MacGeoghegan, James
MacGeoghegan, James (1702–63), historian and priest, was probably born near Uisneach, Co. Westmeath, son of a prosperous catholic farmer. Educated from an early age in France, he studied at Rheims, where he obtained distinction in his theological studies, and on his ordination he…...
MacLysaght, Edward Anthony Edgeworth
MacLysaght, Edward Anthony Edgeworth (1887–1986), farmer, horticulturist, poet, novelist, senator, historian, and genealogist, was born 6 November 1887 at Flax Bourton, Somerset, the elder of the two sons of Sidney Royse Lysaght, novelist, poet, and businessman, and his wife, Kathrine,…...
MacNeill, Eoin (John)
MacNeill, Eoin (John) (1867–1945), Gaelic scholar and nationalist politician, was born 15 May 1867 in Glenarm, Co. Antrim, sixth of eight children of Archibald MacNeill, baker, sailor and merchant, and his wife Rosetta (née Macauley). Family background and education MacNeill was…...
MacNevin, Thomas
MacNevin, Thomas (1814–48), Young Irelander, journalist, and historian, was born 17 May 1814 in Dublin, eldest son of Daniel MacNevin, solicitor and native of Loughrea, Co. Galway, and his second wife, Amelia (née Foster), of Ashfield, Gort, Co Galway. Before moving to Dublin, his…...
MacSwiney, Patrick John
MacSwiney, Patrick John (1885–1940), catholic priest, Gaelic scholar, antiquarian, historian and teacher, was born on 16 March 1885 in 40 Nile Street (latterly Sheares Street), Cork city, the son of Terence McSweeney (b. 1847), a bootmaker, and his wife Hannah (née McCarthy; b. 1848…...
Mac Thomáis, Éamonn
Mac Thomáis, Éamonn (1927–2002), author, local historian, and republican, was born Edward Patrick Thomas on 13 January 1927 in an apartment above Rathmines fire station, Dublin, son of James Heather Thomas, a chief fire brigade officer, and Alice Thomas (née Kavanagh). The family's…...
Madden (Maddyn), Daniel Owen
Madden (Maddyn), Daniel Owen (1815–59), writer, was born in Mallow, Co. Cork, the only son of Owen Madden, Cork merchant, and Margaret Madden (née Quain). He was educated in Cork and worked for a time as a merchant before enrolling in King's Inns in 1838. Over the next four…...
Madden, Richard Robert
Madden, Richard Robert (1798–1886), medical man, traveller, anti-slavery campaigner, government official, and historian of the United Irishmen, was born 20 August 1798 at 6 Wormwood Gate, Dublin, the youngest of the 21 children of a prosperous silk manufacturer, Edward Madden (1739–1829…...
Magee, John ('Jack')
Magee, John ('Jack') (1914–93), historian and teacher, was born 11 December 1914 in Belfast, son of Francis Magee, a fireman and later an engine driver on the Great Northern Railway, and his wife Mary; he had at least one brother and a sister. His father was transferred to Clones, Co.…...
Malone, Sylvester
Malone, Sylvester (1822–1906), priest, ecclesiastical historian, and Irish-language enthusiast, was born in the parish of Kilmally, Co. Clare, son of Jeremiah Malone and Mary Malone (neé Slattery). A fluent Irish-speaker since his youth, he was educated at Maynooth and ordained in 1853…...
Martin, Francis Xavier
Martin, Francis Xavier (1922–2000), historian, was born 2 October 1922 in Ballylongford, Co. Kerry, youngest son among five sons and five daughters of Conor Martin, medical practitioner, and Katherine Martin (née Fitzmaurice). Three of his four brothers also became priests,…...
McCarthy, Charles James (C. J. )
McCarthy, Charles James (C. J. ) (1858–1947), architect, was born on 8 December 1858 in Dublin, the only son of four children of James Joseph McCarthy (qv), architect, and his wife Agnes Mary (née Byrne; 1819–85). Charles served…...
McCarthy, James Joseph
McCarthy, James Joseph (1817–82), architect and nationalist, was born 6 January 1817 in Dublin, son of Charles McCarthy, possibly of Co. Kerry, whose family circumstances, like much of James's early life, remain obscure. The McCarthys appear to have been poor, having an address at…...
McCarthy, Justin
McCarthy, Justin (1830–1912), journalist, historian, and politician, was born 22 November 1830 into a catholic family at Dunmanway, Co. Cork, second child and elder son of Michael Francis McCarthy (d. 1864), chief clerk to the Cork city magistrates, and Ellen McCarthy (née…...
McCarthy, Michael Donald (‘Dónal Mac’)
McCarthy, Michael Donald (‘Dónal Mac’) (1908–80), statistician and university administrator, was born 4 June 1908 in Midleton, Co. Cork, son of Michael McCarthy, labourer, and Margaret McCarthy (née Murphy). His early education was at the CBS…...
McCormick, Liam
McCormick, Liam (1916–96), architect, was born William Henry Dunleavy McCormick on 24 October 1916 at 25 Clarendon St., Derry city, son of Hugh McCormick, a prosperous dentist, and Mary Christina McCormick (née Breslin). His parents came from prominent, prosperous catholic…...
McCoy, Gerard Anthony Hayes-
McCoy, Gerard Anthony Hayes- (1911–75), historian, was born 15 August 1911, third child of Thomas McCoy and Mary Kathleen McCoy (née Wallace), in Galway city, where he received his early education from the Patrician brothers. A mild-mannered person of liberal catholic convictions…...
McEnery, Michael Joseph
McEnery, Michael Joseph (1858–1940), archivist, antiquarian, deputy keeper of the Public Record Office of Ireland, was born on 1 January 1858 in Ballintober East, Kileedy parish, Co. Limerick. He was the eldest of eleven children of Thomas McEnery, Ballintober East, and Mary McEnery (…...
McGauley, James William
McGauley, James William (d. 1867), priest, scientist, and inventor, was apparently born into a Roman catholic family in Dublin, and is said to have been the son of a carpenter; it is possible he was in some way related to the family of the Venerable…...
McGinley, Thomas Colin
McGinley, Thomas Colin (1830?–1887), schoolmaster and antiquary, was born probably at Meenacross (a family stronghold), Glencolumbkille, Co. Donegal, possibly the only child of a father who died when the infant Thomas was six months old, leaving his wife Catherine McGinley (née…...
McGregor, John James
McGregor, John James (c.1773–1834), historian and topographer, was born 24 February c.1773 in Limerick city, the seventh son and youngest of seventeen children (many of whom did not survive to adulthood) of John McGregor (d. 1796), native of Scotland, probably by…...
McKenna, Lambert (Mac Cionnaith, Láimhbheartach)
McKenna, Lambert (Mac Cionnaith, Láimhbheartach) (1870–1956), Irish-language scholar and catholic social thinker, was born 16 July 1870 in Clontarf, Co. Dublin, son of Andrew McKenna, accountant, and Mary McKenna (née Lambert). Having attended Belvedere College, Dublin, he entered the…...
McLaughlin, Thomas Anthony
McLaughlin, Thomas Anthony (1896–1971), engineer and originator of the Shannon scheme, was born 14 June 1896 in Dublin Road, Drogheda, Co. Louth, son of Peter McLaughlin, excise officer, and Sarah McLaughlin (née McCabe). Having graduated from…...
Meehan, Charles Patrick
Meehan, Charles Patrick (1812–90), priest and historian, was born 12 July 1812 at 141 Great Britain (latterly Parnell) St., Dublin. His father, a native of Manorhamilton, Co. Leitrim, was a prosperous farmer at Ballymahon, Co. Longford. Charles received his early education in a…...
Meenan, James Francis
Meenan, James Francis (1910–87), barrister-at-law, political economist, and writer, was born 18 October 1910 in Dublin, eldest of three sons and one daughter of Dr James Nahor Meenan (qv), professor of medicine at…...