Brennan, Joseph
Brennan, Joseph (1887–1976), civil servant and banker, was born 18 November 1887 at Hill Terrace, Bandon, Co. Cork, eldest son among seven children of Joseph Brennan (d. 1948), businessman, and his wife Mary (née Hickey). He was educated at the local national school, Clongowes…...
Brennan, Robert
Brennan, Robert (1881–1964), republican, journalist, writer, and diplomat, was born in Co. Wexford on 22 July 1881, second child and eldest son among four children of Robert Brennan (d. 1919), cattle dealer, and Bridget Brennan (née Kearney; d. 1938), dressmaker. He was educated…...
Brun, Fromund le
Brun, Fromund le (d. 1283), chancellor of Ireland and papal chaplain, may have been related to William le Brun, another clerk in royal service. He first appears in Ireland in 1248 as a clerk of the justiciar, John FitzGeoffrey (qv…...
Bulger, Michael Joseph
This is a co-subject for the entry on Bulger, Lawrence Quinlivan ('Larry'). View the original entry....
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-…...
Byrne, Patrick
Byrne, Patrick (1740/41–1814), printer, bookseller, and United Irishman, had a flourishing business in Dublin, at 35 College Green (1779–85) and 108 Grafton Street (1785–99). Byrne's business was probably the largest of its kind in Ireland in the eighteenth century. One indication…...
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),…...
Carey, Mathew
Carey, Mathew (1760–1839), author, bookseller and publisher, was born 28 January 1760 in Dublin, one of five sons to Christopher Carey, a baker who prospered provisioning the British navy, and Mary Carey (née Sheridan). Small and lame from infancy (having been dropped by his nurse),…...
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…...
Clancy, Basil
Clancy, Basil (1907–96), publisher, magazine editor, and journalist, was born Anthony Sebastian Clancy in Coalisland, Co. Tyrone, on 7 July 1907, the seventh of the twelve children of Patrick J. Clancy, JP (d. 1947), linen merchant and…...
Coffey, Brian
Coffey, Brian (1905–95), poet, academic, teacher, and publisher, was born 8 June 1905 at Glenageary, Co. Dublin, son of Denis J. Coffey (qv), president of UCD, and Maude Coffey (née Quin…...
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,…...
Collier, Peter Fenelon
Collier, Peter Fenelon (1849–1909), publisher and newspaper proprietor, was born 12 December 1849 in Myshall, Co. Carlow, son of Robert C. Collier and Catherine Collier (née Fenelon). After an education in local schools he emigrated to America at 17 and entered St Mary's seminary…...
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.…...
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–…...