Higgins, Francis (‘Sham Squire’)
Higgins, Francis (‘Sham Squire’) (1745?–1802), adventurer, was born in Dublin, one of the large family of Patrick Higgins, an attorney's clerk, and his wife, Mary, who were said to have moved from Downpatrick, Co. Down. Patrick Higgins may have been the Patrick Higgins of Dublin…...
Hoey, John Cashel
Hoey, John Cashel (1828–92), author, editor of the Nation, and administrator, was born 25 October 1828 at Dundalk, Co. Louth, first son of Cashel Fitzsimons Hoey and grandson of John Hoey, a United Irishman hanged in Dundalk in 1798. No details of his mother are known. He…...
Hogan, Gabriel Patrick Sarsfield
Hogan, Gabriel Patrick Sarsfield (1901–89), civil and public servant, was born 18 March 1901, the second child of Patrick J. Hogan, chancery registrar of Waterloo Place, Dublin, and Katherine Hogan (née Murphy). Educated at the Catholic University School and…...
Horan, James
Horan, James (1911–86), priest, community activist, and airport developer, was born 5 May 1911 at Tooreen, Partry, Co. Mayo, eldest of three sons and four daughters of Bartley Horan, farmer and builder, of Partry, and Catherine Horan (née Casey) of Kilkieran, Co. Mayo. After education…...
Howard, Cornelius ('Con')
Howard, Cornelius ('Con') (1925–2009), diplomat and cultural activist, was born 26 March 1925, one of four children (two boys and two girls) of Michael and Nora Howard. He grew up in Dysert, Co. Clare, and was educated by the Christian Brothers, and in St Flannan's College, Ennis,…...
Hughes, Pat
Hughes, Pat (1924–99), prospector and businessman, was born Patrick Joseph Hughes on 14 March 1924 near Keady, Co. Armagh, the only son of three children of Charles Hughes, a building contractor of Keady, and his wife Mary. When he was around 10, his catholic family moved to Newry,…...
Ingram, John
Ingram, John (1887–1973), engineer, educationalist, and civil servant, was born 5 February 1887 in Derry, the son of William John Ingram, of Shipquay Street, Derry, a civil service clerk. He attended the Londonderry model school as a presbyterian, before transferring to St Columb'…...
Iremonger, Valentin
Iremonger, Valentin (1918–91), poet and diplomat, was born 14 February 1918 at 96 Sandymount Road, Dublin, eldest among four children of John Iremonger (1887–1947), sculptor of monuments, and his wife Annie Murphy (1887–1950), shopkeeper. Christened Valentine, he dropped the last ‘e’…...
Jones, Gerard (‘Gerry’)
Jones, Gerard (‘Gerry’) (1919–99), civil servant, company director, and political activist, was born 15 June 1919 in Bandon, Co. Cork, seventh child of Timothy Jones, of Bandon, builder and company director, and Mary Jones (née Keon). Educated at Rockwell College, Cashel, Co. Tipperary…...
Joyce, Patrick Weston
Joyce, Patrick Weston (1827–1914), educationalist, historian, linguist, translator and collector of folk music, was born in Ballyorgan, Co. Limerick, one of the eight sons of Garrett Joyce, a shoemaker known locally as ‘Garrett the Scholar’ for his knowledge of poetry and religion, and…...
Keating, Sir Henry Sheehy
Keating, Sir Henry Sheehy (1777–1847), army officer and colonial governor, was the fourth son in the family of five sons and four daughters of Bryan Keatinge (d. 1783) of Cork and Bansha, Co. Tipperary, and his wife, Anne, eldest daughter and co-heiress of John Sheehy (d. 1776) of…...
Keegan, John
Keegan, John (1813–93), surveyor and diarist, was born at Laragh, near Horseleap, Co. Westmeath, in 1813, the only son of Thomas Keegan (1789–1854), a farmer, and his wife, Mary (née Gannon). The Keegans were descended from the hereditary brehons of the Irish midlands; one…...
Keenan, Sir Patrick Joseph
Keenan, Sir Patrick Joseph (1826–94), educationist and administrator, was born probably in Dublin, son of John Keenan, justice of the peace (JP), from Phibsborough, and his wife Mary, a teacher and daughter of Patrick Sherlock of Dublin. He had at least one sister, Alice. He was both a…...
Kelly, Charles Edward
Kelly, Charles Edward (1902–81), cartoonist and civil servant, was born 15 June 1902 in Dublin, the second of the seven children of Daniel Kelly, clerk, and his wife, Mary (née Darley). Educated at Synge Street CBS, Dublin, close to his…...
Kennedy, Kieran
Kennedy, Kieran (1935–2013), economist, was born on 14 July 1935 in Newbridge, Co. Kildare, the fourth of five sons of Patrick Kennedy, a garda, and his wife Margaret (née Callahan). As his father was transferred frequently, Kieran spent much of his early life alone with his grandmother…...
Keon, Miles Gerald
This is a co-subject for the entry on Keon, Miles. View the original entry....
Kerney, Leopold Harding
Kerney, Leopold Harding (1881–1962), diplomat, was born 11 December 1881 in Dublin, youngest among nine children (two of whom died in childhood) of Philip Joseph Kerney, a well known journalist, sub-editor of the Dublin Daily Express and editor of the Weekly Irish Times…...
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, 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…...
Kinnane, Michael Joseph (‘M. J.’)
Kinnane, Michael Joseph (‘M. J.’) (1889–1952), civil servant and Garda Síochána commissioner, was born 18 January 1889 in Drumcondra, Dublin, son of Martin Kinnane and Eileen Kinnane (née Carney), national school teachers. Raised in Mountbellew, Co. Galway, and educated at…...
Lawless, Patrick
Lawless, Patrick (fl. 1691–1718), soldier and diplomat, was the son of Walter Lawless of Talbot's Inch, near Kilkenny, and Ann Bryan, sister of James Bryan of Jenkinstown, alderman; he was the grandson of Richard Lawless (d. 1670), procurator of the supreme council of the…...
Lawlor, Dermot Colman
Lawlor, Dermot Colman (1905–87), managing director of Bord na Móna and Meath county manager, was born 14 September 1905 in Dublin, son of Patrick Lawlor, bookbinder, of 74 Bride St., Dublin, and Rosanna Lawlor (née Fagan). He was educated at Terenure College, Dublin, and…...
Lemass, Frank
Lemass, Frank (1911–74), general manager and director of CIÉ, president of the Irish Management Institute, was born 13 September 1911 in Dublin, youngest son among four sons and three daughters of John T. Lemass, hatter and outfitter, of 3 Capel St., Dublin, and Frances Lemass (…...
Lenihan, Patrick James
Lenihan, Patrick James (1902–70), civil servant, company director, and TD, was born 4 September 1902 in Lickeen, Ennistimon, Co. Clare, son of Patrick Lenihan, national school teacher, and Hannah Lenihan (née McIherney). Educated at St Joseph's College, Ballinasloe, and…...
Leydon, John
Leydon, John (1895–1979), civil servant, was born 17 January 1895, fourth child and third son of James Leydon and Kate Leydon (neé Quinn), farmers, of Arigna, Co. Roscommon. He was educated at St Mel's College, Longford, and became a seminarian at St Patrick's College, Maynooth (…...