McMahon, Deirdre

De Valois, Dame Ninette (1898–2001), ballerina, choreographer, and founder of the Royal Ballet, was born Edris Stannus 6 June 1898, at Baltiboys, near Blessington, Co. Wicklow. She was the second daughter of Lieutenant-colonel T. R. A. Stannus and Lilith Stannus (née Graydon-Smith;…

MacEntee, Sean (John) Francis (1889–1984), revolutionary, politician, and engineer, was born 1 January 1889 at Mill St., Belfast, eldest among seven children of James MacEntee, publican, and Mary MacEntee (née Owens), who both came from Co. Monaghan. James MacEntee owned three public…

McQuaid, John Charles (1895–1973), catholic archbishop of Dublin, was born 28 July 1895 in Cootehill, Co. Cavan, second child and only son of Dr Eugene McQuaid and his wife Jane (née Corry), who married in 1893. Jane McQuaid died within a month of her son's birth and her widower…

Moynihan, John (Seán) Power (1892–1964), secretary to the executive council and assistant secretary of the Department of Finance, was born 19 January 1892 in Cork city, second child and second son of Maurice Moynihan (1864–1918) and Mary Moynihan (née Power), and had four younger…

Moynihan, Maurice Gerard (1902–99), civil servant and governor of the Central Bank, was born 19 December 1902 in Tralee, Co. Kerry, fourth child and third son of Maurice Moynihan and Mary Moynihan (née Power), and had four brothers and an elder sister. The Moynihans and the Powers were…

Ranelagh, Elaine Lambert Lewis O'Beirne- (1914–96), writer and folklorist, was born 6 July 1914 in Brooklyn, New York, USA, the only child of Josephine Lambert Lewis and Harry Lewis, who worked in real estate. She studied classics at Vassar College and majored in Greek. Her interest in…