Crookshank, Anne Olivia
Crookshank, Anne Olivia (1927–2016), art historian, was born in Whiteabbey, Co. Antrim, on 3 January 1927, the second of three daughters to Henry Crookshank, a geographical surveyor, and his wife Eileen ‘Kitty’ Crookshank (née Somerville-Large). For the first five years of her life Anne…...
Crosbie, Patrick (‘Paddy’)
Crosbie, Patrick (‘Paddy’) (1913–82), teacher, humorist, and broadcaster, was born 1 October 1917 at 12A Bridewell Lane, Dublin, third among three sons and one daughter of Martin Crosbie, foreman-fitter, and Elizabeth (Lily) Crosbie (née Corcoran). He was educated at Stanhope St.…...
Crossland, Sir Bernard
Crossland, Sir Bernard (1923–2011), engineer and academic, was born on 20 October 1923 in Sydenham, south London, the youngest of three children (two boys and a girl) of Reginald Crossland, an engineer, and his wife Kathleen (née Ruddock). His grandfather and great-grandfather were…...
Crotty, Bartholomew
Crotty, Bartholomew (1769–1846), college head and catholic bishop of Cloyne, was born 1 September 1769 at Clonakilty, Co. Cork, son of a prosperous weaver; nothing else is known of his family. He was educated locally and at a classical school at Glanworth, Co. Cork, from which,…...
Crowley, Mary Frances
Crowley, Mary Frances (1906–90), nurse and educator, was born 1 August 1906 at 12 William Street, Wexford town, the home of her maternal grandparents, James Williams, a retired lighthouse keeper, and his wife Margaret. Mary was the eldest of six children born to John Crowley, a…...
Crozier, Francis Rawdon Moira
Crozier, Francis Rawdon Moira (1796–1848), Royal Navy captain and polar explorer, was born in September 1796 in Banbridge, Co. Down, one of thirteen children of George Crozier, attorney-at-law, and his wife Jane Elliot Crozier (née Graham). He joined the RN…...
Cuffe, Otway Frederick Seymour
Cuffe, Otway Frederick Seymour (1853–1912), benefactor and Gaelic revivalist, was born 11 January 1853 in London, third and youngest son of John Otway O'Connor Cuffe (1818–1865), 3rd earl of Desart (an Irish title), and his wife, Lady Elizabeth Lucy Campbell (1822–1898), third daughter…...
Cullen, Noel Christopher
Cullen, Noel Christopher (1947–2002), chef, academic, and author, was born 30 December 1947 in Moore St., Dublin, third among five children of Thomas Cullen, labourer, and Elizabeth Cullen (née Keeley). His career combined in equal parts culinary arts, administration, research,…...
Cuming, James
Cuming, James (1833–99), medical professor in QCB, was born in Markethill, Co. Armagh, son of Edward Cuming, a prosperous catholic merchant in coal, spirits, and foodstuffs, who had at least two other children, a daughter and another son, who became a barrister. James's mother's name is…...
Cúndún, Pádraig Phiarais
Cúndún, Pádraig Phiarais (1777–1857), Irish-language writer, was born at Shanakill, a son of Piaras Cúndún, a farmer of Kilmacdonagh, Ballymacoda, Co. Cork, and his wife, Máire. He had two brothers, Tomás and Cit, and he may have had at least one sister. Information is scant on his…...
Cunningham, Andrew Browne
Cunningham, Andrew Browne (1883–1963), naval commander, was born 7 January 1883 in Rathmines, Dublin, second son of Daniel John Cunningham (qv), professor of anatomy at TCD, and…...
Curtis, Maeve
Curtis, Maeve (1911–71), journalist and teacher, was born Alice Margaret, 7 August 1911, at West Teebane, Co. Tyrone, fifth child of four daughters and one son of John Curtis and his wife Alice Geown, both from Tyrone. Her father was a farmer-builder. Her mother died when she was…...
Curtis, Patrick
Curtis, Patrick (1747/8–1832), college head and catholic archbishop of Armagh, was born either at Drogheda, Co. Louth, or at his family's home at Stamullen, Co. Meath. He attended the classical school at Stamullen and, after a short time in trade, took up ecclesiastical studies in…...
Curwen, Annie Jessie
Curwen, Annie Jessie (1845–1932), music educationist, was born 1 September 1845 in Dublin; her name at birth was Gregg . Educated at the Royal Academy of Music in Dublin, she taught piano in the city, before moving to Scotland, where she met her future husband, the musician and…...
Dabzac, Henry Joseph
Dabzac, Henry Joseph (1737–90), academic, was born in Minorca, son of Henry d'Abzac (1677–1750) and his wife (m. 1711 in Dublin) Magdalen, daughter of Capt. D'Artoux. Henry d'Abzac, naturalised as a subject of the crown in Ireland, was the son of Marc Dabzac by Jane (b. 1703 at…...
Dalgarno, Alexander
Dalgarno, Alexander (1928–2015), mathematician, physicist and astrophysicist, was born, along with his twin sister Pamela, on 5 January 1928 in Wood Green, London, at the home of their parents William Dalgarno and Margaret (née Murray). Alexander and Pamela had an older brother, Murray…...
Daniel (Ó Domhnuill, O'Donnell), William
Daniel (Ó Domhnuill, O'Donnell), William (1570–1628), Church of Ireland archbishop of Tuam and translator of the New Testament into Irish, was a son of Nicholas Daniel of Kilkenny; nothing is known of his mother. During his youth he became a protestant, probably under the…...
Darby, John Patrick
Darby, John Patrick (1941–2012), social and political scientist, was born on 18 November 1940 at 149 Springfield Road, Belfast, where his parents Sadie (née Mackle) and Patrick Darby ran a pub. When he was a young child his family moved to Portrush, Co. Antrim, where he attended St…...
Darling, Sisson Putland
Darling, Sisson Putland (1737–1817), schoolmaster, was the son of Richard Darling (1685–1766) of North Strand, Dublin, and his wife, Anne (née Davis). Richard's great-grandfather was John Darling (d. 1620), protestant dean of Emly (1608–20). The family pedigree gives no clue to…...
Darlington, Joseph
Darlington, Joseph (1850–1939), Jesuit and academic, was born 5 November 1850 in Wigan, Lancashire, second son of Ralph Darlington (occupation unknown). He matriculated at Brasenose College, Oxford (2 December 1869) and graduated BA (1874)…...
Davidson, Lilian Lucy (‘Ulick Burke’; ‘Jennifer Maude’)
Davidson, Lilian Lucy (‘Ulick Burke’; ‘Jennifer Maude’) (1879–1954), landscape and portrait artist, art teacher, and writer, was born 26 January 1879 at Castle Terrace, Bray, Co. Wicklow, the sixth of ten children of Edward Ellice Davidson, a clerk of petty session, and Lucy Rising…...
Davitt, Michael
Davitt, Michael (1950–2005), poet, was born Joseph Michael Davitt on 20 April 1950 in Mayfield, Cork city, the third child of four children (three girls and a boy) of Joe Davitt, a bus driver and native of Mallow, Co. Cork, and his wife Hilda (néae Parker), originally from Stoke-on-…...
Dawson, George William Percy
Dawson, George William Percy (1927–2004), geneticist, art lover and philanthropist, was born 7 August 1927 in Alderley Edge, Cheshire, England, the only child of Percy John Fritz Stanley Dawson, fishmonger, and his wife Edith Helen (née Fildes). Education He was…...
Deakin, James Aubrey
Deakin, James Aubrey (1874–1952), Irish-language and republican activist, was born 19 June 1874 at Mount Auburn, Richmond Road, Drumcondra, Dublin, one of at least three sons and five daughters of James Deakin, commercial traveller, native of Birmingham, England, and Mary Anne Deakin (…...
Dease, Thomas (Déis, Tomás)
Dease, Thomas (Déis, Tomás) (c. 1568–1651/2), catholic bishop of Meath and poet in Irish, was second of three sons of Richard Dease of Turbotstown, Co. Westmeath, and his wife Lady Eleanor Nugent of Carlanstown, Co. Meath. He was closely related to the Nugents of Delvin…...