Digby, Simon
Digby, Simon (c.1645–1720), miniature-painter and bishop of Elphin, was born at Kilminchy, Queen's Co. (Laois), youngest son of Essex Digby and his wife Thomasine, daughter of Sir William Gilbert of Kilminchy, Queen's Co. Essex Digby became dean of Cashel in 1661 and…...
Dillon, (Francis) Gerard
Dillon, (Francis) Gerard (1916–71), painter, was born 20 April 1916 in Belfast, eighth and youngest child of Joseph Henry Dillon, postal sorter, and Amie Dillon. The family lived at 26 Clonard St. in the Falls Road area of Belfast. Dillon was educated at the Raglan St. public…...
Diver, Bridget
Diver (Divers, Deaver, Deavers, Devens, Devins, Devan), Bridget (‘Irish Biddy’, ‘Michigan Bridget’) (fl. 1861–4), vivandière and ‘daughter’ of the First Michigan Cavalry regiment, was born in Ireland sometime before 1840. It has been suggested that the ‘Michigan Bridget’ legend…...
Dixon, James
Dixon, James (1887–1970), painter, was born 2 June 1887 on Tory Island, one of seven children of Denis Dixon, a farmer from Meenlaragh, Co. Donegal, and Madgey Dixon (née Diver) of Tory island. He spent almost all his life on the island working as a farmer and a fisherman, painting…...
Dixon, John
Dixon, John (c.1740–1811), engraver, was born in Dublin, youngest of four sons of Thomas Dixon (d. 1758), hosier, of Cork Hill, Dublin. He studied at the drawing school of the Dublin Society. He may have worked with his elder brother …...
Dixon, Samuel
Dixon, Samuel (d. 1769), watercolour painter and textile designer, was third of four sons of Thomas Dixon (d. 1758), hosier, of Cork Hill, Dublin. His younger brother, John Dixon (qv), became a noted mezzotint engraver in London. By 1748…...
Domnall
Domnall Brecc
Domnall Brecc (‘the speckled’) (d. 643), son of Eochaid Buide and king of Dál Riata, belonged to the lineage of Cenél nGabráin. It is clear that Domnall had several brothers, but ‘Senchus Fer nAlban’ and other genealogical tracts disagree on the family composition; Conall…...
Domnall Midi
Domnall Midi (‘of Meath’) (d. 763), son of Murchad and king of Tara, belonged to the Clann Cholmáin dynasty of Uí Néill. Domnall's reign saw further consolidation of his dynasty's position in the midlands, and the forging of close links between the Southern Uí Néill (which by…...
Domnall Remur
Domnall Remur (d. 1041), son of Donnchad, a prominent Leinster dynast, belonged to the ruling lineage of Uí Chennselaig. Domnall, dubbed Remur (‘the fat’), was a brother of Diarmait (qv) son of Máel na mBó…...
Donnchad
Donnchad (d. 1039), son of Gilla-Pátraic, king of Osraige and overking of Leinster, belonged to the dynasty of Dál mBirn, which was traced to a proto-historic ancestor, Lóegaire Bern Buadach. Donnchad's father, Gilla-Pátraic son of Donnchad, died in 996 as king of Osraige. While the…...
Donnchad
Donnchad (d. 1064), son of Brian, was a son of Brian Bórama (qv) and his wife Gormlaith (qv) (d. 1030), daughter of Murchad son of Finn of the Uí Fháeláin; she had previously been married to…...
Donnchad Donn
Donnchad Donn (‘the brown-haired’) (d. 944), son of Flann Sinna and king of Tara, belonged to the Clann Cholmáin dynasty of the Southern Uí Néill. His father Flann Sinna (qv) held the kingship of Tara till his death in 916; his mother was…...
Donnchad Máel Na Mbó
Donnchad Máel Na Mbó (d. 1006), son of Diarmait and king of Uí Chennselaig, belonged to the lineage of Síl nOnchon. He played an important part in retaining the Uí Chennselaig kingship for that segment of Síl nOnchon that later emerged as the family line of Mac Murchada. He was…...
Donnchad Midi
Donnchad Midi (‘of Meath’) (d. 797), son of Domnall Midi and king of Tara, belonged to the Clann Cholmáin dynasty of the Southern Uí Néill. Arguably the most powerful Irish king of his day, Donnchad suppressed resistance within his own province of Meath, acted as kingmaker in…...
Doyle, Henry Edward
Doyle, Henry Edward (1827–92), artist and gallery director, was born in Dublin, third of seven children and third of five sons of John Doyle (qv), political cartoonist, of Dublin, and Marianna Doyle (née Conan; d. 1832). He was the only…...
Doyle, John
Doyle, John (1797–1868), portrait painter, lithographer, and caricaturist, was born in Dublin, one of two sons of a catholic silk mercer whose forebears had been dispossessed of their lands. Expressing his artistic talent from an early age, he studied drawing at the Dublin Society…...
Doyle, Richard (‘Dickie’)
Doyle, Richard (‘Dickie’) (1824–83), illustrator, printmaker, and watercolour painter, was born 18 September 1824 in London, son of John Doyle (qv), political cartoonist, of Dublin, and Marianne Conan who died in 1832 after the birth of…...
Drummond, John
Drummond, John (1649–1715), earl and titular duke of Melfort , statesman, diplomat, and art connoisseur, was second son of James, 3rd earl of Perth, and his wife Anne, eldest daughter of the 2nd marquis of Huntly. His elder brother, James, became 4th earl of Perth. Drummond's…...
Drury, Susannah
Drury, Susannah (fl. 1733–1770), watercolour painter, was one of five children (two boys and three girls) of Thomas Drury, descended from an Anglo-Irish family resident in Dublin since the sixteenth century , and Rebeckah Drury (née Franklin) of Norfolk. One of her brothers…...
Duffy, Patrick Vincent
Duffy, Patrick Vincent (1832–1909), landscape painter, was baptised 4 March 1832 in Dublin, son of James Duffy, silversmith and jeweller, of Nassau St., Dublin, and his wife Mary Anne, daughter of Bartholomew Lamb, auctioneer. Duffy began his artistic training at the…...
Duncan, Ellen
Duncan, Ellen (1850–1937), arts administrator and journalist, was born in Dublin, eldest daughter of Thomas Douglas of Sydney Parade, Ballsbridge. She was educated at Alexandra College, Dublin and at the Royal Irish Academy of Music. Married to James Duncan, a civil servant in Dublin…...
Dúnchad
Dúnchad (d. 728), son of Murchad and overking of Leinster, was a member of the Uí Dúnlainge dynasty. Although his father Murchad (qv) son of Bran Mút had died as overking of Leinster in 727, the name of Dúnchad's mother is unrecorded. The…...
Dúnlaing
Dúnlaing (5th cent.?), son of Énnae Nia and Leinster dynast and ancestor figure, features prominently in the historical and genealogical tradition of the Laigin. He is represented as a grandson of Bressal Bélach, ancestor of the Leinster kings, and as a brother of Brión Lethderg…...
Dúnlaing
Dúnlaing (d. 1014), son of Tuathal and overking of Leinster, belonged to the dynasty of Uí Muiredaig. Tuathal (qv) having died as overking (958), Dúnlaing and his brother Augaire strove to maintain the status of their dynasty in the face of…...