Dennehy, William Francis
Dennehy, William Francis (1853–1918), journalist and editor, was born in 1853, the eldest son of Alderman Cornelius Dennehy, JP, a Dublin rectifying distiller, wine merchant and supporter of …...
Denvir, John
Denvir, John (1834–1916), author, journalist, publisher, and Fenian, was born in Bushmills, Co. Antrim, eldest son of James Denvir, clerk, of Ballywalter, Lecale, Co. Down, and Margaret ‘Peggy’ Denvir (née O'Loughlin) of Ballymagenaghy, Co. Down. Although born in Ireland while his…...
De Valera, Máirín
De Valera, Máirín (1912–84), phycologist, was born 12 April 1912 in Dublin, the eldest daughter and second eldest child of seven children (five boys and two girls) of Éamon de Valera (qv) and…...
De Valera, Vivion Laurence
De Valera, Vivion Laurence (Bhibhian Labhrás De Bhailera) (1910–82), politician, newspaper proprietor and editor, was born 13 December 1910 in Donnybrook, Co. Dublin, the eldest of seven children of Éamon de Valera (qv) and…...
Devlin, Patrick James (‘Celt’)
Devlin, Patrick James (‘Celt’) (1877–1941), GAA journalist, was born 21 January 1877 in McCrumms Court, Co. Armagh, the son of Patrick Devlin, an RIC constable, and his wife, Eliza Jane, née McGoldrick. When he was aged nine his…...
Devoy, John
Devoy, John (1842–1928), journalist and Fenian, was born 3 September 1842 at Kill, Co. Kildare, the third of eight children of William Devoy, smallholder and building contractor, and his wife Elizabeth (née Dunne). In 1848 the family moved to Dublin for economic reasons precipitated by…...
Diamond, Charles
Diamond, Charles (1858–1934), newspaperman and politician, was born 17 November 1858 in Gortade parish, Maghera, Co. Londonderry, third among six children of a farmer and his wife (née O'Neill); his parents’ other names are not known. Allegedly there were ‘local leaders not of the…...
Digges, (John) Dudley
Digges, (John) Dudley (1880–1947), actor, stage manager, and director, was born 9 June 1880, son of James Dudley Digges, clerk, of 16 Beechwood Avenue, Ranelagh, Dublin, and Catherine Digges (née Forsythe). He was educated by the Christian Brothers (1886–90), and at St Mary's college,…...
Dillon (De Leon), Thomas
Dillon (De Leon), Thomas (1613–90), Jesuit and scholar, was born in Ireland and educated in Spain. In 1627 he entered the Society of Jesus in Seville. He taught philosophy and then scholastic and moral theology at the society's colleges at Seville and Granada. In 1640 he was…...
Dillon, John Blake
Dillon, John Blake (1814–66), nationalist and journalist, was born 5 May 1814 in Ballaghaderreen, Co. Roscommon, fourth of seven children of Luke Dillon, farmer and shopkeeper, and Anne Dillon (née Blake), of Dunmacrina, Co. Mayo. Dillon was educated at St Patrick's College,…...
Dillon, Myles Patrick
Dillon, Myles Patrick (1900–72), Celtic and Sanskrit scholar, was born 11 April 1900 in Dublin, third son among five sons and one daughter of the Irish nationalist leader John Dillon (qv) and his wife Elizabeth, eldest daughter of the Rt Hon.…...
Dillon, Thomas Patrick
Dillon, Thomas Patrick (1884–1971), nationalist and chemist, was born 15 January 1884 in Enniscrone, Co. Sligo, first child among four sons and a daughter of John Dillon, engineer, and his wife Elizabeth, daughter of William Kirby…...
Doherty, John
Doherty, John (c.1798–1854), trade union pioneer, radical activist, journalist, and factory reformer, was born in Inishowen, Co. Donegal; nothing is known of his parents. His birth place and date are uncertain. A son said it was ‘Buncrana, Inishowel’ (sic) in…...
Dolan, (Una) Kathleen
Dolan, (Una) Kathleen (1921–2003), radio announcer, was born 11 April 1921 in Church Street, Strabane, Co. Tyrone; she was one of three children, two daughters and a son, of James Dolan and his wife Kathleen Theresa Maude (née Reid). James had been a national school teacher, but was…...
Donahoe, Patrick
Donahoe, Patrick (1811–1901) editor, publisher, and businessman, was born 17 March 1811 in Munnery, Kilmore, Co. Cavan, the son of Terrence Donahoe and his wife Jane (née Christy). His mother died when he was an infant. In 1821 he emigrated, with his father, to Boston,…...
Donnelly, Catherine
Donnelly, Catherine (1948–2014), advertising copywriter, arts advocate and novelist, was born on 29 April 1948 in Bagenalstown, Co. Carlow, the youngest of four girls and two boys to Thomas Donnelly, a spirit merchant and wine importer, and Margaret Donnelly. Her earliest years were…...
Donnelly, Donal
Donnelly, Donal (1931–2010), actor, was born on 6 July 1931 in Bradford, Yorkshire, the third son among seven children of James Donnelly (d. 1964), a general practitioner, and his wife Nora (née O'Connor). Dr Donnelly was originally from Tyrone and Nora from Kerry, and the family moved…...
Donnelly, John
Donnelly, John (1934–1991), chemist, was born 8 August 1934 in Nenagh, Co. Tipperary, second son among three sons and two daughters of Michael Donnelly, garda sergeant, originally from Dublin, and Maureen Donnelly (née Carroll) from Tipperary. He spent his early life in Nenagh,…...
Donovan, Robert
Donovan, Robert (1862–1934), journalist and professor, was born 24 May 1862 in Leighlinbridge, Co. Carlow, son of Thomas Donovan. (Some obituaries state he was an only son, but the Irish Independent says a brother was parish priest of Kill, Co. Kildare.) Educated at St…...
Doonican, Val
Doonican, Val (1927–2015), singer and musician, was born Michael Valentine Doonican on 3 February 1927 at 10 Passage Road in Waterford, the youngest of eight children (four boys and four girls) of John Doonican, a metal worker, and his wife Agnes (née Kavanagh). To distinguish him from…...
Doris, Patrick
This is a co-subject for the entry on Doris, William. View the original entry....
Doris, William
Doris, William (1860–1926), politician, agrarian agitator, and newspaper proprietor, was born 13 April 1860 in Westport, Co. Mayo, son of Robert Doris, postman, and Margaret Doris (née Madden). After attending the local CBS, he…...
Dougal, James Joseph ('Jim')
Dougal, James Joseph ('Jim') (1945–2010), journalist, was born on 19 March 1945 in Belfast, one of six children (three boys and three girls) of Samuel Dougal, who worked for the electricity board, and his wife Christina (née Higgins), a nurse before their marriage. The family was…...
Dowden, Richard
Dowden, Richard (1794–1861), politician, philanthropist, and naturalist, was born 12 April 1794 at Bandon, Co. Cork, second among seven children of Richard Dowden and Anne Dowden (née Keys). He originally studied medicine but was asked by the Jennings family to manage their magnesia and…...
Dowling, Vincent
Dowling, Vincent (1929–2013), theatre actor, director and producer, was born in Kimmage, Dublin, on 7 September 1929 the sixth of four sons and three daughters of William Dowling, a ship's captain, and his wife Mary (née Kelly). His father was violent towards the family and left when…...