Ferriter, Diarmaid

Herlihy, Nora (1910–88), founder of the Irish credit union movement, was born 27 February 1910 at Ballydesmond, Co. Cork, the third of twelve children of Denis Herlihy, a teacher, and Nora Herlihy (née Mulcahy). Having taught firstly in Belmullet, Co. Mayo, Nora's father was appointed…

Heron, Archibald (‘Archie’) (1895–1971), socialist and trade unionist, was born in Portadown, Co. Armagh, into a presbyterian family, probably one of seven children of Samuel Heron, a physician and surgeon, and his wife Bessie (née Beck). He was educated locally before moving to…

Heron, Hilary Mary (1923–77), sculptor, was born 27 March 1923 in Dublin to a protestant family, daughter of James Heron, bank official, and Mary Elizabeth Heron (maiden name not known). She spent most of her childhood in Coleraine, Co. Londonderry, and New Ross, Co. Wexford, where…

Herzog, Isaac (Yitzak) Halevi (1888–1959), first chief rabbi of the Irish Free State, was born at Lomza, Poland, the only son of Rabbi Joel Herzog, rabbi of the Polish Jewish community in Paris, and Miriam Liba Herzog (née Cirowitz). With an initial education provided by his father, by…

Higgins, Frederick Robert (1896–1941), poet, was born 24 April 1896 in Foxford, Co. Mayo, eldest son of Joseph Thomas Higgins, engineer, and Annie Higgins (née French), protestant middle-class parents of solid unionist stock, who were originally from Higginstown, Trim, Co. Meath. After…

Hogan, Patrick (1885–1969), Labour politician, was born 10 October 1885 in Culleen, Kilmaley, Ennis, Co. Clare, only son of Patrick Hogan, labourer, and his wife Bridget (née O'Connor). Educated locally, he worked as a postman; a fluent Irish speaker, he became active in Sinn Féin and…

Holloway, Joseph (1861–1944), theatre critic and diarist, was born 21 March 1861 at 71 Lower Camden St., Dublin, where his father ran a bakery. One of two children, he was educated at St Vincent's College, Castleknock, Co. Dublin. In January 1874 his father died, and for the next…

Hone, Eva Sydney (‘Evie’) (1894–1955), painter and stained-glass artist, was born 22 April 1894 at Roebuck Grove, Clonskeagh, Co. Dublin, youngest among four daughters of Joseph Hone, prominent maltster and director of the Bank of Ireland, and Eva Hone (née Robinson), who died…

Hughes, John (1865–1941), sculptor, was born 27 January 1865 at 21 Portland Place, Dublin, one of five children of Patrick Hughes, carpenter, and Mary Anne Hughes (née Grace). From 1872 to 1879 he attended the Christian Brothers’ O'Connell School, North Richmond St., Dublin, after which…

Jellett, Mainie (1897–1944), artist, was born Mary Harriet Jellett on 29 April 1897 into a protestant family at 37 Fitzwilliam Square, Dublin, the eldest of four daughters of William Morgan Jellett, a barrister, and Janet Jellett (née Stokes). Her father, the son of…

Kavanagh, Muiris (‘Kruger’) (1894–1971), publican and raconteur, was born 28 March 1894 at Baile na Ratha, Dún Chaoin, Co. Kerry, one of four sons and a daughter of John Kavanagh and his wife Mary (née Hoare), who had a farm and a small shop. While attending the local primary school…

Keating, Seán (1889–1977), painter, was born in Limerick city 28 September 1889, one of three sons and three daughters of Joseph Keating, an accounts manager with a bakery firm and Anne Keating (née Hannan). He was educated initially at St Munchin's College, where he was a poor…

Kernoff, Harry (1900–74), painter, was born 9 January 1900 in London, son of Isaac Kernoff, furniture-maker, of Russian-Jewish extraction, and Katherine Kernoff (née Bardanelle), a member of an old Spanish-Jewish family. Kernoff was apprenticed to his father as a cabinet-maker and…

Keyes, Michael John (1886–1959), Labour politician and trade unionist, was born 21 March 1886 at 41 Blackboy Pike, Limerick city, the second son of Michael Keyes, caretaker, and his wife Hannah (née White). After being educated by the Christian Brothers at Sexton Street, Limerick…

Lacey, Denis (‘Dinny’) (1890–1923), republican soldier, was born at Attybrick, Annacarty, Co. Tipperary. Educated at the local national school, Lacey was a keen Gaelic League activist and as a teenager joined the IRB, subsequently…

Lamb, Charles Vincent (1893–1964), painter, was born 30 August 1893 in Bridge Street, Portadown, Co. Armagh, the eldest of seven children of John Lamb, a painter and decorator, and Mary Theresa Lamb (née Murray). Apprenticed to his father, he attended Portadown Technical School…

Larchet, John Francis (1884–1967), musician, was born 13 July 1884 at Sandymount, Dublin, son of John Edward Larchet, manager of a wine business, and his wife Isabella Emily (née Farmar). Educated at the Catholic University School in Leeson St., Dublin, Larchet subsequently…

Larkin, Delia (1878–1949), trade unionist, was born 28 February 1878 at Fermie Street in the Toxteth district of Liverpool, the youngest of three sons and three daughters of James Larkin, a fitter with an engineering firm, and Mary Ann Larkin (née McNulty), a native of Co. Down.…

Larkin, Denis (1908–87), trade unionist and politician, was born 8 June 1908 in Rostrevor, Co. Down, the second of four sons of the legendary Irish trade unionist James Larkin (qv) and Elizabeth Larkin (née Brown), the daughter of a lay…

Larkin, James (1904–69), trade unionist and politician, was born in Liverpool, Lancashire, England, eldest of four sons of James Larkin (qv), trade union leader, and Elizabeth Larkin (née Brown), daughter of a baptist lay preacher from Co.…

Leen, Edward (1885–1944), priest and academic, was born 17 August 1885 at Abbeyfeale, West Limerick, the son of Daniel Leen, a shopkeeper, and his wife Margaret (née Barrett). Born into a large catholic family of 14 children, of whom seven died in their youth, Leen received his…

Lennon, James (1880–1958), republican and advocate of credit reform, was born 26 August 1880 at Ballyrughan, Borris, Co. Carlow, the son of two teachers, Lufoester Lennon and Margaret Lennon (née Tracy). He attended Newton school in Carlow and later Knockbeg College, and became active…

Lett, Anita Georgina Edith (1872–1940), rural activist, was born in 1872 at Waldeton Court, a large manor house near Brixham, South Devon, the daughter of Henry Studdy , a clergyman who had served as a commander in the Royal Navy, and Amelia Margaret Studdy (née Crapper) of…

Letts, Winifred Mabel (1882–1972), novelist and playwright, was born in Salford, Lancashire, on 10 February 1882, the youngest daughter of Reverend Ernest Letts, rector of Newton Heath, Manchester, and his wife Mary Isabel (née Ferrier). She was educated at St Anne's, Abbots Bromley, in…

Logue, Michael (1840–1924), catholic archbishop of Armagh and cardinal, was born 1 October 1840 at Carrigart, Co. Donegal, the second in a family of six children of Michael Logue, an innkeeper, and Catherine Logue (née Durnan). Educated initially by a hedge-master in Carrigart,…