McCormack, Anthony M.

Matthews (MacMahon), Eugene (Eoin) (c.1575–1623), catholic archbishop of Dublin, was the son of Brian MacMahon (Ever Mac Con Uladh MacMahon) of Farney, Co. Monaghan, and his wife Nora Nyne Caalan. He was sent at a young age to be educated at Pont-à-Mousson in the Spanish…

Meredith (Meredyth), Richard (c.1550–1597), Church of Ireland bishop of Leighlin and dean of St Patrick's cathedral, Dublin, was the son of Richard (or Robert) Meredith ap Gronw of Denbighshire, Wales, and his wife Margaret, daughter of William John ap Gronw. He was…

Methold (Methwold), Sir William (c.1560–1620), chief baron of the exchequer and chief justice of the king's bench, was eldest son of William Methold of Rushworth and South Pickenham, Norfolk, England, and his wife Susanna, daughter of George Alington of Swinhope,…

Middleton, Marmaduke (d. 1593), Church of Ireland bishop of Waterford and Lismore, was second son of Marmaduke Middleton, of Cardiganshire, Wales, and his wife Isabella, daughter of John Staveley. Little is known of his early career; he appears to have studied at Cambridge but…

Molyneux (Molinel), Thomas (1531–97), administrator, was born in Calais, France, a member of the English community there; nothing more is known of his parents. An only child, he was orphaned at an early age and reared by John Brishin, an alderman of Calais. Following the surrender…

Myler, Robert (d. 1581), catholic martyr, was a sailor out of Wexford port. In early 1581 he was one of a number of sailors who attempted to find passage to the continent for James Eustace (qv), 3rd Viscount Baltinglass, then in…

Nangle, Richard (d. 1543), bishop of Clonfert, was a member of a family long established in Connacht. Educated by Augustinian friars (OESA), Nangle entered the order and ultimately became provincial. He persuaded Margaret Athy, wife of Stephen Lynch, who several times held the…

Ó Cuilín, Pádraig (Patrick O'Cullen) (d. 1534), bishop of Clogher, was born into a family of physicians. On 11 February 1517 he was provided to the see of Clogher by Pope Leo X. At the time of his appointment he was prior of the Cruciferi priory and hospital of St John the…

O'Driscoll, Dermot (Diarmuid) (d. a.1621), Gaelic-Irish leader during the Nine Years War, was a younger son of Cornelius O'Driscoll, lord of Castlehaven, and Joan O'Mahon. By 1601, when the Spanish forces under Don Juan del…

O'Farrell (Farrell), Thaddeus (Teigh) (d. 1602), catholic bishop of Clonfert and political agent, appears to have spent some time on the continent before arriving at Galway from France in autumn 1572. By this time he had been ordained priest, and he was a schoolmaster in…

O'Hurley, Dermot (c.1530–1584), catholic archbishop of Cashel and martyr, was the son of William O'Hurley, a servant to the Fitzgerald earls of Desmond, and his wife Honora O'Brien. He was born near Emly, Co. Tipperary, but his family later moved to Lickadoon, Co.…

O'Neill, Art (d. 1592), Gaelic Irish leader, was the son of Shane O'Neill (qv), lord of Tyrone, and his wife, Catherine MacLean. A young boy at his father's death in 1567, he was banished by his father's successor,…

O'Rourke, Conn (Conor ) (d. 1579), Franciscan friar and martyr, was the son of Brian O'Rourke, lord of Breifne, and appears to have been born c.1549. He may have entered the Franciscan friary at Creevelea, near Dromahair, Co. Leitrim, an institution that had been founded by…

O'Teige, Donat (Donatus; Donnchadh Ó Taidhg) (d. 1562), catholic archbishop of Armagh, appears to have been of a Limerick family, and was possibly born at Adare, Co. Limerick. A priest in the diocese of Limerick, he was provided to the see of Armagh on 7 February 1560. He appears…

Paris, Christopher (d. 1535), constable of Maynooth castle, was the son and heir of William Paris of Agher, Co. Meath; nothing is known of his mother. His family were clients of the Fitzgerald earls of Kildare, and Christopher was foster-brother to…

Paris, George (fl. 1533–67), political agent, may be identifiable with the person of that name, son of Nicholas Paris of Agher, Co. Meath, who received a pardon on 10 December 1533. If so he may have been related to Christopher…

Pelham, Sir Edmund (Edward) (d. 1606), chief baron of the Irish exchequer, was fifth son of Sir William Pelham (d. 1538) of Laughton, Sussex, England, and third son of William's second marriage, to Mary, daughter of William, 1st Baron Sandys. Admitted to Gray's Inn (1563), he was…

Perceval, Richard (c.1558–1620), official in Ireland, was the eldest son of George Perceval (d. c.1599), of Sydenham, Somerset, England, and his wife Elizabeth, daughter and coheir of Sir Edward Bampfylde, of Poltimore, Devon. He entered the Merchant Taylors’…

Plunket, Sir John (d. 1582), judge, was the second son of Christopher Plunket (d. 1547) of Dunsoghly, and his wife, Catherine, daughter of Philip Bermingham. He was born into a prominent Pale family that had long been part of the legal establishment in Ireland; his grandfather…

Plunket, Thomas (d. 1519), chief justice of the common bench, was son of Robert Plunket, chief justice of the king's bench (d. 1447); nothing is known of his mother. He was appointed chief baron of the Irish exchequer in 1480 and promoted to the office of chief justice of the…

Preston, Jenico (Genico) (1585–1630), 5th Viscount Gormanston , landowner and champion of the catholic cause, was the son of Christopher Preston, 4th viscount, and his wife Catherine, daughter of Sir Thomas Fitzwilliam of Merrion, Dublin. Preston succeeded to his father's title in…

Preston, Sir William (d. 1532), 2nd Viscount Gormanston , landowner, was the son of Robert Preston (qv), 1st Viscount Gormanston, and his wife Janet (Genet), daughter of Sir Richard Molyneux of Sefton, Lancashire, England. His father,…

Ralegh, Sir Walter (c.1554–1618), soldier and settler in Ireland, was one of the most famous and infamous Englishmen of the Elizabethan and Jacobean reigns. He was born at Hayes Barton, Devon, son of Walter Ralegh (d. 1581) and his third wife, Katherine, daughter of Sir…

Rich, Barnaby (Barnabe) (c.1542–1617), soldier and author, was probably a native of Essex, England. He became a soldier c.1563 and volunteered to serve with the huguenots in the French wars of religion, taking part in the siege of Le Havre in that same year.…

Rochford (Rochfort), Robert (d. 1603), Palesman and lawyer, was the son of Christopher Rochford, of Kilbride, Co. Meath, and Margaret Lynce. On 20 August 1576 he was granted livery of his late father's lands, for which he paid a fine of £35. He was a prominent lawyer, and served…