Ford, Patrick
Ford, Patrick (1837–1913), journalist and land reformer, was born 12 April 1837 in Galway, the son of Edward Ford (1805–80) and his wife Anne (née Ford) (1815–1893). He emigrated with his parents to the US in 1845 and never revisited Ireland. Although he devoted his life to Irish…...
Forristal, Desmond Timothy ('Des')
Forristal, Desmond Timothy ('Des') (1930–2012), priest, broadcaster and writer, was born on 25 September 1930 at 70 Botanic Road, Glasnevin, Dublin, to Anthony James Forristal, civil servant, and his wife Máirín Genevieve (née McInerney), who were then living at 8 Weston Villas,…...
Furlong, George Joseph
Furlong, George Joseph (1898–1987), art historian and gallery director, was born 1 February 1898 in Dundrum, seven miles north-west of Cashel, Co. Tipperary, son of Michael Furlong, hotel proprietor, and Kate Mary Furlong (née Bourke). Although he was orphaned at 9, the family…...
Gahagan, Usher
Gahagan, Usher (d. 1749), classical scholar and criminal, was perhaps from Co. Westmeath and may have been educated at TCD, though he did not take a degree. He converted to catholicism, much to the consternation of his family, who…...
Gallagher, Frank
Gallagher, Frank (1893–1962), journalist, author, and republican, was born 22 February 1893 in Cork, one of a family of four brothers and five sisters of James Gallagher, an accountant, and his wife Kathleen Gallagher (née Whitely). Educated at Presentation College, Cork, he…...
Gardiner, Marguerite (Margaret)
Gardiner, Marguerite (Margaret) (1789–1849), countess of Blessington , writer, journalist, and society hostess, was born 1 September 1789 at Knockbrit, Co. Tipperary, the second daughter and fourth child of Edmund Power and his wife Ellen (née Sheehy), both from well-established…...
Geary, Francis (‘Frank’) Joseph
Geary, Francis (‘Frank’) Joseph (1891–1961), journalist and newspaper editor, was born 2 August 1891 in Kilkenny city, youngest son of Patrick Geary – grocer, GAA stalwart, and supporter of…...
Gilbert, Sir John Thomas
Gilbert, Sir John Thomas (1829–98), merchant, historian, archivist, and librarian, was born 23 January 1829 at 23 Jervis St., Dublin, second son and fifth child of John Gilbert (1791–1833), wine and cider importer and Portuguese consul, and Mary Anne Gilbert (née Costello), both…...
Gill, Thomas Patrick
Gill, Thomas Patrick (1858–1931), journalist, politician, and secretary of the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction, was born 25 October 1858 at Ballygraigue, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary, the first of the four sons of Robert Gill, a civil engineer who was assistant county…...
Gorham, Maurice Anthony Coneys
Gorham, Maurice Anthony Coneys (1902–75), author, journalist, and broadcasting administrator, was born in London on 19 August 1902, the younger child of James John Gorham, doctor, formerly of Clifden, Co. Galway, and his wife Mary Smith of Lancaster. His sister Mary Honora was…...
Graves, Clotilde Inez Mary (‘Richard Dehan’)
Graves, Clotilde Inez Mary (‘Richard Dehan’) (1863–1932), novelist, dramatist, and journalist, was born 3 June 1863 at Buttevant barracks, Co. Cork, the third daughter of Major W. H. Graves and Antoinette Graves (née Deane). Her father was a cousin of the journalist and critic…...
Gray, Edmund John Chisholm Dwyer
Gray, Edmund John Chisholm Dwyer (1870–1945), journalist and politician, was born 2 April 1870 in Dublin, son of Edmund Dwyer Gray (qv), MP, and Caroline Agnes Gray (née Chisholm). Gray's grandfather, Sir…...
Gray, Sir John
Gray, Sir John (1816–75), newspaper proprietor and politician, was born 13 July 1816, the third son in the family of six sons and four daughters of John Gray (d. 1856), a farmer and excise officer of Claremorris, Co. Mayo, and his wife, Elizabeth or Eliza, only child of George…...
Greene, Philip Desmond
Greene, Philip Desmond (1920–2011), sports broadcaster, was born on 2 October 1920 in Broadstone, Dublin, the eldest of four children of Patrick Henry Greene, a clerk with the Midland Great Western Railway, and his wife Agatha (née Malone). He was educated at St Canice's…...
Griffith, Arthur Joseph
Griffith, Arthur Joseph (1871–1922), journalist and politician, was born 31 March 1871 in Dublin into a working-class family, son of Arthur Charles Griffith, printer, and Mary Griffith (née Whelan). He attended the CBS schools in St Mary's…...
Gywnn, Denis Rolleston
Gywnn, Denis Rolleston (1893–1971), journalist and historian, was born 6 March 1893, third son among four sons and two daughters of Stephen Lucius Gwynn (qv), writer and MP, and his wife and first cousin Mary Louise, daughter of…...
Hackett, Francis
Hackett, Francis (1883–1962), novelist, historian, and journalist, was born 21 January 1883 at 34 Patrick St., Kilkenny city, one of six sons and three daughters of John Byrne Hackett, a Kilkenny-born doctor, and Bridget Hackett (née Doheny), daughter of a prosperous farmer of…...
Hadden, George
Hadden, George (1882–1973), medical doctor and historian, was born 9 October 1882 at Richmond Terrace, Wexford town, son of George Hadden, draper and alderman, and Hannah Mary Hadden (née Perrot). The Haddens, a methodist family, were established in Wexford town during the nineteenth…...
Hall, Francis James (‘Frank’)
Hall, Francis James (‘Frank’) (1921–95), journalist, broadcaster, and film censor, was born 24 February 1921 at 40 Cecil Street, Newry, Co. Down, son of John Hall, a seaman, and Mary Hall (née Golding). He was reared in an eccentric extended family household, which probably inspired…...
Hamilton, Anthony (Antoine)
Hamilton, Anthony (Antoine) (1646?–1720), Jacobite, soldier and man of letters, was probably born in Nenagh, Co. Tipperary, third son of Sir George Hamilton and his wife Mary Butler, third daughter of Thomas, Viscount Thurles, and a sister of…...
Hanley, (Luke) Vincent
Hanley, (Luke) Vincent (1954–87), music broadcaster, was born 2 April 1954 in Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, elder son of Michael Hanley and Joan Hanley (née Cleary). His father was a soldier, who served overseas with the Irish army on UN duties. Vincent attended the Sisters of Charity…...
Harbison, Sheelagh Helen
Harbison, Sheelagh Helen (1914–2012), medieval historian, was born in Letterkenny, Co. Donegal, on 2 September 1912, the only daughter and youngest of three surviving children, to Frederick William MacSherry , bank manager, and his wife Helen (née MacDermott). After Sheelagh was born…...
Hardiman, James
Hardiman, James (1782–1855), historian and librarian, was born in February 1782 at Westport, Co. Mayo, only son of Tomás (or Richard) Ó hArgadáin or Hartigan, a small estate owner, originally from Co. Meath, and his wife Marcella or Margery (née Hall). Hardiman, according to his friend…...
Harkin, Hugh
Harkin, Hugh (1791–1854), journalist, teacher, poet, and nationalist, was born 6 July 1791 in Magilligan, Co. Derry. Little is known about his early life and education before he established a career as a teacher and journalist attached to various newspapers in both Britain and…...
Harold, Francis
Harold, Francis (c.1617–1685), Franciscan priest and historian, was born in Limerick. Though he claimed to be of Hiberno-Norse royal stock, nothing is known of his immediate family. His mother was a member of the Wadding family of Waterford and his father may have been…...