Burke, Oliver
Burke, Oliver (c.1598–1672), Dominican priest and ecclesiastical administrator in Rome and Connacht, was born in Co. Galway, a member of the Clanricard Burke family. He studied at Burgos and was listed as a priest in Spain in 1627. In that year he became an honours…...
Burke, Thomas Henry
Burke, Thomas Henry (1829–82), under-secretary for Ireland, was born 29 May 1829, second among seven sons of William Burke (1794?–1877), a catholic landed gentleman of Knocknagur, Co. Galway, and Fanny Xaviera Burke (née Tucker) of Brook Lodge, Sussex, England. He was a grand-…...
Burke, William
Burke, William (1793?–1829), murderer, was born probably at Urney, near Strabane, Co. Tyrone, son of Neil Burke, labourer. Born into a catholic, Irish-speaking family, he received some education and was servant to a presbyterian minister for a time. When he tired of this he tried the…...
Byrne, Sir Joseph Aloysius
Byrne, Sir Joseph Aloysius (1874–1942), soldier and administrator, was born 2 October 1874 in Co. Londonderry, son of Dr Joseph Byrne, DL, a catholic physician of Londonderry, and Emily Byrne (née Egan). He was educated at St George's College…...
Byrne, Sir William Patrick
Byrne, Sir William Patrick (1859–1935), under secretary for Ireland (1916–18), was born 12 February 1859 at Beech House, Withington, Lancashire, the fourth son of John Byrne. After attending at St Cuthbert's College, Ushaw, and St Bede's College, Manchester, he studied law at the…...
Cahill, Timothy J.
Cahill, Timothy J. (1912–91), civil servant and chairman of the Labour court, was born 3 April 1912 in Glenbeigh, Co. Kerry. Educated at St Brendan's College, Killarney, and UCG, where he was auditor (1933–4) of the Literary and…...
Campbell, Sir Henry
Campbell, Sir Henry (1856–1924), secretary to Charles Stewart Parnell, MP, and town clerk of Dublin, was born at Kilcoo, Co. Down, second son of Patrick Campbell and his wife, Margaret (née Boden). He began his career as a grocer's assistant at Newry but soon moved to Newcastle…...
Caradoc (Cradock), John Hobart
Caradoc (Cradock), John Hobart (1799–1873), 2nd Baron Howden , diplomat, soldier, and MP, was born 11 October 1799 at St Stephen's Green, Dublin, the only son among three children of John Francis Caradoc (qv),…...
Casement, Sir Roger David
Casement, Sir Roger David (1864–1916), humanitarian and Irish nationalist, was born 1 September 1864 in Sandycove, near Dublin, youngest child among one daughter and three sons of Roger Casement, retired army officer, and Anne Casement (née Jephson). His elder brother was…...
Childers, Margaret Mary ('Rita')
Childers, Margaret Mary ('Rita') (1915–2010), civil servant and community activist, was born on 25 February 1915 in the family home at Elgin Road, Dublin, the sixth of eight children of Joseph Dudley , a solicitor, and his wife Marcella (née Vereker). Both parents were from well-…...
Christie, Michael
Christie, Michael (1887–1971), civil servant, was born 31 March 1887 in Dublin, the only son among three children of Patrick Christie, originally of Rathmolyon, Co. Meath, labourer in Guinness's brewery, and Rose Christie (née Butler), originally of Summerhill, Co. Meath. The…...
Colbert, John Patrick
Colbert, John Patrick (1898–1975), public servant and economist, was born 12 February 1898, the son of William Colbert JP, a farmer of Templeathea, Co. Limerick, and Norah Colbert (née Danaher). Educated at Rockwell College, near Cashel,…...
Collins, John
Collins, John (1883–1954), civil servant, was born 29 May 1883 in Waterford city, one of four children of John Collins, borough constable, and Bridget Collins (née Quinlan), of the City Hall, Waterford. Educated at Mount Sion CBS,…...
Comerford, Gerard (Gerald, Garret)
Comerford, Gerard (Gerald, Garret) (d. 1604), attorney and judge, was a younger son of Fowke (Fulke) Comerford of Callan, Co. Kilkenny, and his wife Rosina Rothe. His father was a loyal adherent of Thomas Butler (qv), 10th earl of…...
Commins, Thomas Vincent
Commins, Thomas Vincent (1913–85), diplomat, was born 3 October 1913 at Ballymoreen, Littleton, Co. Tipperary, third among six children of James Commins (b. 1877) and Mary Commins (née Corbett; b. 1887), both national school teachers. He was educated at Rockwell College, Co. Tipperary,…...
Connolly, Joseph
Connolly, Joseph (1885–1961), politician, businessman and civil servant, was born 19 January 1885 at 41 Alexander St. West, Belfast, one of fourteen children (five of whom died in infancy) of John Connolly, master baker, and Margaret Connolly (née MacNeill) of Cushendall, Co.…...
Connolly, Patrick Joseph
Connolly, Patrick Joseph (1927–2016), barrister and attorney general of Ireland, was born 25 May 1927 at 70 Botanic Road, Glasnevin, Dublin. He was the elder of two sons born to Patrick Joseph Connolly, principal of Ballyboughal national school, and his wife Ellen (‘Nellie’; née O’Hara…...
Conroy, Sheila (née Williams)
Conroy, Sheila (née Williams) (1918–2012), trade unionist, social activist and administrator, was born on 22 April 1918 (or 4 April 1917) in Bantry, Co. Cork, only child of Harry and Jane Williams. A Welsh petty officer in the Royal Navy, Harry Williams was stationed at Bantry (1914–…...
Conway, Thomas
Conway, Thomas (1733–95), French army officer and governor of Mauritius, was born on 27 February 1733 at Templenoe, near Nedeen, Co. Kerry, elder son of James Conway (1711–87), a French army officer, and his wife, Julia, daughter of Denis Mahony of Dromore. The Conways and Mahonys…...
Costello, Michael Joseph (‘Mickey Joe’)
Costello, Michael Joseph (‘Mickey Joe’) (1904–86), army officer and public servant, was born 2 July 1904 in Cloughjordan, Co. Tipperary, the eldest of five boys and three girls (three of the children died of influenza in 1917) of Denis Costello of Kilmihill, Co. Clare, and Teresa…...
Costigan, Daniel
Costigan, Daniel (1911–79), civil servant and Garda commissioner, was born 18 February 1911 in Derryfada, Kealkil, Bantry, Co. Cork (where the Costigan family had lived for many generations), elder surviving son and third among six children of James Costigan (d. 1956) and Anne…...
Courtney, Michael Aidan
Courtney, Michael Aidan (1945–2003), catholic archbishop and Vatican diplomat, was born 5 February 1945 in Nenagh general hospital, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary, youngest child among four sons and three daughters of Aloysius Daniel 'Louis' Courtney (see below), medical doctor, of 23 Summerhill…...
Coyne, Thomas Joseph (‘Tommy’)
Coyne, Thomas Joseph (‘Tommy’) (1901–61), civil servant, was born 22 February 1901 in Dublin, youngest among five children of William P. Coyne (qv), barrister, later head of the statistical section of the Department of Agriculture (…...
Cremin, Cornelius (‘Con’) Christopher
Cremin, Cornelius (‘Con’) Christopher (1908–87), diplomat, was born 6 December 1908 in Kenmare, Co. Kerry, the son of Denis J. Cremin, draper, and Ann Cremin (née Singleton) from Tuam, Co. Galway. He was educated at the local national school and as a boarder at St Brendan's College…...
Curwin (Curwen, Coren), Hugh
Curwin (Curwen, Coren), Hugh (c.1507–1568), catholic and Church of Ireland archbishop of Dublin, was born in High Knipe, in the parish of Bampton, Westmorland. He attended Brasenose College, Oxford, graduating Bachelor of Civil Law in 1528 and Doctor of Civil Law on 5 July 1532…...