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…...
McGough, Joseph Christopher (Joe)
McGough, Joseph Christopher (Joe) (1919–2003), army officer, barrister and businessman, was born 23 December 1919 at Castlecomer, Co. Kilkenny, the fourth child and first son of John McGough, originally of Co. Clare, and his wife Ann (née Brennan). His father, having served as a…...
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, Daniel
McKenna, Daniel (1892–1975), army officer and chief of staff, was born 1 December 1892 at Bracareilly, Draperstown, Co. Londonderry, son of Peter McKenna, farmer, and Mary Anne McKenna (née McKenna). He was educated at Lisnamuck national school at Maghera, Co. Londonderry, before…...
McKeown, Sean
McKeown, Sean (1910–98), army chief of staff, was born 3 June 1910 at Castletown, Cooley, Co. Louth, son of Thomas McKeown and his wife Catherine (née McGinn). He attended Mullaghbuoy national school in Co. Louth and CBS Dundalk…...
McKinney, Thomas Joseph
McKinney, Thomas Joseph (1887–1973), army surgeon and Irish scholar, was born 30 October 1887 at Greencastle, Co. Antrim, son of Thomas McKinney, sergeant in the RIC, and Mary McKinney (née McKillop). His family later moved to…...
McMillen, William ('Billy', 'Liam')
McMillen, William ('Billy', 'Liam') (1928–75) republican, was born 13 April 1928 in Belfast, the sixth of nine children (five girls and four boys) of Robert McMillen and his wife Sarah (née O'Neill) of 40 Ton Street. William's grandfather (also Robert) was a Scottish presbyterian.…...
Meagher, Thomas Francis
Meagher, Thomas Francis (1823–67), Young Ireland nationalist and soldier, was born 3 August 1823 in Waterford city, the eldest child of Thomas Meagher and his wife Alicia Quan. Both parents came from well-to-do catholic merchant families. His father was a shipowner, specialising in the…...
Mellows, Herbert Charles ('Barney')
Mellows, Herbert Charles ('Barney') (1896–1942), republican, was born on 24 March 1896 at 10 Annadale Avenue, Fairview, Dublin, the last of five children (four sons, one of whom, John, died in infancy, and one daughter) of William Joseph Mellows, a soldier, born in Gondah, India, with…...
Minch, Sydney Basil
Minch, Sydney Basil (1893–1970), soldier, politician and businessman, was born 14 June 1893 in Rockfield, Athy, Co. Kildare, one of five sons of Matthew Joseph Minch (1854–1921), nationalist and anti-Parnellite MP for Kildare South (1892–1903), and Agnes Minch (née Hayden). He had…...
Molony, Helena
Molony, Helena (1883–1967), actress, republican, trade unionist, and feminist, was born 15 January 1883 at 8 Coles Lane, off Henry St., Dublin, the younger of one daughter and one son of Michael Moloney, grocer, of that address, and Catherine Moloney (née McGrath). Orphaned at an early…...
Moore, Garret
Moore, Garret (d. 1706?), soldier and politician, is said to have been born in 1600, but a later date is probable. He was the eldest son of Garret Moore, of Cloghan, King's Co., while his mother's name is unknown. His grandfather John Moore (d. 1631) was a landowner in Galway…...
Moore, Maurice George
Moore, Maurice George (1854–1939), soldier and politician, was born 10 August 1854 at Moore Hall, Ballyglass, Co. Mayo, second child among four sons and one daughter of George Henry Moore (qv), MP for Mayo and leader of the tenant…...
Morrissey, Daniel
Morrissey, Daniel (1895–1981), trade unionist, politician, and businessman, was born 28 November 1895 in Silver St., Nenagh, Co. Tipperary, one of three sons and one daughter of William Morrissey, carter-contractor, and Bridget Morrissey (née Gleeson). Educated at Nenagh…...
Moylan, Stephen
Moylan, Stephen (1734?–1811), soldier in the US army, was born in Co. Cork, son of John Moylan, a prominent catholic merchant. His father, socially restricted by the penal laws, was obliged to send his four sons to Paris for a catholic education. While Stephen's brother…...
Mulcahy, Patrick Anthony
Mulcahy, Patrick Anthony (1897–1987), soldier, was born 4 November 1897 at 70 Manor St., Waterford city, third youngest child among two sons and five daughters of Patrick Mulcahy, post office official, and his wife, Elizabeth, daughter of Patrick and Maria Slattery, also of…...
Mulcahy, Richard
Mulcahy, Richard (1886–1971), revolutionary and politician, was born 10 May 1886 at 70 Manor Street, Waterford, eldest son and second eldest among eight children of Patrick Mulcahy, post office clerk (d. 1923), and Elizabeth Mulcahy (née Slattery), both of Waterford. He was educated by…...
Murnaghan, George
Murnaghan, George (1847–1929), businessman, farmer, and politician, was born 4 July 1847 in Greenan, Loughbrickland, Co. Down, the fourth of nine children of James Murnaghan, a local farmer, and his wife Rose (née Mulligan). He attended the Royal School, Armagh, from 1864 to 1866,…...
Murphy, (John Francis) Desmond ('Jack')
Murphy, (John Francis) Desmond ('Jack') (1913–2005), military psychiatrist, was born 22 May 1913 in Kilrane, Rosslare Harbour, Co. Wexford, the son of Francis Murphy, a merchant, and his wife Annie (née Murphy). After attending Clongowes Wood College (1925–31), Murphy studied…...
Murphy, John ('Jack')
Murphy, John ('Jack') (1920–84), trade unionist, republican, and activist for the unemployed, was born near Synge Street in Dublin, third son among four sons and five daughters of Denis Murphy, a carpenter; his mother's forename was probably Mary. His father, a founding member in…...
Murphy, William Richard English
Murphy, William Richard English (1890–1975), teacher, soldier, schools’ inspector, general and police commissioner, was born on 26 January 1890 at Danescastle, Carrig on Bannow, Co. Wexford, son of John Joseph Murphy and Sarah Agnes (née English), both of whom were teachers. He had one…...
Nannetti, Joseph Patrick (‘J. P.’)
Nannetti, Joseph Patrick (‘J. P.’) (1851–1915), trade unionist and politician, was born 19 March 1851 in Dublin, son of Giacomo Nannetti, sculptor and modeller, of 6 Great Brunswick St. Educated at Baggot St. convent schools and CBS…...
Netterville, John
Netterville, John (d. 1659), 2nd Viscount Netterville of Dowth , army officer, and landowner, was eldest son of Nicholas Netterville (qv), Viscount Dowth, and his wife, Eleanor Bath of Athcarne, Co. Meath. John married (1623)…...
Nevin, Donal
Nevin, Donal (1924–2012), trade unionist and historian, was born on 20 January 1924 at 8 Cornmarket Row, Limerick, the home of his parents, Thomas Nevin, a cabinet maker, and his wife Alice. He was the second youngest of eight children (three girls and five boys). Nevin won a local…...