Herlihy, Nora
Herlihy, Nora (1910–88), founder of the Irish credit union movement, was born 27 February 1910 at Ballydesmond, Co. Cork, the third of twelve children of Denis Herlihy, a teacher, and Nora Herlihy (née Mulcahy). Having taught firstly in Belmullet, Co. Mayo, Nora's father was appointed…...
Hicks, James Joseph
Hicks, James Joseph (1837–1916), manufacturer of scientific instruments, was born 4 November 1837 at Rosscarbery, Co. Cork, the only son of George Hicks, flax worker and farmer, and Gillian Hicks (née Coakley), whose father owned the mill in which George worked. The second of…...
Higgins, Patrick ('Pat')
Higgins, Patrick ('Pat') (1923–2007), baker and businessman, was born on 5 August 1923 at the family home in Kilmore near the village of Kilkeely, Co. Mayo, one of four children of Patrick Higgins, farmer, and his wife Mary (née O'Grady). He worked in a number of bakeries in Mayo and…...
Hogan (Dilloughery), Austin
Hogan (Dilloughery), Austin (1906–74), trade unionist and communist, was born 22 May 1906 in Bogberry, Ennistymon, Co. Clare, fourth son among numerous children of Michael Dilloughery, native of Co. Clare, RIC pensioner (sergeant,…...
Holohan (Houlihan), Patrick (‘Paddy’)
Holohan (Houlihan), Patrick (‘Paddy’) (1897–1946), revolutionary nationalist and trade unionist, was born 2 October 1897 at 3 Terrace Place, off Bella St. in the Dublin north inner city, son of Patrick Holohan, labourer, and Bridget Holohan (née Burns). He joined the republican…...
Hughes, Bernard (‘Barney’)
Hughes, Bernard (‘Barney’) (1808–78), master baker, entrepreneur, and liberal reformer, was born 8 July 1808, second among eight children of Peter Hughes, probably a tradesman or labourer, and Catherine Hughes (née Quinn), of Blackwaterstown, near Armagh. Bernard, known as ‘Barney…...
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,…...
Humphries, Carmel Frances
Humphries, Carmel Frances (1909–86), zoologist, was born 3 June 1909 in Waterford city, the second youngest of three daughters and two sons of William Francis Humphries, an engineer, and Annie Humphries (née Palmer). Educated at the Ursuline convent, Waterford, and Loreto College, St…...
Hurley, Richard
Hurley, Richard (1932–2011), architect, was born in the family home at Vernon Avenue, Clontarf, Dublin, on 8 June 1932, the sixth child of four daughters and three sons of James Hurley, a professor of rural science in St Patrick's teacher training college in Drumcondra, Dublin, and…...
Jacob, Joshua
Jacob, Joshua (1801–77), quaker reformer and grocer, was born in Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, second son of Samuel Watson Jacob, merchant, and Mary Jacob (née Jackson). He was educated at Newtown school, Waterford; in Leeds, Yorkshire; and finally at Ballitore, Co. Kildare. After an…...
Jennings, Vincent
Jennings, Vincent (1937–2010), newspaper editor and executive, was born 26 March 1937 in Church Road, East Wall, Dublin, the youngest of five children of Patrick Jennings, a railway clerk, and his wife Maud (née Brett). His mother died when he was four and his father subsequently…...
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…...
Jones, Liam
Jones, Liam (1935–2000), stockbroker, was born 6 October 1935 in Liverpool, England, second son of two sons of William Jones and Molly Jones (née Barry), teacher, of Dublin. Following the death of his father (1936) shortly after his birth, the family returned to Dublin (1936)…...
Jones, Mary Harris (‘Mother Jones’)
Jones, Mary Harris (‘Mother Jones’) (1837?–1930), union organiser, was (according to baptismal records) born in July 1837 in Cork city; however, the year is disputed. Many details of her life come from The autobiography of Mother Jones (1925; 1974). She emigrated to North…...
Jordan, Jeremiah
Jordan, Jeremiah (1829–1911), businessman, land campaigner and MP, was born in the townland of Tattinbar, parish of Aghavea, Brookeborough, Co. Fermanagh, the eldest son of Samuel Jordan, tenant farmer, and his wife Elizabeth (née Warrell). He was 'a Wesleyan methodist of the third…...
Kane, Sir Robert John
Kane, Sir Robert John (1809–90), chemist and scientist, was born 24 September 1809 at 48 Henry St., Dublin, younger son of John Kean, chemist, and Eleanor Kean (née Troy), sister of Archbishop John Thomas Troy (qv). John Kean had…...
Kavanagh, James Blake
Kavanagh, James Blake (1822–86), priest, nationalist, and philosophical and scientific writer, was born in Kilballyowen, in the parish of Killaveny, Co. Wicklow, son of Thomas Kavanagh and Mary Kavanagh (née McDonald). He received his early education at St Peter's College, Wexford…...
Keane, John
Keane, John (1899–1971), chemist, was born 30 November 1899 in Dublin, the son of John Keane, of Gowerhass, Co. Clare, a customs and excise officer, and Ellen Keane (née McKenna). The eldest of three children, he had one brother (Conor) and one sister (Anne). He graduated from…...
Kearney, Denis
Kearney, Denis (1847–1907), labour activist in America, was born 1 February 1847 at Oakmount, Co. Cork, second son among seven children. Orphaned, he left home (1858) to go to sea, eventually reaching the rank of first officer on an American steamer. Ten years later he visited San…...
Kelly, Rosaline
Kelly, Rosaline (1922–2013), union official and media professional, was born on 27 November 1922 to Laurence Kelly, an insurance agent, and Ellen Kelly (née Fogarty) of 2 Sandyford Terrace, Drogheda, Co. Louth. Rosaline attended primary school at St Patrick's and St Philomena's in…...
Kelly, Thomas
Kelly, Thomas (1868–1942), politician and book dealer, was born 13 September 1868 in Dublin, son of Isaac Kelly, waiter, and Sarah Kelly (née Pitts), of Townsend St., Dublin. Educated intermittently at CBS Westland Row (1874–86), he…...
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…...
Kenny, Desmond Warren
Kenny, Desmond Warren (1917–91), co-founder of Kenny's Bookshop and Art Gallery, was born 13 October 1917 in Galway city, second son and fourth among six children of Cork-born Thomas Joseph Warren Kenny, founding editor of the Connacht Tribune newspapers, and Katherine…...
Kenny, Kevin John
Kenny, Kevin John (1881–1954), advertising pioneer, commercial manager and publisher, was born on 22 June 1881 at 12 Upper Dorset Street, Dublin, one of eight children of Michael C. Kenny, a lithographic printer and Fenian, and Catherine Kenny (née Fleming), a book-folder (cloth…...
Kenny, Sean
Kenny, Sean (1932–73), set designer and architect, was born John Noel Kenny on 23 December 1932 in Portroe, Co. Tipperary, eldest among nine sons of Thomas Joseph Kenny, builder and former IRA man, and Nora Kenny (née Gleeson). He was educated…...