O'Brien, Catherine Amelia
O'Brien, Catherine Amelia (1881–1963), stained-glass artist, was born 19 June 1881 at Durra, Ennis, Co. Clare, one of five children of Pierce O'Brien, JP, a gentleman landowner, of Durra house, Ennis, Co. Clare, and Sophia Angel St John O'…...
O'Brien, Ellen Lucy (‘Nelly’)
O'Brien, Ellen Lucy (‘Nelly’) (Ní Bhriain, Neilí) (1864–1925), miniature and landscape artist, and Gaelic League activist, was born 4 June 1864, the eldest of two daughters and one son of Edward William O'Brien, landowner, of Cahirmoyle, Co. Limerick, and Mary O'Brien (née Spring Rice…...
O'Donoghue, Nannie Power
Power O’Donoghue (née Lambert), Nannie (1843–1940), journalist, equestrian and writer was born 2 June 1843 and baptised as Ann Stewart Lyster Lambert in St Thomas Church of Ireland, Marlborough Street, Dublin. She was the youngest child of four daughters and one son of Charles Lambert,…...
O'Neill, (Katharine) Jean
O'Neill, (Katharine) Jean (1915–2008), Lady O'Neill of the Maine , plantswoman and horticulturalist, was born 16 January 1915 at 41 Brook Street, Mayfair, London, one of five children of William Ingham Whitaker, landowner and horticulturalist of Pylewell Park, near Lymington, Hampshire…...
Orpen, Beatrice Esther (‘Bea’)
Orpen, Beatrice Esther (‘Bea’) (1913–80), painter and art teacher, was born 7 March 1913 at Lisheens, Carrickmines, Co. Dublin, one of twin daughters, the youngest children among five daughters and one son of Charles St George Orpen (1864–1939), a solicitor and president of the…...
Orpen, Richard Francis Caulfeild
Orpen, Richard Francis Caulfeild (1863–1938), architect and painter, was born 24 December 1863, the eldest of four sons and two daughters of Arthur Herbert Orpen, a solicitor, of Oriel, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, and Anne Orpen (née Caulfeild), daughter of Revd Charles Caulfeild (1804–62),…...
Orpen, Sir William Newenham Montague
Orpen, Sir William Newenham Montague (1878–1931), painter, was born 27 November 1878 at Oriel, Grove Avenue, Stillorgan, Co. Dublin, youngest among four sons and two daughters of Arthur Herbert Orpen (1830–1926), solicitor, and Anne Orpen (née Caulfeild) (d. 1912), eldest daughter of…...
Oulton, Walley Chamberlain
Oulton, Walley Chamberlain (c.1765–c.1820), dramatist and theatre historian, was born in Dublin, son of Walley Oulton, a merchant, and his wife Catherine (née Walker). Very little is known of his life outside his work. Educated locally by Dr Thomas Ball (1718?–…...
Peters, Matthew William
Peters, Matthew William (1741/2–1814), painter and clergyman, was probably born at Freshwater, Isle of Wight, England, one of three children of Matthew Peters (1711–c.1776), a garden designer and agricultural writer, of Belfast, and Elizabeth Peters (née Younge), a…...
Petrie, George
Petrie, George (1790–1866), artist, antiquary and collector of Irish traditional music, was born on 1 January 1790 (his gravestone has 1789) in Dame Street, Dublin, the only child of James Petrie, portrait painter, of Dublin, and Elizabeth Petrie (née Simpson) of Edinburgh, Scotland.…...
Plunket, Katharine
Plunket, Katharine (1820–1932), botanical and landscape painter, was born 22 November 1820 at Kilsaran rectory, Co. Louth, the eldest of five daughters of Thomas Span Plunket (qv) (1792–1866), protestant curate of the parish,…...
Pollen, John Hungerford
Pollen, John Hungerford (1820–1902), architect, artist, and author, was born 19 November 1820 in London, second son of Richard Pollen, barrister, and his wife Anne, daughter of Samuel Pepys Cockerell. Educated at Durham House (1829–33) and Eton (1833–8), in May 1838 he…...
Pooley, Thomas
Pooley, Thomas (c.1644–1723), artist and politician, was born near Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England, one of nine children (four sons and five daughters) of Thomas Pooley, attorney, and his wife, Mary. In 1652 the family moved to Dublin, where Pooley senior worked as an…...
Porter, John Grey Vesey
Porter, John Grey Vesey (1817–1903), newspaper proprietor and improving landlord, was born 25 August 1817 in Kilskeery parish, Co. Fermanagh, only son of the Rev. John Grey Porter (1789–1873), non-resident prebend and rector (1813–42) of Donaghmoyne, Co. Monaghan, and…...
Quin, Henry
Quin, Henry (1717–91), medical doctor and lapidary, was probably born in Dublin, one of two sons and one daughter of Thomas Quin (d. 1767), an eminent apothecary in the city, and Isabella Quin (née Brownrigg), daughter of Henry Brownrigg, of Annagh, Gorey, Co. Wexford. He was…...
Rawdon, John
Rawdon, John (1720–93), 1st earl of Moira, landowner, patron of the arts, and opposition peer, was born 17 March 1720, second (but first surviving) son of Sir John Rawdon, 3rd baronet, of Rawdon Hall, Yorkshire, and Moira, Co. Down, and Dorothy, daughter of Sir…...
Read, Charles Anderson
Read, Charles Anderson (1841–78), writer, journalist, and editor, was born 10 November 1841 at Killsellagh (Kilsella) House, in the parish of Drumcliffe, near Sligo. His father, George Read, was a gentleman who, having lost an inheritance, was forced to take a position as…...
Reid, Christina
Reid, Christina (1942–2015), playwright, was born on 12 March 1942 in Ardoyne in North Belfast, the eldest of three children and only daughter of James Orchin, a Belfast dock worker, and Christina Orchin, who worked as a linen mill worker and later a waitress. Although the family…...
Richey, Alexander George
Richey, Alexander George (1830–83), lawyer, historian, and editor, was born 22 October 1830 in Dublin, only son of Alexander Richey (d. 1852), land agent, of Mount Temple, Coolock, Co. Dublin, and his wife, Matilda (daughter of Dodwell Browne of Co. Mayo), aunt of the 3rd earl of…...
Robertson, Olivia Melian
Robertson, Olivia Melian (1917–2013), writer, artist and co-founder of the Fellowship of Isis, was born on 13 April 1917 at St Mary's Hospital, Paddington, London, to Manning Durdin Robertson (qv), urban planner and architect, and…...
Robinson, Lennox
Robinson, Lennox (1886–1958), playwright and director, was born Esmé Stuart Lennox Robinson on 4 October 1886 near Douglas, Co. Cork, youngest of seven children (of whom twins died in infancy) of Andrew Craig Robinson, stockbroker, and Emily Anna Robinson (née Jones). When Lennox was…...
Rodway, Norman John Frank
Rodway, Norman John Frank (1929–2001), actor and theatre producer, was born 7 February 1929 in Dublin, son of Frank Rodway, manager of a shipping agency, and Lilian Rodway (née Moyles). The couple had recently moved to Dublin from London. They settled in Malahide, north of Dublin, where…...
Rolleston, Thomas William Hazen (T. W.)
Rolleston, Thomas William Hazen (T. W.) (1857–1920), poet, critic and journalist, was born 1 May 1857 at Glasshouse, near Shinrone, King's County (Offaly), youngest child among three sons and a daughter of Charles Rolleston-Spunner (d. 1887), barrister and county court judge for…...
Rothwell, Richard
Rothwell, Richard (1800–68), portrait and subject painter, was born 20 November 1800 in Dublin. His father has generally been stated to be James Rothwell (possibly a soldier) of Lisdaly, near Cloghen, King's Co. (Offaly), though primary source evidence suggests that he was the son of…...
Ruddock, Alan (Stephen Denis)
Ruddock, Alan (Stephen Denis) (1960–2010), journalist and editor, was born on 21 July 1960 in Dublin, the only son (he had one sister) of John Ruddock, a schoolteacher (eventually headmaster of Villiers School, Limerick city), and his wife Doreen. He came from a middle-class Church of…...