Davin, William
Davin, William (1890–1956), trade unionist and politician, was born 19 February 1890 at Grogan, Rathdowney, Queen's Co. (Laois), son of Timothy Davin, farmer, and Ellen Davin (née Costigan). He was educated at Rathdowney national school, at St Kieran's College, Kilkenny, and later…...
Dawson, Charles
Dawson, Charles (1842–1917), businessman, MP and civic reformer, was born in Limerick city, son of Michael Dawson, baker and long-serving Limerick alderman, and his wife Maryanne (née Clarke), also of Limerick. Dawson's father appears to have been responsible for the foundation of the…...
Deeny, James Andrew
Deeny, James Andrew (1906–94), medical doctor and public health official, was born 7 November 1906 in North Street, Lurgan, Co. Armagh, one of three children of Michael Deeny, doctor, and Jane Margaret Deeny (née Donnelly); his sister Sheelagh and brother Donnell also became…...
Devenish, John James
Devenish, John James (c. 1669–1739), military officer, was born to William Devenish of Curraghnegoole, near Strokestown, Co. Roscommon, and his wife Eleanor (née O’Conor Roe) of nearby Cloonfree, near Strokestown. His grandfather was George Devenish, a catholic Dublin merchant…...
Devlin, Denis
Devlin, Denis (1908–59), diplomat and poet, was born 15 April 1908 in Greenock, Scotland, oldest of nine children of…...
Dillon, Theobald
Dillon, Theobald (d. 1625?), 1st Viscount Dillon of Costello-Gallen, administrator and landowner, was the third son of Thomas Dillon of Ardnecragh in the barony of Kilkenny West, Co. Westmeath, and his wife Margery, daughter of Sir Christopher Dillon of Kilmore. His family was…...
Doherty, John
Doherty, John (c.1798–1854), trade union pioneer, radical activist, journalist, and factory reformer, was born in Inishowen, Co. Donegal; nothing is known of his parents. His birth place and date are uncertain. A son said it was ‘Buncrana, Inishowel’ (sic) in…...
Dongan (D'Unguent), Thomas
Dongan (D'Unguent), Thomas (1634–1715), 2nd earl of Limerick , soldier and first governor of New York, was third son of Sir John Dongan, baronet, of Castletown Kildrought (Celbridge), Co. Kildare, and his wife Mary, daughter of Sir William Talbot, baronet, of Carton, and niece of…...
Dougherty, Sir James Brown
Dougherty, Sir James Brown (1844–1934), presbyterian minister, academic, politician, and under-secretary for Ireland (1908–14), was born 13 November 1844 at Garvagh, Co. Londonderry, eldest of two sons of Archibald Dougherty, surgeon, and Matilda Dougherty (née Brown), both of…...
Doyle, Maurice Francis
Doyle, Maurice Francis (1931–2009), civil servant and governor of the Central Bank of Ireland, was born 14 December 1931, the only son of Valentine Doyle, builder, and his wife Agnes (née O'Growney), of 212 Collins Avenue, Drumcondra, Dublin. Educated at O'Connell School, North Richmond…...
Drummond, John
Drummond, John (1649–1715), earl and titular duke of Melfort , statesman, diplomat, and art connoisseur, was second son of James, 3rd earl of Perth, and his wife Anne, eldest daughter of the 2nd marquis of Huntly. His elder brother, James, became 4th earl of Perth. Drummond's…...
Dulanty, John Whelan
Dulanty, John Whelan (1883–1955), diplomat, was born at 9 Great Newton Street, Newton, Manchester, on 11 May 1881, the youngest of four children of John Dulanty (born 1844) (at the time spelt ‘Delanty’ and ‘Dulinty’), a builder's labourer from Templemore, Co. Tipperary, and his…...
Dunne, Seán
Dunne, Seán (1919–69), republican and labour activist, was born in Waterford city, youngest of three children of Michael Dunne, member of the RIC, and Brigid Dunne, and was educated at the CBS…...
Esmonde, Sir Osmond Thomas Grattan
Esmonde, Sir Osmond Thomas Grattan (1896–1936), 12th baronet, diplomat and politician, was born 4 April 1896 at Ballynastragh, Co. Wexford, one of five children of Sir Thomas Henry Grattan Esmonde (qv) and his wife…...
Everett, James
Everett, James (1890–1967), Labour politician and trade unionist, was born 14 February 1890 in Rathdrum, Co. Wicklow, a son of Robert Everett, a small farmer and waiter, and Margaret Everett (née Doyle). He had one brother and a sister and attended the local national school in…...
Fagan, Sir John
Fagan, Sir John (1843–1930), surgeon and inspector of reformatory and industrial schools, was born 16 July 1843 at Lismacaffrey, Rathowen, Co. Westmeath, the eldest son of James Fagan, esq. Educated at St Vincent's College, Castleknock, Co. Dublin (1858–61), and the Catholic…...
Fawsitt, Diarmuid (Jeremiah)
Fawsitt, Diarmuid (Jeremiah) (1884–1967), nationalist, civil servant and judge, was born Jeremiah Fawsitt 7 May 1884 at Ballymacthomas, Cork, son of Boyle Fawsitt, labourer of Ballymacthomas, and Hannah Fawsitt (née Lucey). From relative poverty his father established a mercantile…...
Fay, William Patrick Ignatius
Fay, William Patrick Ignatius (1909–69), diplomat, was born 17 April 1909 at Seaview House, Booterstown, Co. Dublin, son of Henry Edward Fay, surveyor at the General Post Office, and Helena Magdalen (neé Browne), and was a nephew of…...
Ferguson, Robert Campbell
Ferguson, Robert Campbell (1880–1945), civil servant, was born 12 July 1880 in Belfast, son of Alfred Campbell, plumber and tinsmith, and Ellen Campbell (née Ferguson), both presbyterians. The family lived at 23 Suir St., Belfast. An outstanding student, he was educated at the…...
Fitzmaurice, Gerald Henry
Fitzmaurice, Gerald Henry (1865–1939), consular official and linguist, was born 15 July 1865 in Dublin, son of Henry Fitzmaurice, tea and commission agent, of Howth, Co. Dublin, and Margaret Fitzmaurice (née McKenny); he had one younger sister. He was educated at University…...
Fitzpatrick, Sir Jeremiah
Fitzpatrick, Sir Jeremiah (c.1740–1810), physician, inspector of prisons, and social reformer, was born at Kilbeggan, Co. Westmeath. Of his parents and education little is known, but it can be inferred from the elder Fitzpatricks’ burial in the Old Relic graveyard on the…...
Fitzpatrick, Thomas (‘Broken Hand’)
Fitzpatrick, Thomas (‘Broken Hand’) (1799–1854), American frontier fur trapper, guide, and agent to the tribes of the central plains, was born in Co. Cavan, one of three sons and four daughters of Mary Fitzpatrick (née Kiernan) and her husband, whose forename is not known. A catholic,…...
Flood, Finbarr
Flood, Finbarr (1938–2016), soccer player, managing director of Guinness brewery and chairman of the Labour Court, was born on 1 December 1938 in Kilmainham, Dublin, one of three children (and only son) to Jack Flood, a worker in Guinness, and his wife Eva Flood (née…...
Fogarty, Christopher P. (‘Robin’)
Fogarty, Christopher P. (‘Robin’) (1928–95), diplomat, was born 3 July 1928 at 23 Kenilworth Park, Rathmines, Dublin, the only son of Christopher Fogarty, civil servant, of Harbour View, Dingle, Co. Kerry, and Margaret Fogarty (née Matthews). He was educated at O'Connell Schools,…...
Fox, Richard Michael ('R. M. ')
Fox, Richard Michael ('R. M. ') (1891–1969), writer and trade unionist, was born on 13 November 1891 in Leeds, Yorkshire, the second of four sons of Richard Fox and his wife Elizabeth (née Rathmell). Richard senior worked as a gymnasium instructor in Leeds, and later as a skilled…...