Kelly, David
Kelly, David (1929–2012), actor, was born on 11 July 1929 in the Rotunda hospital, Dublin, the son of Edward Kelly, a clerk, and his wife Hannah (née O'Connor). He grew up in Dublin, first in Fairview and then Clonskeagh, and attended Synge Street…...
Kelly, (Patrick) Colm
Kelly, (Patrick) Colm (1925–2002), director of Athlone Drama Festival, was born 19 January 1925 in Dysart, Co. Roscommon, youngest son in a family of seven sons and one daughter of Denis Joseph Kelly and his wife Fanny Lucy (née Power or Le Poer), who was born in Devonshire, England…...
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…...
Keon, Miles
Keon, Miles (1738?–p.1805), catholic gentleman, was born in or before 1738, a son of Gerald or Garret or George Keon (the records differ) and his wife Ellinor (née Dermott or MacDermott). The Keons were numerous in Co. Leitrim. A member of a protestant line, Robert Keon,…...
King, Richard
King, Richard (1907–74), stained-glass artist and illustrator, was born 7 July 1907 in Castlebar, Co. Mayo, elder of two sons of John J. King, sergeant in the RIC, and Margaret King (née Brereton). He was educated by the De la Salle…...
Kyan, Esmond
Kyan, Esmond (c.1750–1798), United Irish commander and landowner, was born probably in Co. Wexford, fourth son of Howard Kyan (d. 1804) of Mount Howard, near Ferns, Co. Wexford, and of Ballymurtagh and Mount Pleasant, Co. Wicklow. His father, a catholic landowner, was…...
Laffan, William Mackay
Laffan, William Mackay (1848–1909), journalist, newspaper owner, and art connoisseur, was born 24 January 1848 at 41 Philipsburgh Avenue, Clontarf, Dublin, eldest of six children of Michael Laffan, clerk in the Custom House, and Ellen Sarah Laffan (née Fitzgibbon). William's…...
Lambert, Eugene
Lambert, Eugene (1928–2010), puppeteer and entertainer, was born in spring 1928 in Bayview Terrace, Sligo, one of two sons and one daughter in the family of John Malachy ('Jack') Lambert (d. 1943), county librarian of Sligo, and Eileen Lambert (née O'Connor; d. 1985). His mother had…...
La Rue, Danny
La Rue, Danny (1927–2009), female impersonator and entertainer, was born Daniel Patrick Carroll on 26 July 1927 at 10 Horgan's Buildings, Cork, the youngest of five children of Thomas Carroll (1895–1929), a carpenter, and his wife Mary Anne (née Dennehy) (1897–1976), a seamstress. He…...
Lavery, Sir John
Lavery, Sir John (1856–1941), portrait painter, was born 20 March 1856 in Belfast, son of Henry Lavery, a poor wine-and-spirit merchant who embarked in Liverpool (1859) on the emigrant clipper Pomona with the object of establishing himself in the United States. The…...
Lawless, Matthew James
Lawless, Matthew James (1837–64), painter, was born in Dublin, son of Barry Edward Lawless, barrister, of 13 Harcourt St., Dublin, and Jane Magdelene Lawless (née Byrne). He was educated at Prior School, Bath, England, where illness affected his hearing and left him in frail health…...
Lawless, Sir Nicholas
Lawless, Sir Nicholas (1733–99), woollen draper, banker, MP, and 1st Baron Cloncurry , was born 30 October 1733, eldest son of Robert Lawless (d. 1775), woollen draper, of 2 High St., the Liberties, Dublin, and his wife Mary, daughter of Dominick Hadsor and widow of Robert…...
Leavy, (Mary) Patricia ('Pat') (née Judge)
Leavy, (Mary) Patricia ('Pat') (née Judge) (1936–2003), actress, was born on 27 July 1936 in a nursing home at 12 Upper Leeson Street, Dublin, daughter of Edmund Judge, a commercial traveller in drapery, of The Downes, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, who died in a car accident on 22 December…...
Leeson, Margaret (‘Peg’)
Leeson, Margaret (‘Peg’) (1727–97), prostitute, brothel-keeper, and memoirist, was born Margaret Plunket at Killough, Co. Westmeath, one of eight surviving children of Matthew Plunket, a wealthy farmer, and his wife, whose maiden name was O'Reilly. Most of what is known about Margaret…...
Lehane, Con
Lehane, Con (1912–83), republican, politician, solicitor and actor, was born in Belfast on 7 May 1912, the only surviving child of Denis Lehane (Donncadh Ó Liatháinn), an excise officer originally from Co. Cork, and his wife Mary (née Connolly), a native of the Falls Road in Belfast…...
Le Jeune, James George
Le Jeune, James George (1910–83), painter, was born 24 May 1910 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, son of Anthony Le Jeune, musician, of French and English descent; his mother (whose name is unknown) was Irish. When he was 2 years old the family moved to Brittany, France, where…...
Linnane, Joe
Linnane, Joe (1910–81), broadcaster and actor, was born 19 April 1910 in Marlborough Street, Dublin, the son of Thomas Linnane, who owned and ran a drapery in Marlborough Street, and his wife Johanna (Josephine) (née Lambe). The family subsequently moved to Sandymount Avenue, Dublin,…...
Lynch, Joseph Lawrence (‘Joe’)
Lynch, Joseph Lawrence (‘Joe’) (1926–2001), actor and singer, was born 16 July 1926 in Mallow, Co. Cork, son of Jim Lynch, engine driver, and Madge Lynch (née Delany), bookbinder. He was educated at the North Monastery CBS in Cork city and…...
Lynch, Mary Concepta
Lynch, Mary Concepta (1874–1939), artist and Dominican nun, was born Lilly Lynch in Dublin, daughter of Thomas Joseph Lynch, a renowned Dublin illuminator who had a studio in Middle Abbey St. and later at 31 Grafton St.; nothing is known of her mother. Her father was at the…...
Mac Cana, Somhairle (Soirle)
Mac Cana, Somhairle (Soirle) (1901–75), artist, was born Samuel Malachy McCann on 23 November 1901 in Grace Street, Belfast, son of J. P. McCann, cabinetmaker, and Mary Jane McCann (née Riddell). He was educated by the Christian Brothers and in 1915 was apprenticed as textile designer…...
MacCarthy, Callaghan
MacCarthy, Callaghan (d. 1676), 3rd earl of Clancarty , nobleman, was born in Ireland in the late 1630s, the son of Donough MacCarthy (qv) (1594–1665), 1st earl of Clancarty, of Macroom, Co. Cork, and Eleanor Butler, sister of…...
MacCarthy, Dermod Moyle (Diarmaid Maol)
MacCarthy, Dermod Moyle (Diarmaid Maol) (d. 1602), Gaelic chief, was the younger son of Donogh (Donnchadh) MacCarthy Reagh of Carbery, Co. Cork, and Johanna, daughter of Maurice fitz John Fitzgerald of Carrigaline Castle, sister of…...
MacCarthy, Donogh
MacCarthy, Donogh (1668–1734), 4th earl of Clancarty , soldier and Jacobite, was born in Blarney, Co. Cork, only son of Callaghan MacCarthy (qv) (second son of Donough MacCarthy (…...
MacCarthy, Donough
MacCarthy, Donough (1594–1665), 2nd Viscount Muskerry, 1st earl of Clancarty , soldier and politician, was second (but first surviving) son of Cormac Oge MacCarthy, 1st Viscount Muskerry, and Margaret, daughter of Donough O'Brien, 4th earl of …...