Farquhar, George
Farquhar, George (1677?–1707), playwright, was born in Derry, son of an anglican clergyman (his parents’ names are unknown), and educated in Derry at the Free Grammar School under Ellis Walker. The details of Farquhar's life remain scanty, in spite of his fame, and modern scholars have…...
Farrell, James Gordon
Farrell, James Gordon (1935–79), novelist, was born 23 January 1935 in Liverpool, England, second of three sons of William Farrell, broker's clerk and accountant, and Josephine Farrell (née Russell), born in Ireland of an English timber dealer. He moved with his family to…...
Field, John
Field, John (1782–1837), pianist and composer, was born 16 or 26 July 1782 in Golden Lane, Dublin, and baptised at St Werburgh's church on 5 September. He was the eldest son of a Dublin couple, Robert Field, a theatre violinist (himself the son of John Field, a professional organist…...
Fitzgerald, (Fanny Louisa) Geraldine Penrose-
Fitzgerald, (Fanny Louisa) Geraldine Penrose- (1846–1939), novelist and catholic convert, was born 27 January 1846, youngest daughter of Robert Uniacke Penrose-Fitzgerald and his wife Frances Matilda (née Austen); she had at least three brothers and one sister. The Penrose-…...
French, (William) Percy
French, (William) Percy (1854–1920), songwriter, humourist, entertainer, and painter, was born 1 May 1854 in Cloonyquin House, parish of Tulsk, Co. Roscommon, second son and third child among four sons and five daughters of Christopher French (1821–97), landowner, and Susan Emma French…...
Gahan, (Winifred) Muriel Françoise
Gahan, (Winifred) Muriel Françoise (1897–1995), promoter of cooperation and traditional crafts, was born 27 October 1897 at Magherabeg House, near Donegal town, the second daughter of (Fredrick George) Townsend Gahan, a civil engineer with the Congested Districts Board, and…...
Geary (Garry), Thomas Augustine (Timothy)
Geary (Garry), Thomas Augustine (Timothy) (1775–1801), composer, was born in Dublin in 1775 (his date of birth is sometimes given as 1772), the son of Timothy Garry (senior). Geary (who signed himself ‘Timothy Garry’ at the age of fifteen) later adopted the first names Thomas Augustine…...
Gibbon, (William) Monk
Gibbon, (William) Monk (1896–1987), poet and writer, was born 15 December 1896 in Dundrum, Co. Dublin, son of Canon William Gibbon, a rural dean in Taney parish, Dundrum, and Agnes Gibbon (née Pollock), who had four children from a previous marriage. Gibbon was educated at St Columba's…...
Goldsmith, Oliver
Goldsmith, Oliver (1728–74), poet, essayist, dramatist, and novelist, was born 10 November 1728 at Pallas, Co. Longford (though 1729 and 1730 have also been suggested for the year of his birth, and Lissoy, Co. Westmeath, for its location) He was the second of five sons (and three…...
Goodman, James (Séamus Gudman)
Goodman, James (Séamus Gudman) (1828–96), clergyman, Irish-language scholar, and music collector, was born 22 September 1828 at Ballyameen near Dingle, Co. Kerry, second son among five sons and four daughters of Thomas Chute Goodman, clergyman, and Mary Goodman (née Gorham). Brought up…...
Goulding, Sir William Basil
Goulding, Sir William Basil (1909–82), 3rd baronet, businessman and modernist, was born 4 November 1909 at Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin, the elder of two sons of Sir William Lingard Amphlett Goulding (qv) and his wife Nesta Violet (née Wright). Educated at Winchester…...
Graves, Alfred Perceval
Graves, Alfred Perceval (1846–1931), writer, folklorist, and schools inspector, was born 22 July 1846 at 12 Fitzwilliam Square, Dublin, the second son of nine children of Charles Graves (qv), clergyman and mathematician, and Selina…...
Graves, Clotilde Inez Mary (‘Richard Dehan’)
Graves, Clotilde Inez Mary (‘Richard Dehan’) (1863–1932), novelist, dramatist, and journalist, was born 3 June 1863 at Buttevant barracks, Co. Cork, the third daughter of Major W. H. Graves and Antoinette Graves (née Deane). Her father was a cousin of the journalist and critic…...
Gregory, (William) Robert
Gregory, (William) Robert (1881–1918), painter, theatre designer, sportsman, and airman, was born 20 May 1881 in London, only child of Sir William Gregory (qv) of Coole Park, Co. Galway, and his second wife, Isabella Augusta…...
Grierson (Crawley), Constantia
Grierson (Crawley), Constantia (c.1705–1732), editor, scholar, and one of Swift's female literary circle, was born Constantia Crawley in Graiguenamanagh, Co. Kilkenny, into a poor family. Little is known of her early life or education, save from the memoirs of her friend…...
Groves, Edward Kelly
Groves, Edward Kelly (1776/7–c.1854), clergyman, writer, and political activist, was born in Dublin, son of James Groves, attorney, and Grace Groves (née Kelly). Educated initially by private tutor, he entered TCD (January 1790…...
Gwynn, Stephen Lucius
Gwynn, Stephen Lucius (1864–1950), man of letters, politician, and soldier, was born 13 February 1864 at St Columba's College, Rathfarnham, Dublin, eldest child of John Gwynn (qv), warden of St Columba's and later professor of divinity Trinity…...
Halloran (O'Halloran), Laurence Hynes
Halloran (O'Halloran), Laurence Hynes (1765–1831), schoolmaster, clergyman, writer, and forger, was born 29 December 1765 in Co. Meath. Orphaned while still a young child, he was raised by his uncle, Judge William Gregory, before attending Westminster School. In 1785 he opened a…...
Halpin, Nicholas John
Halpin, Nicholas John (1790–1850), clergyman and writer, was born 18 October 1790 at Portarlington, Queen's Co. (Laois), son of William Halpin, gentleman. He entered TCD in 1810 and, in a distinguished career there, showed a talent for…...
Hamilton, Edwin
Hamilton, Edwin (1849–1919), writer and editor, was born 14 April 1849, the only son of the Rev. Hugh Hamilton (1811–84), curate (1840–50) of Balbriggan and vicar (1844–72) of Balscadden, both in Co. Dublin, and his wife, Charlotte Mary, daughter of the Rev. Henry Ormsby. He was…...
Hamilton, Gustavus
Hamilton, Gustavus (c.1739–1775), miniaturist, was one of the younger children of the Rev. Gustavus Hamilton, vicar of Errigal in the diocese of Clogher, rector of Gallen, Co. Meath, and formerly curate in Enniskillen in 1721–2, when he married his wife Jane (née Cathcart…...
Hammond, David Andrew ('Davy')
Hammond, David Andrew ('Davy') (1928–2008), singer, folklorist, television producer and documentary maker, was born on 5 December 1928 in Miss Kells's nursing home on the Castlereagh Road in Belfast, the son of Leslie Hammond, a tram driver, and his wife Annie (née Lamont). His parents…...
Hannay, James Owen (‘George A. Birmingham’)
Hannay, James Owen (‘George A. Birmingham’) (1865–1950), novelist and Church of Ireland clergyman, was born 16 July 1865 in Belfast, son of Robert Hannay, Church of Ireland rector of St Anne's, Belfast, and his wife Emily (née Wynne). Hannay experienced a strongly evangelical upbringing…...
Hardy, Edward John
Hardy, Edward John (1849–1920), Church of Ireland clergyman and author, was born 7 May 1849 in Armagh, one of at least two children of the Rev. James Hardy (c.1814–1874), perpetual curate of Moylary, Co. Louth, and Sarah Hardy (née Harden). Educated at Royal School,…...
Harnett, Dorothy Grace
Harnett, Dorothy Grace (Waring , Dorothy Gainsborough) (1891–1977), fascist and novelist, was born in Woolwich, London, only child of Col. Henry Waring, a Royal Artillery officer from an east Co. Down gentry family, and his wife Florence. Much of her childhood was spent in Malta and…...