Jacob, Rosamond
Jacob, Rosamond (1888–1960), suffragist, republican, and writer, was born 13 October 1888 in Waterford city, third child of Louis Jacob (1841–1907) and Henrietta Jacob (née Harvey; 1849–1919). Louis Jacob worked in his father-in-law's house-agent and stockbroking firm in Waterford. Both…...
Kavanagh, Julia
Kavanagh, Julia (1824–77), novelist, short-story writer, and biographer, was born 7 January 1824 in Thurles, Co. Tipperary, the only child of Bridget Fitzpatrick (d. 1887) and Morgan Peter Kavanagh (d. 1874), writer and philologist. She spent much of her childhood in Normandy and…...
Kavanagh, Lady Harriet Margaret
Kavanagh, Lady Harriet Margaret (1800–85), artist, traveller, and antiquarian, was second daughter among three sons and four daughters of Richard Le Poer Trench (qv), later 2nd earl of Clancarty, and Henrietta Margaret Le Poer Trench…...
Kellett, Iris
Kellett, Iris (1926–2011), showjumper and horse trainer, was born on 8 January 1926 in Lower Baggot Street, Dublin, the only child of Thomas Kellett, of Mespil Road, Ballsbridge, and his wife Julia (née Maron). Her father was a veterinary surgeon who, after service as a British army…...
Kelly, Deirdre
Kelly, Deirdre (1938–2000), environmental and community campaigner, was born 15 May 1938 at Holles St. maternity hospital, Dublin, eldest daughter among three daughters and a son of Thomas McMahon , bus driver, and Mary (‘Molly’) McMahon (née Kenna), of 5 Sussex Road, adjoining…...
Le Blond, Elizabeth (‘Lizzie’) Alice Frances (née Hawkins-Whitshed; other married names Burnaby, Main)
Le Blond, Elizabeth (‘Lizzie’) Alice Frances (née Hawkins-Whitshed; other married names Burnaby, Main) (1860–1934), mountaineer, author and photographer, was born 26 June 1860 in Dublin, the only child of Sir St Vincent Bentinck Hawkins-Whitshed, 3rd (and last) baronet of Killincarrick…...
Leeson, Margaret (‘Peg’)
Leeson, Margaret (‘Peg’) (1727–97), prostitute, brothel-keeper, and memoirist, was born Margaret Plunket at Killough, Co. Westmeath, one of eight surviving children of Matthew Plunket, a wealthy farmer, and his wife, whose maiden name was O'Reilly. Most of what is known about Margaret…...
Lowe (Thompson), Beatrice Geraldine Hill
Lowe (Thompson), Beatrice Geraldine Hill - (1869–1951), archer and Olympian, was born on 26 January 1869 at Ardee House, Ardee, Co. Louth, the youngest of five daughters and three sons of William Ruxton (1823–95), landowner, JP,…...
Mills, Kathleen ('Kay')
Mills, Kathleen ('Kay') (1923–96), camogie player, was born 8 October 1923 at 31 South Square, Inchicore, Dublin, to Thomas Mills, originally from Glanmire, Co. Cork, and his wife Winifred (née Wills) of Inchicore. Thomas Mills was employed by Great Southern Railways (later subsumed…...
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'Mahoney, Katharine Aloysia O'Keeffe
O'Mahoney, Katharine Aloysia O'Keeffe (1851–1908), editor, educator, and writer, was born in Co. Kilkenny, daughter of Patrick O'Keeffe (b. 1803) and his wife Rose (b. 1824; maiden name unknown). The O'Keeffes emigrated to Methuen, Massachusetts, USA, c.1851 when she was ten…...
O'Meara, Kathleen
O'Meara, Kathleen (1839–88), novelist and biographer, was born in Dublin, the daughter of Den[n]is O'Meara of Tipperary. When she was about five, she moved with her parents to France, where they had connections: a grandfather, Barry…...
O'Sullivan, Mary Josephine Donovan-
O'Sullivan, Mary Josephine Donovan- (1887–1966), historian, was born in Fairhill, Galway, only daughter among ten children of William and Bridget Donovan from Cork. Her father had served in the Royal Navy. Educated at Dominican convent, Taylor's Hill, Galway, she won prizes in…...
Phelan, Margaret Mary (‘Daisy’)
Phelan, Margaret Mary (‘Daisy’) (1902–2000), local historian, was born 22 December 1902 at 8 William St., Kilkenny, second child of the marriage of Richard Duggan , businessman (proprietor of the Monster House), and his second wife, Henrietta Fitzgibbon of Castlerea, Co. Mayo,…...
Purcell, Mary
Purcell, Mary (1906–91), teacher, religious biographer, and archivist, was born 28 May 1906 in Moonveen, Carrigeen, Co. Kilkenny, one of three children of Richard Purcell, of Moonveen, and Anastasia Purcell (née Doyle), both of whom were schoolteachers. After attending the St Louis…...
Roe, Helen Maybury
Roe, Helen Maybury (1895–1988), librarian and antiquary, was born 18 December 1895 in Mountrath, Queen's Co. (Laois), the only child of William Ernest Roe and Anne Roe (neé Lambert Shields). Her father's family had lived in the Mountrath area since the seventeenth century and her…...
Rowan, Anne Margaret
Rowan, Anne Margaret (1832–1913), novelist, historian, and political activist, was born 21 November 1832 in Tralee, Co. Kerry, to Arthur Blennerhasset Rowan (qv), Church of Ireland clergyman and antiquarian, and his wife…...
Ruthven, Annette Jocelyn Otway-
Ruthven, Annette Jocelyn Otway- (1909–89), historian, was born 7 November 1909 at 63 Lower Baggot St., Dublin, third child among one son and three daughters of Capt. Robert Mervyn Bermingham Otway-Ruthven (1867–1919), Royal Artillery, of Castle Otway, Co. Tipperary, and Margaret…...
Seaton, Molly (Mary Anne)
Seaton, Molly (Mary Anne) (1905–74), soccer player, was born 2 September 1905 in the family residence at Greencastle in the docks area of Belfast. She was the second youngest of the four surviving children (three daughters and a son) of Henry Seaton, brick layer, and his wife Mary Jane…...
Sheehy, Jeanne Iseult
Sheehy, Jeanne Iseult (1939–99), art historian, was born 15 September 1939 in Dublin, daughter of Edward Sheehy (d. 1956), a distinguished critic, and Anna Sheehy (née Kelly), an accomplished graphic artist. She had one brother, David, a picture restorer. Educated at Eccles St.…...
Stokes, Margaret McNair
Stokes, Margaret McNair (1832–1900), archaeologist and antiquary, was born in March 1832 at York St., Dublin, eldest daughter of William Stokes (qv), MD, and Mary Stokes (neé Black) of Glasgow.…...
Sugrue, Elizabeth (‘Lady Betty’)
Sugrue, Elizabeth (‘Lady Betty’) (1740/50–1807), executioner, is thought to have been born in Co. Kerry into a tenant farming family between 1740 and 1750. The location of her birth and names of her parents are not known, and available details of her life are largely anecdotal or…...
Taylour, Frances Helen ('Fay')
Taylour, Frances Helen ('Fay') (1904–83), racing motorist and fascist, was born on 5 April 1904 at 11 Oxmanton Mall, Birr, King's County (Co. Offaly) to Herbert Fetherstonhaugh Taylour, formerly a lieutenant in the 3rd battalion of the Leinster regiment and then county inspector in the…...
Tighe, Joan
Tighe, Joan (1922–2014), journalist, editor and historian, was born on 28 June 1922 in Dublin, the second eldest of six children of Robert Tighe and his wife Catherine Angela (née Moloney). Robert Tighe served as a British army lieutenant during the first world war and was later…...
Walsh, Micheline Kerney-
Walsh, Micheline Kerney- (1919–97), archivist and historian, was born 21 October 1919 in La Celle, St Cloud, Paris, second child and only daughter of Leopold Harding Kerney (qv) of Dublin and Raymonde Kerney (née Élie) of…...