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,…...
Locke, Josef
Locke, Josef (1917–99), singer and entertainer, was born Joseph McLaughlin 23 March 1917 at 19 Creggan St., Derry city, one of ten children of Patrick McLaughlin, butcher and cattle dealer, and Annie McLaughlin (née Doherty). Educated by the Christian Brothers and awarded for his…...
Loughnane, William (‘Bill’, ‘Willie’)
Loughnane, William (‘Bill’, ‘Willie’) (1915–82), hurler, musician, doctor, and politician, was born 5 August 1915 in Feakle, Co. Clare, son of Willie Loughnane, farmer and shopkeeper, and Kate Loughnane (née McInerney), and educated at Feakle national school, St Flannan's College…...
Ludwig (Ledwidge), William
Ludwig (Ledwidge), William (1847–1923), singer, was born 15 July 1847 in Arran Quay, Dublin, eldest son of William Ledwidge, chorister, of Dublin, and Teresa Ledwidge (née Burke). He attended the O'Connell Schools and came under the influence of Br Swan, and later entered a…...
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…...
MacDermott Roe, Mary (Máire)
MacDermott Roe, Mary (Máire) (d. 1739?), patron of Turlough Carolan (qv), may have been born in the 1670s, and was a daughter – possibly eldest daughter – of John Fitzgerald (d. p. 1717),…...
MacDonnell, Angela Christina (‘Angela Antrim’) (née Sykes)
MacDonnell, Angela Christina (‘Angela Antrim’) (née Sykes) (1911–84), countess of Antrim , sculptor, cartoonist, and illustrator, was born 6 September 1911 at Eddlethorpe, near Malton, Yorkshire, youngest daughter and fifth child among three sons and three daughters of Sir Mark Sykes,…...
MacGonigal, Maurice Joseph
MacGonigal, Maurice Joseph (1900–79), landscape and figurative painter, was born 22 January 1900 in Ranelagh, Dublin, third eldest child and only son of Francis MacGonigal, Sligo-born painter and decorator, and Caroline MacGonigal (née Lane). After attending Synge St.…...
MacGowran, Jack
MacGowran, Jack (1918–73), actor, was born 13 October 1918 in Ranelagh, Dublin, the only son among three children of Matthew MacGowran, a sporadically employed travelling salesman, and Gertrude MacGowran (née Shanahan). ‘Jackie’, as he was always known, was educated at the…...
Mackey, Rex
Mackey, Rex (1911–99), barrister, actor, and writer, was born Arthur Joseph Connel Mackey on 7 December 1911, the eldest of three sons and two daughters of Joseph Arthur Mackey of Liosnamara, Bray, Co. Wicklow, and his wife Gertrude (née Gallagher). Educated at Castleknock College…...
Mac Mathúna, Ciarán
Mac Mathúna, Ciarán (1925–2009), folk music collector and broadcaster, was born Kieran MacMahon on 26 November 1925 at 14 St John's Avenue, off Mulgrave Street, Limerick city, youngest among five sons and one daughter of James MacMahon (1875–1967), national school teacher, native…...
Makem, Thomas ('Tommy')
Makem, Thomas ('Tommy') (1932–2007), folk singer, was born 4 November 1932 in Keady, Co. Armagh, youngest of five children of Peter Makem and his wife Sarah (née Boyle). Though Peter Makem was a fiddler and flautist, Tommy derived his musical interests and talent primarily through…...
Manahan, Anna (Maria)
Manahan, Anna (Maria) (1924–2009), actress, was born on 18 October 1924 in Waterford city, third child in a family of three sons and three daughters of Patrick Manahan (d. 1967) and Mary Manahan (née Barry). Her father was a clerk in the margarine manufacturing business of W. and C.…...
Martyn, Edward
Martyn, Edward (1859–1923), dramatist, patron of the arts and nationalist, was born 31 January 1859 at his mother's family home at Masonbrook, Loughrea, Co. Galway, elder of two sons of Anne Martyn (neé Smith; d. 1898) and John Martyn (d. 1860), a philanderer by repute, of Tulira Castle…...
McAnally, Ray
McAnally, Ray (1926–89), actor, was born 30 March 1926 in Buncrana, Co. Donegal, son of James William McAnally, bank manager, and Winifred McAnally (née Ward). He was educated at the national school in Moville, Co. Donegal, and St Eunan's College, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal. From the age…...
McAuley, Anthony Gerard (Tony)
McAuley, Anthony Gerard (Tony) (1939–2003), broadcaster, television producer and expert on folksongs, was born 24 October 1939 in Cookstown, Co. Tyrone, one of two sons and five daughters of William John McAuley, who owned a chemist’s shop on James Street. His mother Ita (née…...
McAuley, Charles Joseph
McAuley, Charles Joseph (1910–99), painter, was born 15 March 1910 in Lubatavish, Glenaan, in the Glens of Antrim, where his family lived on a small farm, youngest child of four boys and four girls born to Bernard McAuley and his wife Lizzie (née McElheron). The family tradition was…...
McAuley, Jeremiah (‘Jerry’)
McAuley, Jeremiah (‘Jerry’) (c.1839–84), reformed criminal and missionary, was born in Ireland, the abandoned son of a counterfeiter. Raised by his grandmother as a Roman Catholic, he did not attend school and at the age of 13 was sent to America to live with his sister…...
McAvin, Josie (Josephine)
McAvin, Josie (Josephine) (1919–2005) theatrical stage manager, and set decorator in cinema and theatre, was born 23 April 1919 in Dublin, one of three daughters and three sons of John McAvin (d. 1938), cattle exporter, and his wife Mollie. Her father was the last serving high…...