McGuire, Edward Augustine
McGuire, Edward Augustine (1901–92), businessman, politician, painter, and sportsman, was born at his grandfather's home in Tramore, Co Waterford on 28 August 1901, the eldest of five sons (one son died in infancy) and two daughters of…...
Moloney, William Joseph
Moloney, William Joseph (1885–1968), linguist and journalist, was born at South Hill Cottage in Limerick city on 28 May 1885, son of Patrick Moloney, a commercial traveller, and his wife Kate (née McCoy). He was educated in the Redemptorist College there, and in 1900 he attained first…...
Moore, Kieron
Moore, Kieron (1924–2007), actor and catholic activist, was born Ciarán Ó hAnnracháin in Skibbereen, Co. Cork, on 5 October 1924, one of four sons and two daughters of the Gaelic Leaguer and political activist Peadar Ó hAnnracháin (1873–1965) and his wife Máire Ní Dheasúna (Desmond) (…...
Morphy, Garret
Morphy, Garret (c.1655–1716?), portrait painter, was probably born and educated in Ireland. His familial origins are obscure. His earliest works, from c.1676, are similar in style to Gaspar Smitz, who was working in Ireland at this time. It is possible that…...
Morris, Frank
Morris, Frank (1928–70), sculptor, was born 8 November 1928 in Arklow, Co. Wicklow, son of Edward Morris, convert to catholicism and draughtsman with the civil service, and Catherine Morris (née Collins). The family moved to Dublin in the mid 1930s and lived at 93 Ranelagh Road…...
Mossop, William
Mossop, William (1751–1805), and his son William Stephen (1788–1827), engravers and designers of medals, were born in Dublin. William Mossop was born as William Browne; when he was a child, his father (a Roman catholic) died and his mother – after her second marriage to William Mossop (…...
Mulcahy, John Augustine (‘Jack’)
Mulcahy, John Augustine (‘Jack’) (1906–94), industrialist, businessman, and philanthropist, was born 26 August 1906 at Dungarvan, Co. Waterford, fifth among twelve children of Patrick Mulcahy, town clerk of Waterford , and Mary Mulcahy (née O'Shea). He was educated locally in the…...
Mulchinock, John
Mulchinock, John (1781?–1863), merchant and benefactor, was the son of Nicholas and Christiana Mulchinock, and was baptised into the Church of Ireland in Tralee, Co. Kerry, on 2 March 1781. Nothing is known for certain of his early life but, as a young man, he may have been at sea…...
Mulready, William
Mulready, William (1786–1863), painter, was born 1 April 1786 in Ennis, Co. Clare, the only son and only surviving child of Michael Mulready, maker of leather breeches. His mother's name remains unknown. In 1788 the family moved to Dublin, leaving soon afterwards for London, where…...
Murphy, James Vincent
Murphy, James Vincent (1880–1946), journalist and translator, was born 7 July 1880 at Bandon, Co. Cork, the third of seven children of Timothy Murphy, farmer, and his wife Hannah (née Sullivan). He was educated locally, then at the diocesan minor seminary, and finally at St Patrick's…...
Murphy, John
Murphy, John (c.1755–1832), engraver and educational publisher, was born in Cork city and reared in its northern suburbs, around Mallow Lane. At the age of seventeen he emigrated to London, led by his ‘predilection for the Fine Arts and a desire to cultivate an inclination for…...
Murphy, Seamus
Murphy, Seamus (1907–75), sculptor, was born 15 July 1907 at Greenhill, Burnfort, near Mallow, Co. Cork, one of five sons of James Murphy, engine driver, and Margaret Murphy (née Sheehan); four daughters died in infancy. While he was still a young child the family moved to Cork city…...
Nolan, Christopher
Nolan, Christopher (1965–2009), writer and advocate for the disabled, was born 6 September 1965 in the county hospital in Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, second and youngest child (he had an elder sister) of Joseph Nolan, psychiatric nurse and small farmer, and his wife Bernadette (née Martin…...
Ó Briain, Liam
Ó Briain, Liam (1888–1974), republican, scholar of Romance languages, and Irish-language enthusiast, was born 16 September 1888 at 10 Church Street, North Wall, Dublin, seventh child of Arthur O'Brien, clerk, and Mary O'Brien (née Christie), who was from Co. Meath. He was christened…...
O'Brien, Denis Thomas
O'Brien, Denis Thomas (1736?–1814), merchant, catholic politician, and benefactor, was the younger son of Thomas O'Brien (d. 1756) of Fairfield, near Ahascragh, Co. Galway, and his wife Mary (1710?–83), a daughter of Christopher French of Tyrone, Co. Galway. Thomas was in business as a…...
O'Brien, Francis Cruise
O'Brien, Francis Cruise (1885–1927), journalist, author, and cooperationist, was born 18 November 1885, at 6 Grantham St., Dublin, one of two children of John Cruise O’Brien, a law clerk, and Mary Cruise O’Brien (née Lally); his sister, Cathleen, married the novelist…...
O'Connell, Peter (Ó Conaill, Peadar)
O'Connell, Peter (Ó Conaill, Peadar) (1755–1826), schoolmaster and lexicographer, was born at Carne, Killimer, Co. Clare (a townland latterly designated as Carrowdotia, on the Shannon estuary 8 km east of Kilrush), one of four sons and two daughters of Tadhg Ó Conaill and Áine Ó Conaill…...
O'Conor, Roderic Anthony
O'Conor, Roderic Anthony (1860–1940), artist, was born 17 October 1860 in Miltown, Co. Roscommon, second child and eldest son of Roderic Joseph O'Conor, barrister and high sheriff (1863) of Co. Roscommon, and Eleanor Mary O'Conor (née Browne) of Co. Meath. The O'Conors were a…...
O'Conway, Matthias James
O'Conway, Matthias James (1766–1842), linguist and lexicographer, was born 3 February 1766 in Galway, son of Matthew O'Conway (who was according to one source a ‘merchant’ of that city) and his wife Elizabeth O'Hogan. We know of only one other sibling, an older brother, John. A native…...
O'Flanagan, Theophilus
O'Flanagan, Theophilus (c.1762–1814), classical and Irish scholar, was born in the parish of Tulla, Co. Clare, son of Mathghamhain Ó Flannagáin, scribe and hedge-schoolmaster. He was baptised Tadhg but later on entering TCD…...
O'Hanlon, Paddy (Patrick Michael)
O'Hanlon, Paddy (Patrick Michael) (1944–2009), political activist, community worker, barrister and author, was born in Drogheda, Co. Louth, on 8 May 1944, second of seven children of Paddy O'Hanlon, butcher and Old IRA veteran, and his wife Margaret (née Grant). Both parents came from…...
Ó hUallacháin, Colmán
Ó hUallacháin, Colmán (1922–79), educator, linguist, Irish-language activist and priest, was born Liam Holohan on 8 December 1922 in Dublin, eldest among four sons and two daughters of Garry Holohan (Gearóid Ó hUallacháin) (1894–1967), imprisoned republican soldier, and latterly an…...
O'Leary, Con
O'Leary, Con (1915–98), pioneer of the co-operative movement, was born 18 May 1915 in Glendine, Inchigeela, west Co. Cork, son of Daniel O'Leary, farmer, and Kate O'Leary (née Barrett). He was educated at the local national school, before being forced to leave school to work on…...
O'Mahony, Donal
O'Mahony, Donal (1936–2010), Capuchin priest and activist for social justice, was born on 2 August 1936 in Blackrock, Cork, son of Jeremiah O'Mahony and his wife Ellen (née Walsh). He was educated at Rochestown College, and then trained as a sports journalist with the Irish…...
O'Malley, Tony (Anthony)
O'Malley, Tony (Anthony) (1913–2003), painter, was born 25 September 1913 in Bridge Street, Callan, Co. Kilkenny, eldest of two sons and two daughters of Patrick O'Malley, a commercial traveller for Singer sewing machines, and his wife Margaret (née Ryan), from the Callan area, who…...