Biographies A-Z

MacDonnell, Angela Christina (‘Angela Antrim’) (née Sykes) (1911–84), countess of Antrim , sculptor, cartoonist, and illustrator, was born 6 September 1911 at Eddlethorpe, near Malton, Yorkshire, youngest daughter and fifth child among three sons and three daughters of Sir Mark Sykes,…

MacDonnell, Antony Patrick (1844–1925), Baron MacDonnell of Swinford , civil servant, was born 7 March 1844 at Carracastle, near Swinford, Co. Mayo, eldest son of Mark Garvey MacDonnell, catholic landowner, and his wife, Bedelia (née O'Hara). He was educated at Summerhill College,…

MacDonnell, Colla (d. 1558), captain of the Route in Ulster, was third among six sons of Alasdair Cahanagh, 5th lord of Dunyveg and the Glens (Glynnes) of Antrim, and his wife Catherine, daughter of John MacIan MacDonnell of Ardnamurchan. According to the ‘four masters’ he was known…

MacDonnell, Eneas (d. 1858), barrister, pamphleteer, and agent of the Catholic Association, was born in Co. Mayo, fourth son of Charles MacDonnell, a merchant of Clonagh, Westport, and his wife Jane (née Miller). Eneas MacDonnell was educated at the Lay College, Maynooth (opened…

MacDonnell, James (c.1501–65), lord of the Isles, commonly referred to in the records as ‘James MacConnell’, was eldest son of Alasdair Cahanagh MacDonnell, 5th lord of Dunyveg and the Glens (Glynnes) of Antrim, and his wife Catherine, daughter of John MacIan MacDonnell of…

MacDonnell, James (1763–1845), physician, benefactor, and savant, was born 14 April 1763 near Cushendall, Co. Antrim, the second of three children (all sons) of Michael Roe MacDonnell, kinsman of the earls of Antrim, and his wife, Elizabeth Jane MacDonnell (née Stewart) of Ballintoy, Co…

MacDonnell, James Joseph (1766–c.1848), lawyer, United Irishman, and French army officer, was born 12 August 1766 at Carnacon or Carnacun, near Hollymount, Co. Mayo, the youngest of three sons of Joseph MacDonnell (1720?–1806?), a large grazier, and his wife Mary (née…

MacDonnell, John (1796–1892), pioneer of surgical anaesthesia in Ireland, was born 11 February 1796 in Belfast into an ancient and distinguished family, younger son among two sons and one daughter of James MacDonnell (qv), an eminent…

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MacDonnell (MacDonald), Ustian (Austin, Justin) (d. 1588), rebel, was the son of Maolmhuire MacDonald. He became the leader of the somewhat obscure Clann Aedh Buidhe sept of Clandonnell (MacDonald, MacDonnell), gallowglass of Mayo, who were based in the barony of Kilmaine. He was…

MacDonnell (Nic Dhomhnaill), Fiona (Fionnghuala) (‘Iníon Dubh’) (d. 1611?), lady of Tír Conaill (Tyrconnell), was daughter of James MacDonnell (qv), lord of the Western Isles of Scotland, and his wife Lady…

MacDonnell, Randal (1762–1821), merchant and catholic politician, may have been born in Cartagena, Spain, where he was prominent as a merchant until he moved to Ireland c.1790. He first attended a meeting of the Catholic Committee on 6 February 1791. Soon he was, with…

MacDonnell, Randall (1609–83), 2nd earl and 1st marquis of Antrim , was the eldest legitimate son of Sir Randal MacDonnell (qv), 1st earl of Antrim, and his wife Alice, daughter of Hugh O'Neill, 3rd earl of Tyrone. Viscount…

MacDonnell, Randell (c.1633–1711), naval commander and Jacobite, was second son of Sir James MacDonnell, 2nd baronet of Moye, a cousin of Randal MacDonnell (qv), 2nd earl and later marquis of Antrim. His mother was Mary…

MacDonnell, Richard (1787–1867), provost of TCD, was born 10 June 1787 in Cork city, son of Robert MacDonnell, carrier, from Douglas, Co. Cork, and his wife Susannah Nugent, of Co. Waterford. MacDonnell received his primary education at the Cork diocesan school before entering…

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MacDonnell, Sir Alexander (1794–1875), resident commissioner of national education, was born in Belfast, elder of two sons of James MacDonnell (qv), MD, of Belfast and Murlough, Co. Antrim, and…

MacDonnell, Sir James MacSorley (d. 1601), Gaelic chieftain, was the third son of Sorley Boy MacDonnell (qv) and Mary O'Neill, daughter of Con O'Neill (qv), 1st earl of…

MacDonnell, Sir Randal mac Sorley (d. 1636), Gaelic lord and 1st earl of Antrim , was fourth son of Sorley Boy MacDonnell (qv) and as such was born into a resilient dynastic offshoot (known as the MacDonnells) of the…

MacDonnell, Sir Richard Graves (1814–81), judge and colonial governor, was born 3 September 1814 in Dublin, the eldest son of Rev. Richard MacDonnell (qv), provost of TCD (1852–67), and…

MacDonnell, Sorley Boy (c.1512–90), lord of the Route and constable of Dunluce castle, was sixth and youngest son of Alasdair Cahanagh MacDonnell, lord of Dunyveg and the Glens (Glynnes) of Antrim, and his wife Catherine, daughter of John MacIan MacDonnell, lord of…

MacDonogh, Patrick (1902–61), poet, was born in Dublin, one of five children of A. J. MacDonogh, founder in 1891 of Avoca School, Blackrock, Co. Dublin (a precursor of Newpark comprehensive school). He was educated at Avoca School and TCD…

MacDowell, Patrick (1799–1870), sculptor, was born 12 August 1799 in Belfast, the only son and only child of a tradesman whose ruinous losses and early death left his widow and young child in poor circumstances. In 1807 he was sent to a boarding school run by Hugh Gordon, an…

MacDuane, Thaddeus (Tadhg Mac Dubháin) , (d. 1608), Dominican priest and prior of Sligo, was a native of Connacht. While little is known of his early career, his personality manifested itself as that of a leader of great moral stature, who towered above the growing desolation of…

Mac Duinnshléibhe, Cormac (fl. 1459), physician and translator of medieval treatises on medicine. The family of Mac Duinnshléibhe were originally from north-east Ulster but were driven from their homeland by John de Courcy (…