Irish Language

Ní Dhonnchadha Dhuibh, Máire (d. 1795?), poet, was born c.1702 in Glenflesk, Co. Kerry, daughter of Domhnall Ó Donnchadha and his wife Alice (née Ferriter), both of Co. Kerry. She was a descendant of the Uí Dhonnchadha an Ghleanna (O'Donoghue of the Glen), ‘Dubh’ being…

Ní Ghráda, Máiréad (1896–1971), playwright, author, and broadcaster, was born 23 December 1896 in Knockadangan, Kilmaley, Co. Clare, younger of two daughters of James O'Grady (1856–1942), farmer and sometime county councillor, and Bridget O'Grady (née Greene; 1854–1934), native of…

Ní Ghuairim, Máire (1896–1964), teacher, author and sean-nós singer, was born 6 July 1896 in Roisín na Manach, Carna, Co. Galway, eldest daughter of farmer Máirtín Gorham and his wife, Catherine Burke. She received her earliest education in the Convent of Mercy school in Roisín na…

This is a co-subject for the entry on Ní Ghuairim, Máire. View the original entry.

Ní Laoghaire, Máire ‘Bhuí’ (1774–c.1848), poet, was born in Túirín na nÉan, the area of Ballingeary in west Cork, one of five sons and three daughters of Diarmuid Ó Laoghaire , a farmer of fifty acres. Her mother's first name was Siobhán but her family name is unknown. Máire…

Ní Mhuiríosa, Máirín (1906–82), Irish scholar, poet and journalist, was born 5 September 1906 in Dublin, daughter of mathematics teacher Tomás Ó Muiríosa and his wife Mary Golden. Both her parents were Irish-speakers and the family spent their summer holidays in the Ring Gaeltacht in Co…

Ní Shéaghdha, Nessa (1916–93), Irish language scholar, was born 14 March 1916 in Drumcondra, Dublin, one of four daughters and a son of Seán Pádraig Ó Séaghdha and his wife, Kitty Nic Caochlaoich. She attended Scoil Bhríde national school and Scoil Chaitríona secondary school and…

Nutt, Alfred Trübner (1856–1910), folklorist, Celtic scholar, and publisher, was born 22 November 1856 in London, the only surviving son of David Nutt (d. 1863), bookseller and publisher, and his wife Ellen, daughter of Robert Carter, naval surgeon, and granddaughter of William…

O'Beirne, Seamas (Ó Beirn, Séamus; Byrne, James Fahy ) (1881–1935), medical doctor, dramatist, and businessman, was born 18 July 1881 on Tawin island, Co. Galway, the eldest son among at least three sons and two daughters of Patrick Byrne, farmer, and Mary Byrne (née Fahy), of Kinvara…

Ó Braonáin, Seán (fl. 1804–c.1849), poet and scribe, lived in Ballymacandrew and Baltovin, between Abbeydorney and Ardfert, Co. Kerry; nothing is known of his parents. He is presumably ‘John O'Brenan, a tenant’, cited as the authority for information on Baltovin in…

Ó Briain, Donnchadh (1897–1981), politician and Gaelic League activist, was born 17 November 1897 in Knockaderry, Co. Limerick, one of two sons and a daughter of David O'Brien of Clonakilty, Co. Cork, creamery manager, and Kathleen O'Brien (née Casey) of Ballyguile. He was educated at…

Ó Briain, Liam (1888–1974), republican, scholar of Romance languages, and Irish-language enthusiast, was born 16 September 1888 at 10 Church Street, North Wall, Dublin, seventh child of Arthur O'Brien, clerk, and Mary O'Brien (née Christie), who was from Co. Meath. He was christened…

O'Brien, Ellen Lucy (‘Nelly’) (Ní Bhriain, Neilí) (1864–1925), miniature and landscape artist, and Gaelic League activist, was born 4 June 1864, the eldest of two daughters and one son of Edward William O'Brien, landowner, of Cahirmoyle, Co. Limerick, and Mary O'Brien (née Spring Rice…

O'Brien, John (Ó Briain, Seán) (c.1701–69), bishop and lexicographer, was born at Ballyvoddy, about 5 km north of Glanworth, Co. Cork, son of Thomas O'Brien, a prosperous farmer, and his wife, Eleanor MacEniry, a native of Co. Limerick. Nothing is known of his early…

O'Brien, Kathleen Cruise (née Sheehy ) (1886–1938), teacher, suffragist and Irish language enthusiast, was born 28 April 1886 in Loughmore, Co. Tipperary, the youngest in a family of two sons and five daughters (one of whom died in infancy) of …

O'Brien, Paul (c.1763–1820), poet, priest, and professor of Irish, was born in Moynalty, Co Meath, son of Cathal O'Brien, farmer, and his wife Máiréad Downs. Among his ancestors were a great-grandfather, William O'Brien, a poet; and a great-grandmother was a sister of…

Ó Broin, León (1902–90), senior civil servant, historian, and author, was born Leo Byrne on 10 November 1902 at 21 Aungier Street, Dublin, the second of four sons of James P. Byrne, a potato factor's bookkeeper, and Mary Byrne (née Killeen), daughter of a seaman who abandoned his family…

Ó Bruadair, Dáibhidh (Dáibhí) (c.1625–1698), bardic poet, was one of the last practitioners of the old learning cultivated within the Irish bardic schools and one of the most prolific Gaelic poets of the post-Classical Modern Irish period. At least eighty of his poems have been…

Ó Buachalla, Liam (1899–1970), professor of economics and Irish-language enthusiast, was born 10 April 1899 at 40 Clanbrassil Street, Dublin, son of Thomas Buckley, cooper, and Sarah Buckley (née Treacy). His family moved to Drogheda when he was very young and he received his education…

Ó Cadhain, Máirtín (1906–70), republican, creative writer, and academic, was born 4 January 1906 at An Cnocán Glas, Spiddal, Co. Galway, second born and first surviving child among seven sons and six daughters of Seán Ó Cadhain, farmer, and Bríd Ní Chonfhaola, farmer's daughter, both of…

Ó Cadhlaigh, Cormac (1884–1960), Celticist, was born 26 April 1884, in Kinsale, Co. Cork, one of seven children of shoemaker Jeremiah Ó Cadhlaigh and his wife, Marianne McCarthy. His mother had trained as a teacher but never entered the profession and instead managed Clarke's tobacco…

Ó Callanáin, Marcas (c.1789–1846), poet, was born in Carheendiveane, Craughwell, Co. Galway. Little is known of his parents except that they were farmers and the family lived in relative comfort. According to local folklore, the Ó Callanáin family came to the area from Mayo but…

Ó Callanáin, Peatsaí (Patrick Callanan) (1791–1865), poet, was born in Carheendiveane, Craughwell, Co. Galway, in 1791, younger brother of Marcas Ó Callanáin (qv). Of his parents little has come down but that Peatsaí came by his…

Ó Caoimh, Eoghan (c.1656–1726), poet and scribe, was born at Glenville, about 16 km north of Cork city, one of three sons of Caomh Ó Caoimh, a prosperous farmer. He received a good education and was literate in English and Latin, as well as Irish. He married (February 1681)…

Ó Casaide, Séamus (Cassedy, James) (1877–1943), bibliographer, was born 24 July 1877 in Fethard, Co. Tipperary, son of Michael Cassedy, Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) constable, and Honora Cassedy (née Manning). The family moved to Dublin, where Ó Casaide attended O'Connell Schools. He…