Maher, Denis John
Maher, Denis John (1916–84), civil servant, was born 16 June 1916 in Milltown, Tuam, Co. Galway, youngest of three children of William Maher, RIC man and native of Co. Clare, and Catherine Maher (née Kelly) from Co. Galway. His father…...
Maher, Michael
Maher, Michael (1860–1918), Jesuit priest, philosopher, and psychologist, was born 29 April 1850 in Church St., Leighlinbridge, Co. Carlow. Educated at the school of Mr Conwell in Leighlinbridge, he later entered the Jesuit college at Tullabeg, King's Co., where his uncle, Fr…...
Mahon, Catherine
Mahon, Catherine (1869–1948), president of the Irish National Teachers Organisation, was born 15 May 1869 in Laccah, north Co. Tipperary, eldest among seven children of James Mahon, labourer, and Winifred Mahon (née O'Meara). She was educated locally and at the Convent of Mercy in…...
Mallin, Michael Thomas
Mallin, Michael Thomas (1874–1916), trade unionist and revolutionary, was born on 1 December 1874 at Ward's Hill in the Liberties in Dublin, the eldest of six surviving children (four boys and two girls) of John Mallin, a boatwright and carpenter, and his wife Sarah (née Dowling), a…...
Markievicz, Constance Georgine
Markievicz, Constance Georgine (1868–1927), Countess Markievicz, republican and labour activist, was born 4 February 1868 at Buckingham Gate, London, eldest of the three daughters and two sons of Sir Henry Gore-Booth of Lissadell, Co. Sligo, philanthropist and explorer, and Georgina…...
Mason (Derrig), Sinéad (‘Jenny’)
Mason (Derrig), Sinéad (‘Jenny’) (1899–1991), civil servant, was born 2 March 1899 in Craigaroddan, Ards, Co. Down, eldest of eight children of Thomas Mason and Catherine Mason (née Merron). Educated at Ballyphilip national school, Ards, she moved to Dublin to live with her aunt…...
McCann, Hugh James
McCann, Hugh James (1916–86), diplomat, was born 9 February 1916 in Dublin, eldest son of Hugh J. McCann, later a district justice, and his wife Sophie McCann. He was educated at Belvedere College, Dublin, and at the London School of Economics (B.Sc.…...
McCarron, Edward Patrick
McCarron, Edward Patrick (1881–1970), civil servant, was born on 1 March 1881 in Co. Louth, youngest of three sons of Edward McCarron of Fanad, Co. Donegal, and his wife, Katherine (née McKeown), a native of Co. Louth. Having worked for two years as a teacher in a school managed by…...
McCauley, Leo Thomas
McCauley, Leo Thomas (1895–1974), diplomat, was born 29 December 1895 in Derry city, the third son of William McCauley of Woolwich, London, and Agnes McCauley (née Heaney). He was educated at St Columb's College, Derry, and UCD, where…...
McCosh, James
McCosh, James (1811–94), presbyterian minister, philosopher, and academic, was born 1 April 1811, near Patna, Ayrshire, Scotland, second and only surviving son and fifth child of seven born to Andrew McCosh, farmer, and Jean Carson, his wife. Educated at the local parish school,…...
McCourt, Kevin
McCourt, Kevin (1915–2000), businessman and director general of RTÉ, was born 14 April 1915 in Tralee, Co. Kerry, second son among three sons and one daughter of John McCourt, originally of Banbridge, Co. Down, clerk with the congested districts board at Tralee, and later a…...
McDonnell, Joseph Patrick
McDonnell, Joseph Patrick (1846–1906), revolutionary and labour activist, was born 27 March 1846 in Smithfield, Dublin, son of Peter McDonnell, baker's foreman. Educated at Marlborough Street national school (1853–8) and St Paul's Academy, Arran Quay (1858–60), he grew into a man of…...
McDowell, Kathleen Mary (‘Kay’)
McDowell, Kathleen Mary (‘Kay’) (1897–1975), trade union leader, was born 16 August 1897 at 20 Connaught St., Phibsborough, Dublin, daughter of William McDowell, wine merchant, of that address, and Mary McDowell (née Kirwan). Her father's family, which had roots in the north of…...
McDunphy, Michael
McDunphy, Michael (1890–1971), civil servant, was born 3 December 1890 in 5 Temple Cottages, Dublin, second of ten children of Michael McDunphy, bread-van driver, originally from Esker, Mountmellick, Queen's Co. (Laois), and Catherine McDunphy (née Conlon), dairy shopkeeper, from…...
McGrath, Sir Joseph
McGrath, Sir Joseph (1858–1923), first registrar of the NUI, was born 25 August 1858 at Main Street, Bagnelstown, Co. Carlow, the eldest of the four sons of Pierce McGrath and Alicia (née Hughes); he may also have had sisters. Aged fourteen he entered the Jesuit school at Tullabeg…...
McHugh, Edward
McHugh, Edward (1853–1915), political activist and trade unionist, was born on 21 August 1853 in Co. Tyrone (probably in the parish of Termonamongan in the far west of the county), the son of Matthew McHugh, smallholder and labourer, and his wife Margaret (née McCrory); he had one…...
McKenna, Kathleen Napoli
McKenna, Kathleen Napoli (1897–1988), republican and administrator, was born Kathleen Maria Kenna in Oldcastle, Co. Meath, on 9 September 1897, eldest of seven children (four daughters and three sons) of William Kenna (1862–1939), draper and hardware merchant, and his wife Mary (née…...
McMullen, William
McMullen, William (1888–1982), trade unionist and politician, was born in Lilliput Street, Belfast, son of Joseph McMullen, shop owner, of County Monaghan; his mother was a native of County Cavan. When he was two years old, his family moved to a bigger shop on Shore Road, Belfast…...
McNeill, James
McNeill, James (1869–1938), civil servant, diplomat, and governor general of the Irish Free State, was born 27 March 1869 in Glenarm, Co. Antrim, ‘of a very old Co. Antrim family’ (Irish Times, 13 Dec. 1938), son of Archibald McNeill, shipbuilder, baker, and farmer, and…...
McNeill, Josephine
McNeill, Josephine (1895–1969), diplomat, was born 31 March 1895 in Fermoy, Co. Cork, daughter of James Ahearne , shopkeeper and hotelier, and Ellen Ahearne (née O'Brien). She was educated at Loretto Convent, Fermoy, and UCD (…...
Meghen, Patrick Joseph
Meghen, Patrick Joseph (1900–71), civil servant, was born 1 July 1900 at Millmount Terrace, Drumcondra, Dublin, elder son among two sons and two daughters of Christopher Meghen, postal official, and Hannah Meghen (née Barry). He was educated at O'Connell…...
Meredith, James Creed
Meredith, James Creed (1875–1942), judge of the supreme court and writer, was born in Dublin, son of Sir James Creed Meredith, secretary of the Royal University of Ireland from 1880 to 1909, and his third wife, Nellie (née Graves). He had three brothers and two sisters. He began…...
Meyrick, Francis James
Meyrick, Francis James (1873–1963), civil servant, was born 31 October 1873 at 16 Waltham Terrace, Blackrock, Dublin, third son of James Meyrick, commercial traveller, and Jane Meyrick (née Corbett). His father's family had been in Dublin for several generations but the Corbetts…...
Midgley, Henry Cassidy (‘Harry’)
Midgley, Henry Cassidy (‘Harry’) (1892–1957), trade unionist and politician, was born 8 September 1892 at 59 Seaview St., Belfast, third child and eldest son among two daughters and three sons of Alexander Midgley (1860–99), shipyard labourer, originally of Lurgan, Co. Armagh,…...
Mills, Michael
Mills, Michael (1927–2008), journalist and ombudsman, was born 31 October 1927 in Mountmellick, Co. Laois, the son of Anthony Mills, originally from Gorthmelia, near Belmullet, Co. Mayo, and his wife Kathleen (née Phelan), originally from Radestown, Co. Kilkenny. His father managed a…...