Biographies A-Z

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Kettle, Andrew Joseph

Kettle, Andrew Joseph (1833–1916), agrarian reformer, was born in September 1833 in Drynam House, Swords, Co. Dublin, one among six children of Thomas Kettle, a prosperous farmer, and his wife, Alice (née Kavanagh). His maternal grandmother, Mary O'Brien, had smuggled arms to United…

Kettle, Laurence J.

Kettle, Laurence J. (1878–1960), political activist and electrical engineer, was born 27 February 1878 at Kilmore, Artane, north Co. Dublin, second son among five sons and six daughters of Andrew J. Kettle (qv), ‘progressive’…

Kettle, Thomas Michael (‘Tom’)

Kettle, Thomas Michael (‘Tom’) (1880–1916), parliamentarian, writer, and soldier, was born 9 February 1880 in Artane, Co. Dublin, seventh among twelve children of Andrew Kettle (qv), farmer and agrarian activist, and his wife, Margaret…

Keugh (Keogh), Matthew

Keugh (Keogh), Matthew (c.1744–1798), soldier and revolutionary, was born in Wexford into a protestant family. Nothing is known of his early life, except that he rose to prominence after joining the British army. Sent to America around 1763, he was gazetted in the 60th (…

Keyes, Michael John

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…

Kickham, Charles Joseph

Kickham, Charles Joseph (1828–82), journalist, Fenian, and novelist, was born 8 May 1828 near Cashel, Co. Tipperary, the eldest of the four sons and four daughters of John Kickham, draper and urban property rentier, and his wife, Anne (née Mahony), of Mullinahone in the same…

Kidd, George Hugh

Kidd, George Hugh (1824–95), surgeon, was born 12 June 1824 in Armagh, son of Hugh Kidd and Eliza Kidd (née M'Kinstry). He was educated at schools in Monaghan and Newry, and at the medical schools of TCD and…

Kidd, James

Kidd, James (1761–1834), presbyterian minister and Hebraist, was born 6 November 1761 in Loughbrickland, Co. Down, youngest of three sons of impoverished parents, who may have been William Kidd and Agnes Kidd (née Allan). When his father died a few months after James was born, his…

Kidd, Sir Robert Hill

Kidd, Sir Robert Hill (1918–2004), civil servant, was born in Belfast on 3 February 1918, son of Andrew Kidd, wholesale leather merchant whose business was located in Ann Street, Belfast, and his wife Florence (née Hill). The family were non‑subscribing presbyterians. Kidd was educated…

Kidwell, William

Kidwell, William (1662–1736), sculptor, was born 27 April 1662 in Weybridge, Surrey, England, son of Robert Kidwell, a ‘gentleman’ from Walton-on-Thames, Surrey. William Kidwell started his apprenticeship as a ‘joiner’ with John Bumpstead (a stone-carver in the city of London and…

Kiely, Benedict ('Ben')

Kiely, Benedict ('Ben') (1919–2007), writer, critic and journalist, was born Thomas Joseph Benedict Kiely near Dromore, Co. Tyrone, on 15 August 1919, the sixth and youngest child of Thomas Kiely, a British army veteran and measurer for the Ordnance Survey (born in Moville, Co. Donegal…

Kiely, Thomas Francis (‘Tom’)

Kiely, Thomas Francis (‘Tom’) (1869–1951), athlete, was born 25 August 1869 at Ballyneale, near Carrick-on-Suir, Co. Tipperary, the son of William Kiely, farmer, and Mary Kiely (née Downey). Educated at the local national school, he worked on his father's farm as a young man. They…

Kiernan, Catherine Brigid (‘Kitty’)

Kiernan, Catherine Brigid (‘Kitty’) (1893–1945), hotelier, and fiancée of Michael Collins (qv), was born 26 January 1893 in Granard, Co. Longford, fifth child and fourth daughter among six daughters and one son of Peter Kiernan, a…

Kiernan, Michael

Kiernan, Michael (1803–69), catholic priest and archbishop of Armagh, was born in December 1803, second child of John Kiernan, farmer, of Summerhill, Co. Louth, and Margaret Kiernan (née Conroy) from Cuillenstown, Co. Louth. He was baptised at Cuillenstown parish church on 6…

Kiernan, Thomas Joseph (‘Tommy’; ‘T. J.’)

Kiernan, Thomas Joseph (‘Tommy’; ‘T. J.’) (1897–1967), diplomat, was born 9 November 1897 at 3 Moyne Road, Rathmines, Dublin, son of Francis Kiernan, clerk, and Kathleen Kiernan (neé Hurley). He had three brothers – Brian, Michael, and Brendan (who later became legal adviser to the…

Kiggell, Sir Launcelot Edward

Kiggell, Sir Launcelot Edward (1862–1954), British army general, was born 2 October 1862 at Wilton House, Ballingarry, Co. Limerick, son of Launcelot John Kiggell of Cahara, Glin, Co. Limerick, JP and major in the South Cork Light Infantry…

Kilbride, Denis

Kilbride, Denis (1848–1924), agrarian campaigner and MP, was one of five sons of Thomas Kilbride of Lugacurran, Queen's County (Laois), farmer, and his wife, Maria Ryan. He was educated at Clongowes Wood College, Co. Kildare. After leaving school he worked on his father's…

Kilburn, William

Kilburn, William (1745–1818), artist, was born 1 November 1745 in Capel St., Dublin, the only son of Samuel Kilburn, architect, and his wife, Sarah Johnston. He was apprenticed, about age 14, to Jonathan Sisson, who ran a calico- and cotton-printing factory at Lucan, and he made…

Kilcoyne, Louis Desmond

Kilcoyne, Louis Desmond (1942–2012), businessman and football promoter, was born on 1 July 1942 at 103 North Circular Road, Dublin, one of six children (five sons and a daughter) of Thomas Aloysius Kilcoyne, civil servant, and Margaret Kilcoyne (née Quigley). The family lived at 1…

Kilfedder, Sir James

Kilfedder, Sir James (1928–95), politician, was born in Kinlough, Co. Leitrim, on 16 July 1928, fourth child and youngest son of Robert Kilfedder, a farmer and former member of the RIC, and his wife Elizabeth Johnston. Robert Kilfedder…

Kilian (Cilian)

Kilian (Cilian) (d. 689), bishop of Würzburg, was according to native tradition born in the present townland of Cloghballybeg in the parish of Mullagh, Co. Cavan. He went to the Continent with eleven companions and was martyred in 689 in Würzburg with two co-workers, whose names…

Kilian (Cilian, Cillianus, Chillenus)

Kilian (Cilian, Cillianus, Chillenus) (d. 670) of Aubigny (near Arras, northern France) was a hermit-saint and evangeliser. He is associated with his fellow Irishman St Fiacre (qv) (d. 670) of Brie and with St Faro of Meaux. In the Lives…

Killaly, Hamilton Hartley

This is a co-subject for the entry on Killaly, John A.. View the original entry.

Killaly, John A.

Killaly, John A. (1766–1832), surveyor and canal engineer, was born in England. He may have worked for some time on several English canals before settling in Ireland as a surveyor. He initially did some freelance work for the Grand Canal Company, but his work sufficiently impressed…

Killeen, Michael Joseph

Killeen, Michael Joseph (1928–86), public servant, was born 26 February 1928 in Donegal town, second child of John Killeen, inspector in the Department of Agriculture, and Rose Killeen (née Chambers). Educated at St Joseph's College, Galway, at