McGettigan, Darren

This is a co-subject for the entry on O'Rourke (Ó Ruairc), Brian Ballach. View the original entry.

Lynch, Dominick (d. 1508), merchant, the son of John Lynch, was born sometime in the mid fifteenth century in Galway city into one of the most prominent of the twelve tribes of Galway. Dominick (sometimes called Dominick Dubh) came to prominence in the 1470s and 1480s. A…

Lynch, James (d. 1519?), mayor of Galway, was probably born in Galway city sometime in the mid fifteenth century. His father was Stephen Lynch, and as a result James was known as James FitzStephen. However, nothing else is known of his family or early life. As the Lynches were the…

Mac Giolla Phádraig (FitzPatrick), Brian (d. 1652), catholic priest and Gaelic poet, was born in Co. Laois sometime in the late sixteenth century, the son of Turlough Mac Giolla Phádraig, the half-brother of Barnaby Mac Giolla Phádraig (Fitzpatrick), the second baron of Upper…

MacMahon, Heber (Ever, Emer) (1600–50), catholic bishop of Clogher, confederate politician, and military commander, was born in the barony of Farney in Co. Monaghan. His parents were probably Turlough MacMahon and Eva O'Neill. It seems that Heber's family fell on hard times and…

Mageoghegan (Mac Eochagáin), Conall (fl. 1620s–1630s), Gaelic annalist, was born in the late sixteenth century in Co. Westmeath, the son of Niall Mageoghegan (d. 1596). Members of his family were lords of the territory of Kinaleagh (Cinel-Fhiachach) in Co. Westmeath (…

Nugent, William (Uilliam Nuinseann) (1550–1625), nobleman and poet, was born in 1550 in Co. Westmeath, the younger son of Richard Nugent, 13th Baron Delvin. His elder brother was Christopher Nugent (qv), 14th…

Ó Cianáin, Tadhg (d. 1610), chronicler of the flight of the earls, was from a learned Fermanagh family who were ollamhs in history to the Maguires of Fermanagh. Traditionally, the Ó Cianáins had their own chieftain and were based at Lisgoole on the shores of Lough Erne. One of the most…

Ó Cléirigh (O'Clery), Lughaidh (c.1580–a.1630?), historian and poet, was born in Co. Donegal, the eldest of the five sons of Maccon Ó Cléirigh (d. 1595), who was ‘Ollav to O'Donnell in history, an erudite and ingenious man, professed in history and poetry’ (AFM, vi,…

Ó Cobhthaigh, Diarmaid (Dermot O'Coffey) (fl. 1563), bardic poet, was descended from an important bardic family in Co. Westmeath. The Annals of the Four Masters record the deaths of members of the family in 1415 and 1452. In 1546 Tadhg Ó Cobhthaigh, called ‘chief preceptor of…

Ó Dálaigh, Aonghus (Aengus O'Daly) (d. 1617), bardic poet, was of the family of Ó Dálaigh Cairbreach (O'Daly of Carbery) a branch of the O'Dalys of Desmond and hereditary poets to the O'Mahony chieftains. Known as Aonghus na n-Aor (Aenghus of the satires), or as an Bard Ruadh (the Red…

Ó Dálaigh, Aonghus Fionn (‘the fair’) (Aenghus O'Daly) (fl. 1585–1601), bardic poet, was born into a very prominent Munster bardic family, patronised for centuries by the MacCarthys of Desmond. The Annals of the Four Masters record in 1161 the death of Raghnall Ó Dálaigh, ‘ollamh…

Ó Dálaigh, Lochlainn (fl. 1596–1610), bardic poet, was of the Ó Dálaigh Breifneach branch of the O'Daly poetic family, who were related to the O'Dalys of Connacht and were hereditary poets to the O'Reilly chieftains of Briefne. There is much confusion surrounding his…

O'Doherty (Ó Dochartaigh), Cahir (1587–1608), lord of Inishowen, was born in Co. Donegal, the eldest son of Seán Óg O'Doherty, lord of Inishowen (1582–1601), and grandson of Seán O'Doherty, lord of Inishowen (d. 1582). He had two younger brothers, Seán and Rury, and a half-brother…

O'Donnell, Caffar (d. 1608), prominent member of O'Donnell family, was the son of Aodh mac Maghnusa O'Donnell (qv) (d. 1600), lord of Tír Chonaill from 1566 to 1592, and his wife,…

This is a co-subject for the entry on O'Donnell, Caffar. View the original entry.

O'Donnell, Hugh McHugh Dubh (Aodh Ó Domhnaill) (c.1537–1618), nobleman and bardic poet, was born in Co. Donegal, the youngest son of Aodh Dubh O'Donnell (qv), lord of Tír Conaill (d. 1537). His mother may…

O'Donnell, Manus (Ó Domhnaill, Maghnas) (d. 1563), lord of Tír Conaill, was born in Co. Donegal, the eldest son of Aodh Dubh O'Donnell (qv), lord of Tír Conaill. His mother is unknown. He had thirteen half-brothers…

O'Donnell (Ó Domhnaill), Sir Aodh Dubh (d. 1537), lord of Tír Conaill, was born c.1471 in Co. Donegal, son of Aodh Ruadh O'Donnell (qv), lord of Tír Conaill, and his wife Fionnghuala, an O'Brien of Thomond. Aodh…

This is a co-subject for the entry on O'Donnell, Caffar. View the original entry.

Ó Gnímh, Fearflatha (fl. 1580–1640) bardic poet, seems to have been born around 1580, in Co. Antrim, and may have been the son of Brian Ó Gnímh, who was also a professional poet. Members of the Ó Gnímh family were traditionally hereditary poets (ollamhs) to the O'Neills…

Ó hIfearnáin, Mathghamhain (Mahon O'Heffernan) (fl. 1585–1624), prominent Munster bardic poet. His family was originally from Co. Clare, but by the end of the sixteenth and the beginning of the seventeenth century most members were based at Sronill, on the borders of…

Ó hUigínn, Maol Muire (Miler O'Higgins) (d. 1590), Franciscan, poet, archbishop of Tuam, was born some time in the early to mid-sixteenth century in the territory of Leyney, Co. Sligo. His father was the bardic poet Mathghamhain, son of Maol Muire Ó hUigínn, of…

Ó hUigínn, Pól (Paul Higgins) (1628?–1724), Irish scholar, preacher and convert to protestantism, was probably born in Co. Sligo, the son of Pól Ó hUigínn and Cecilia Jordan. His grandfather, Tadhg Óg Ó hUigínn, was a bardic poet and a son of the famous bardic poet…

Ó Maolmhuaidh, Proinsias (Francis O'Molloy) (d. 1677), grammarian and theologian, was probably born in the very early seventeenth century, and most likely in the part of Co. Offaly known as Fircall, or O'Molloy's Country. It is stated that he was of noble birth, being related to…