Carson, Frank
Carson, Frank (1926–2012), comedian, was born Hugh Francis Carson on 6 November 1926 in the 'Little Italy' area of Belfast, around Great Patrick Street, one of six children of John Carson, a binman and messenger, and his wife, Josie (née Agusta), originally from Dublin, whose family…...
Cassidy, James Archbold
Cassidy, James Archbold (1827/8–90), distiller and brewer, was the second of three sons of Robert Cassidy (1791–1858), a strong farmer at Jamestown, Co. Kildare, who in 1839 took over the distilling and brewing firm at nearby Monasterevan founded in 1784 by his father, John…...
Casson, Christopher Thorndike
Casson, Christopher Thorndike (1912–96), actor, was born 20 January 1912 at Prestwich, Manchester, Lancashire, England, younger son among two sons and two daughters of Sir Lewis Casson (1875–1969) and Dame Sybil Thorndike (1882–1976), both of whom were among the foremost actors…...
Charters, John
Charters, John (1796–1874), millowner and philanthropist, was born 24 June 1796 in Gobrana, near Crumlin, Co. Antrim, son of Alexander Charters and Eleanor Charters (née Mackey). He possibly attended the Belfast Academical Institution; in 1836, with two partners, he established…...
Clancy, Basil
Clancy, Basil (1907–96), publisher, magazine editor, and journalist, was born Anthony Sebastian Clancy in Coalisland, Co. Tyrone, on 7 July 1907, the seventh of the twelve children of Patrick J. Clancy, JP (d. 1947), linen merchant and…...
Clarke, William
Clarke, William (1738?–1810), businessman, rose from poverty to become a successful entrepreneur in Dublin. He was the owner of flour-mills and iron works, a contractor for lighting and scavenging (‘half the city of Dublin’), had interests in brewing, distilling, milling and…...
Clery, Michael John
Clery, Michael John (1833/4–96), draper, was born at Bulgaden, near Kilmallock, Co. Limerick, and was said at the time of his death to have come from ‘an old County Limerick family'. He entered the drapery trade in Cork with the firm of Fitzgibbon, moved to Dublin to work for…...
Coakley, Denis
Coakley, Denis (1922–87), businessman and farmer, was born 15 October 1922 at Bunkilla, Donoughmore, Co. Cork, the son of farmers Jeremiah Coakley and Katy (née Buckley) Coakley. Educated at Presentation College, Cork, and UCC, he…...
Coffey, Brian
Coffey, Brian (1905–95), poet, academic, teacher, and publisher, was born 8 June 1905 at Glenageary, Co. Dublin, son of Denis J. Coffey (qv), president of UCD, and Maude Coffey (née Quin…...
Coile, Bernard
Coile, Bernard (1771?–1829), linen manufacturer and catholic activist, was born near Magherafelt, Co. Londonderry, on, by his own account, 14 May 1771 (though a gravestone inscription suggests 1766). His father's family were from Co. Donegal and related to the catholic bishop of…...
Collier, Peter Fenelon
Collier, Peter Fenelon (1849–1909), publisher and newspaper proprietor, was born 12 December 1849 in Myshall, Co. Carlow, son of Robert C. Collier and Catherine Collier (née Fenelon). After an education in local schools he emigrated to America at 17 and entered St Mary's seminary…...
Connolly, Joseph
Connolly, Joseph (1885–1961), politician, businessman and civil servant, was born 19 January 1885 at 41 Alexander St. West, Belfast, one of fourteen children (five of whom died in infancy) of John Connolly, master baker, and Margaret Connolly (née MacNeill) of Cushendall, Co.…...
Connolly, Sean
Connolly, Sean (1882–1916), actor, trade unionist, and republican, was born 12 April 1882 at 10 Seafort Ave., Sandymount, Dublin, third child and eldest son among eight daughters and eight sons of Michael Connolly, seaman, and Mary Connolly (née Ellis). When his father ceased seafaring…...
Coppinger, William
Coppinger, William (d. 1696), merchant and ancestor of the Coppingers of Bordeaux, was second son of Stephen Coppinger (d. 1681) of Ballyvolane, Co. Cork, and his wife Ellice (d. 1688), daughter of Henry Gould of Cork, alderman. According to a local tradition his father's…...
Cotter (alias O'Brien), Patrick
Cotter (alias O'Brien), Patrick (1760/61–1806), giant and showman, was born at Belgooly, near Kinsale, Co. Cork. His parents were farmers; while no details of his father are available, his mother was still alive at the time of his death and is named in his will as Margaret Cotter…...
Coughlan, Stephen
Coughlan, Stephen (1910–94), dáil deputy, bookmaker and publican, was born 26 December 1910 in Limerick, the third child of three sons and three daughters of Timothy Coughlan, accountant, and his wife, Annie Liddy, both of Limerick. He was educated at the Presentation Sisters’…...
Courtney, Thaddeus Cornelius (‘Ted’)
Courtney, Thaddeus Cornelius (‘Ted’) (1895–1961), engineer, army officer, and businessman, was born at Cork on 13 December 1895, the elder son of Timothy Courtney of Co. Kerry, pensioner of the RIC, and Ellen Courtney (née Shea) of…...
Coveney, Hugh
Coveney, Hugh (1935–98), businessman and politician, was born 20 July 1935 at Cork, the son of Patrick Coveney, builder and quantity surveyor. He was educated at Christ the King primary school and the Christian Brothers’ College at Cork, Clongowes Wood College, and the College of Estate…...
Coyne, Richard
Coyne, Richard (1776/7–1856), printer and bookseller, was first in business in 1808 at 154 Capel Street, Dublin. In 1821 he took over the business of Hugh Fitzpatrick (qv) (d. 1818) at 4 Capel Street and from the following year he…...
Crosbie, Thomas
Crosbie, Thomas (1817?–1899), newspaper editor and proprietor, was born in Ardfert, Co. Kerry. Educated at Clongowes Wood College, Co. Kildare, in 1842 he joined the Cork Examiner of John Francis Maguire (qv) soon after…...
Cross, Richard
Cross, Richard (1730s?–1809), bookseller, printer, and publisher, son of Michael Cross, was apprenticed to David Gibson (1750) and, being a catholic, admitted to the Dublin stationers’ guild only as a quarter brother (1758). Establishing himself in Bridge St., Dublin, where he…...
Crowley, Michael
This is a co-subject for the entry on Crowley, Vincent. View the original entry....
Crowley, Niall
Crowley, Niall (1926–98), businessman, was born in Upper Fitzwilliam Street, Dublin, on 18 September 1926, the eldest son of Vincent Crowley (qv), accountant, of Donnybrook, Dublin, and his wife Eileen (née Gunning). After an education in…...
Crowley, Vincent
Crowley, Vincent (1890–1965), businessman, was born 12 May 1890 in Farnham Street, Cavan town, the youngest of three sons of Patrick Crowley, a teacher hailing from Ballymore, Co. Cork, and his wife Bridget (née Halpin), who was from Co. Armagh. His father taught English at St Patrick…...
Cruise, Jack (John Joseph)
Cruise, Jack (John Joseph) (1913–79), entertainer, was born 9 August 1913 in the family home at 14 Arranmore Avenue, Phibsborough, Dublin, third child and eldest son among four children of Michael Cruise, a hall porter, native of Essex, England, and Brigid Cruise (née O'Kelly), from…...