle…

Macalister, Robert Alexander Stewart (1870–1950), archaeologist, was born 8 July 1870 at Leinster Road, Rathmines, Dublin, eldest among two sons and two daughters of Alexander Macalister, anatomist and Egyptologist, of Dublin, and Elizabeth Macalister (née Stewart) of Perth, Scotland.…

Mac Amhlaigh, Dónall Peadar (1926–89), author, journalist, and labourer, was born 10 December 1926 in Co. Galway, the eldest of three sons and one daughter of James McCauley and his wife, Mary McCauley (née Condon). James McCauley was born in Limerick and served with the Munster…

Macan, Arthur Jacob (1774–1819), politician, soldier and banker, was the youngest child of seven (six sons and one daughter) of Thomas Macan (1717–95). Thomas had been born McCann , a descendant of one of the most important Gaelic clans in Co. Armagh, but on 27 October 1751…

Mac an Bhaird, Aodh Buidhe (Ward, Hugh; Vardaeus, Hugo) (c.1593–1635), hagiographer, was born in the barony of Tirhugh, Co. Donegal, probably at Ballymacaward, a townland that was named after his family. The Mac an Bhaird family belonged to the hereditary learned caste of…

Mac an Bhaird, Eoghan Ruadh (1560s?–1625?), possibly son of Uilliam Óg Mac an Bhaird (d. 1576), bardic poet and retainer of Ruaidhrí O'Donnell (qv) and Hugh O'Neill (qv), was a…

Mac an Bhaird, Fearghal Óg (late 1540s–c.1618), bardic poet and retainer of the O'Donnells of Tyrconnell, was the son of the poet and guesthouse keeper, Fearghal (d. 1550) son of Domhnall Ruadh Mac an Bhaird. Both Fearghal Óg and his brother Eoghan Ruadh (d. 1572) followed…

Mac An Lega, Uilliam (Iollann) (d. p.1475), scribe and author-translator of many texts, belonged, as his name suggests, to an hereditary medical family, but Uilliam himself seems to have composed or copied nothing of a medical nature. He has been accurately described as…

Mac Anna, Tomás (1925–2011), theatrical producer and playwright, was born Thomas Francis McCann in Dundalk, Co. Louth, on 5 March 1925, one of four children of Patrick McCann, stationmaster at Dundalk, and his wife Kathleen (née Byrne). He was educated at St Malachy's national school…

Macan, Sir Arthur Vernon (1843–1908), gynaecologist and obstetrician, was born 30 January 1843 at 9 Mountjoy Square, Dublin, eldest son of John Macan, QC, judge of the bankruptcy court, and Maria Macan (née Perrin), from Liverpool and of…

Macan, Turner (1792–1836), soldier, linguist and translator, was born on 30 September 1792 at Kilbrogan, Bandon, Co. Cork, the second son of seven children (three sons and four daughters) of Robert Macan (1750–1808), originally of Carrive, Co. Armagh, and his wife Hannah (née…

Mac Aodhagáin, Giolla na Naomh (d. 1309), is the first member of the family of Mac Aodhagáin (MacEgan) to be mentioned in Irish records in a legal context. His death is recorded in the Annals of Connacht, where he is described as ‘the chief legal expert of Connacht and a well versed…

Mac Aonghusa, Criostóir (1905–91), teacher, author, critic, and campaigner for the Irish language, was born 13 December 1905 in Gort an Ghabhainn, Banagher, King's Co. (Offaly), son of Francis McGuiness (surname thus on his birth certificate), farmer, and his wife, Rosanna (née Egan).…

Mac Aonghusa, Proinsias (1933–2003), journalist and Irish language activist, was born in Salthill Nursing Home, Co. Galway, on 23 June 1933, eldest of four children (two sons and two daughters) of Criostóir Mac Aonghusa (qv), writer…

Macardle, Dorothy Margaret (1889–1958), writer and republican activist, was born 7 March 1889 in Dundalk, Co. Louth, the eldest child of Thomas Callan Macardle (later knighted), businessman, and his wife, Minnie Lucy (née Ross), who had three sons and another daughter. Her father'…

MacArthur, Sir William Porter (1884–1964), army medical officer, Irish-language scholar, and historian, was born 11 March 1884 at Belmont, east Belfast, Co. Down, the only son of John Porter MacArthur (d. 1930), tea merchant, and his wife Margaret Rainey (d. 1936), daughter of William…

Macartney, George (1737–1806), Earl Macartney , diplomat, chief secretary, and colonial governor, was born 3 May 1737 at Lisanoure, near Dervock, Co. Antrim, the only surviving son of George Macartney (d. 1779), a landowner of Lisanoure, who in 1732 married Elizabeth (d. 1755),…

This is a co-subject for the entry on Macartney (McCartney), ‘Black’ George. View the original entry.

Macartney, James (1770–1843), surgeon and anatomist, was born 8 March 1770 in Armagh city, youngest surviving child among four sons and two daughters of James Macartney (d. 1790), gentleman farmer, and Mary Macartney (née Maxwell). He was educated at the Endowed Classical School,…