McGoldrick, Hubert Vincent
McGoldrick, Hubert Vincent (1897–1967), stained-glass artist, was born in Rathgar, Dublin, youngest son of James McGoldrick, commercial traveller, and Margaret Letitia McGoldrick (née Mullen), and was educated at the CBS, Synge St.,…...
McGrath, William
McGrath, William (1916–91), loyalist and paedophile, was born 11 December 1916 in Belfast, son of Abraham McGrath and Jane McGrath (née Warrington). McGrath came from a methodist background; in later years he worked with presbyterian and Free Presbyterian churches while operating as a…...
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…...
McKenna, Siobhán
McKenna, Siobhán (1922–86), actor and theatre director, was born 24 May 1922 at 28 St James's Park, off the Falls Road, Belfast, Co. Antrim, the second daughter of Margaret (Gretta) O'Reilly from Loch Gamhna, Co. Longford, and her husband, Eoghan McKenna (b. Millstreet, Co. Cork, 1892)…...
McKenna, Thomas Patrick ('T. P.')
McKenna, Thomas Patrick ('T. P.') (1929–2011), actor, was born on 7 September 1929 in Mullagh, Co. Cavan, the eldest of ten children of Raphael ('Ralph') McKenna, an auctioneer and merchant, and his wife Mae. After attending Mullagh national school, he boarded at St Patrick's College,…...
Mitchel, Charles Gerald
Mitchel, Charles Gerald (1920–96), actor and broadcaster, was born 8 November 1920 at Montpelier Manor, Monkstown, Co. Dublin, third among four children of Albert David Mitchel, manufacturer of religious goods, and Netta Mitchel (née Fitzgerald), also a company director, from…...
Molloy, Dorothy (Mary)
Molloy, Dorothy (Mary) (1942–2004), poet, painter and journalist, was born 10 June 1942 in Ballina, Co. Mayo, third child of Patrick Molloy, who was in the building trade, and his wife Kathleen, known as Doris (née Murphy). The family of two daughters and three sons moved to Dublin…...
Moloney, Helen
Moloney, Helen (1926–2011), artist in stained glass and other media, was born 2 January 1926 in Henry Street, Tipperary town; she and her twin sister Mary (O'Halpin) were the eldest among four daughters and one son of James Moloney (1896–1981) and his wife Katherine (Kathleen)…...
Molony, Helena
Molony, Helena (1883–1967), actress, republican, trade unionist, and feminist, was born 15 January 1883 at 8 Coles Lane, off Henry St., Dublin, the younger of one daughter and one son of Michael Moloney, grocer, of that address, and Catherine Moloney (née McGrath). Orphaned at an early…...
Montgomery, James
Montgomery, James (1870–1943), filmcensor, was born 8 October 1870 in Dublin, son of Thomas Montgomery and Mary Montgomery (née Dempsey), of Lime St., Dublin. Educated at CBS, Westland Row, he worked on the engineering staff of the…...
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) (…...
Morgan, Dermot
Morgan, Dermot (1952–98), comedian, was born 31 March 1952 in a nursing home at 7 Herbert Place, Dublin, third child and elder son among two sons and two daughters of Donnchadh Morgan (d. 1974, suddenly in his early 50s), a civil servant, native of Thurles, Co. Tipperary, and Hildegarde…...
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 (…...
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, Arthur
Murphy, Arthur (1727–1805), dramatist, actor, and lawyer, was born 27 December 1727 at his mother's family home at Cloonyquin, Co. Roscommon, the fifth (and second surviving) child of Richard Murphy, a prosperous Dublin merchant, and his wife, Jane (née French) (d. 1761). Following…...
Murphy, Edmund
Murphy, Edmund (d. p.1682), priest and informer, was a native of Co. Armagh. Nothing is known of his early life. In 1670, when Oliver Plunkett (qv) took up his duties as archbishop of Armagh, Murphy was parish priest of…...
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, Patrick
Murphy, Patrick (1834–62), ‘world's tallest man’ and fairground performer, was born 15 June 1834 in Killowen, Co. Down, son of James Murphy (d. c.1850), smallholder, and Peggy Murphy (née Cunningham). There was nothing exceptional about his physique as a child. An…...
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…...
Nedley, Thomas
Nedley, Thomas (1819–99), surgeon and wit, was born in Dublin; nothing is known of his family background. Educated at Castleknock College, he then went to Scotland to study medicine and was made a licentiate of the Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh (1851). In August 1856 he…...
Ní Chanainn (Ní Cheanainn) (Cannon), Áine
Ní Chanainn (Ní Cheanainn) (Cannon), Áine (1907–99), headmistress and co-founder of Cumann Scannán na nÓg, was born Annie Delia Cannon on 22 October 1907 in Derryvea, Kiltimagh, Co. Mayo, daughter of Michael Cannon, farmer and shopkeeper, and his wife Annie (née Kelly). She received…...
Niland, Nora
Niland, Nora (1912–88), Sligo county librarian and founder of the Sligo municipal art collection, was born 21 March 1912 in Galway, eighth child among six sons and three daughters of John Niland, of Ballinastack, Tuam, Co. Galway, railway worker and small farmer, and his wife Elizabeth…...
Norcott, William
Norcott, William (1773?–1820), barrister, satirist, and bon vivant, was eldest son of William Norcott of Charleville, Co. Cork, and Mary Norcott (née Knight). He entered TCD in July 1790, graduating BA…...