Cantwell, John
Cantwell, John (1792–1866), catholic bishop of Meath, was born 25 December 1792 at Rahan, King's Co. One of the family of at least six children of Edward Cantwell and his wife Catherine, he was briefly a student at the diocesan seminary, St Finian's, at Navan, Co. Meath (from February…...
Capel, Thomas John
Capel, Thomas John (1836–1911), catholic priest, was born 28 October 1836 in Ardmore, Co. Waterford, the second child and eldest son of John Capel and his wife Mary (née Fitzgerald). He settled with his family in Hastings, Sussex, following his father's appointment to the…...
Capper, Wilfrid Meredyth
Capper, Wilfrid Meredyth (1905–89), conservationist and creator of the Ulster Way, was born in Belfast on 12 July 1905, the second son of four children (two boys and two girls) of John Malcolmson Capper, a cotton yarn merchant, and Elizabeth Jane Capper (née Stewart); the family was…...
Carbery, James Joseph
Carbery, James Joseph (1820–87), Dominican priest and bishop, was born 2 May 1820 in Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, son of Christopher Carbery, small farmer, and Catherine Carbery (née Dodwell or Dowdall). Making preparatory studies in the catholic seminary at Navan, Co. Meath, he…...
Carew (Carve) Thomas
Carew (Carve) Thomas (1590–1672?), historian and priest, was born at Mobarnan, Co. Tipperary. He claimed descent from a noble branch of the Munster Carews and that his brother, Sir Ross Carew, was married to Lady Hyde, sister of the great Clarendon. His mother was probably a…...
Carey, John or Terence
Carey, John or Terence (d. 1594), catholic martyr, was born in Dublin. He was a servant in the family of John Bosgrove at Chideock Castle in Dorset. On 14 April 1594 he was arrested at Chideock Castle along with another servant and Thomas Bosgrove (later beatified) for aiding a…...
Carey, Mathew
Carey, Mathew (1760–1839), author, bookseller and publisher, was born 28 January 1760 in Dublin, one of five sons to Christopher Carey, a baker who prospered provisioning the British navy, and Mary Carey (née Sheridan). Small and lame from infancy (having been dropped by his nurse),…...
Carney (Kearney, O'Carney), James
Carney (Kearney, O'Carney), James (d. 1648), Jesuit priest and rector, was born in Cashel, Co. Tipperary. As a youth in Cashel, he studied classics before being sent to Spain, because of legal restrictions, to complete his education. He read philosophy at the Irish college of…...
Caron (Mac Carraghamhna), Richard (Ricardo de la Peña)
Caron (Mac Carraghamhna), Richard (Ricardo de la Peña) (1579–c.1630), Dominican priest, was born in the barony of Kilkenny West, the son of Henry Caron and Evelyn Nicholas. He belonged to an ancient, distinguished Westmeath Gaelic Irish family, which claimed descent from…...
Carpenter, John
Carpenter, John (1729–86), catholic archbishop of Dublin, was born in Chancery Lane, Dublin, son of a tailor. Nothing else is known of his parents or family save that his sister Christian married a Dublin merchant, Thomas Lee. Irish was probably spoken in his home. The Gaelic forms (Mac…...
Carr, George Whitmore
Carr, George Whitmore (1780–1849), clergyman and temperance pioneer, was born in New Ross, Co. Wexford, eldest son of the Rev. Edward Carr, rector (1802–15) of Kilmacow, Co. Kilkenny, and Sarah Carr (née Foster) of Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny. Educated at the John Ivory endowed…...
Carrigan, William
Carrigan, William (1860–1924), catholic priest and historian, was born at Rothestown House, Muckalee (Ballyfoyle), Co. Kilkenny, probably in August 1860, the youngest of thirteen children of James Carrigan, a substantial farmer, and his wife Johana Brenan. Educated at St Kieran's…...
Carroll, Margaret Anna (Sister Mary Teresa Austin)
Carroll, Margaret Anna (Sister Mary Teresa Austin) (1835–1909), Sister of Mercy, educator, historian, and writer, was born 23 February 1835 in Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, second eldest daughter and fourth eldest among nine children (four sons and five daughters) of William Carroll,…...
Carron (Caron), Raymond (Redmond)
Carron (Caron), Raymond (Redmond) (c.1605–1666), Franciscan visitor apostolic and theologian, was born in Co. Westmeath near Athlone around 1605. He joined the Franciscans, probably at Athlone, before studying at the friary at Drogheda and then at Salzburg and Louvain. He…...
Carson, Alexander
Carson, Alexander (1776–1844), nonconformist minister, was born c.September 1776 at Annahone, near Stewartstown, Co. Tyrone, eldest son of William Carson. His mother's name and his father's occupation are unknown. Intended for the ministry at an early age, he was…...
Cary (Tanfield), Elizabeth
Cary (Tanfield), Elizabeth (1585–1639), Viscountess Falkland , writer and translator, was born at Burford Priory, Oxfordshire, the only child and heir of Lawrence Tanfield (c.1551–1625), a wealthy lawyer, later appointed chief baron of the exchequer, and his wife,…...
Casey, John
Casey, John (1769/70–1861), priest and antiquary, was born in Castleshannon, Ballyheigue, Co. Kerry; his father was possibly a native of Ballyheigue, his mother a Lawlor from Ardfert. Educated at the college of Killarney, he was ordained in 1804, aged thirty-five. It is believed…...
Casey, William
Casey, William (1844–1907), Catholic priest and Land Leaguer, was born at Kilbeheny, Castlequarter, near Mitchelstown, Co. Cork, in 1844 and was educated briefly at Mount Melleray and then at St Colman's College, Fermoy, before going to Carlow College to train for the Catholic…...
Cassidy, Joseph
Cassidy, Joseph (1933–2013), archbishop and preacher, was born on 29 October 1933 in Charlestown, Co. Mayo, the only son of seven children of John Cassidy, national school headteacher, and Mary Cassidy (née Gallagher). His maternal uncle, Canon Eddie Gallagher, was parish priest of…...
Caulfield, James
Caulfield, James (c.1732–1814), catholic bishop of Ferns, was born at Saltmills, Co. Wexford. He was educated at a classical school at Saltmills conducted by a Church of Ireland minister under the patronage of Caesar Colclough…...
Cavanagh, Bartholomew
Cavanagh, Bartholomew (1821–97), catholic priest, was born in Kilcahill, Annaghdown, Co. Galway, one of thirteen children of John Cavanagh, affluent leaseholder of some 1,000 acres, mainly on the Blake estate, and Kate Cavanagh (née Browne). He studied first at a private school in…...
Cavanagh (Kavanagh), Patrick
Cavanagh (Kavanagh), Patrick (d. 1581), catholic martyr, was a sailor in the port of Wexford. In 1581 Viscount Baltinglass (qv), then in rebellion against Queen Elizabeth I, and his Jesuit chaplain Robert Rochford attempted to find…...
Chamberlain (Chamberlane), Robert
Chamberlain (Chamberlane), Robert (d. 1636), Franciscan friar, theologian, and political activist, was probably born at Niselrath (later Rathneestin), in the parish of Tallonstown, Co. Louth. His father was Roger Chamberlain, and five of his brothers fought in the Nine Years War…...
Champfleur (de Champfleur), Walter
Champfleur (de Champfleur), Walter (fl. 1482–98), was abbot of St Mary's Cistercian abbey in Dublin. He served as keeper of the seal on the death of the lord chancellor, William Sherwood (qv), bishop of Meath, on 3 December…...
Charles of St Andrew, Blessed Father
Charles of St Andrew, Blessed Father (1821–93), priest, was born John Andrew Houban 11 December 1821 in the province of Limburg, the Netherlands, fifth child among five sons and four daughters of Peter Joseph Houban, miller, and Jane Elizabeth Houban (née Luyten). At an early age…...