McGrath, Sir Joseph
McGrath, Sir Joseph (1858–1923), first registrar of the NUI, was born 25 August 1858 at Main Street, Bagnelstown, Co. Carlow, the eldest of the four sons of Pierce McGrath and Alicia (née Hughes); he may also have had sisters. Aged fourteen he entered the Jesuit school at Tullabeg…...
McGroarty, Julia (Susan)
McGroarty, Julia (Susan) (1827–1901), nun and educator, was born 13 February 1827 in Inver, Co. Donegal, second daughter and third among ten children of Neil McGroarty, farmer, and his wife, Catherine (née Bonner). In spring 1831 her family emigrated to the USA and settled in…...
McHugh, Kevin
McHugh, Kevin (1946–2006), fisherman and businessman, was born in Bullsmouth, Achill Island, Co. Mayo, on 26 May 1946, the fourth of eight children of Michael McHugh, ESB maintenance engineer, and his wife Norah (née Lavelle). Educated…...
McHugh, Roger Joseph
McHugh, Roger Joseph (1908–87), writer, academic, and republican, was born 24 July 1908 at Sunnyside, Sutton, Co. Dublin, son of Cornelius McHugh, tea taster, and Eveleen McHugh (née Burke). After early education in Athlone, Co. Westmeath, and Synge St.…...
McKenna, Ellen (Sister Mary Augustine)
McKenna, Ellen (Sister Mary Augustine) (1819–83), Sister of Mercy, American civil war nurse and teacher, was born 24 December 1819 in Traugh, Willville, Co. Monaghan, eldest among three daughters and two sons of James and Mary Anne McKenna. Ellen was educated at home, then at Miss…...
McKiernan, Eoin
McKiernan, Eoin (1915–2004), cultural entrepreneur and promoter of Irish studies, was born in Manhattan, New York city, on 10 May 1915, eldest of four children of Henry McKiernan (born in America of Cavan–Leitrim parents), foreman engineer, and his wife Delia (née Nagle), who had…...
McLaverty, Michael
McLaverty, Michael (1904–92), writer and teacher, was born 5 July 1904 at Magheross, near Carrickmacross, Co. Monaghan, son of Michael and Catherine McLaverty. His father worked in a hotel in the town until he moved to Rathlin Island, and later Belfast, when the young Michael was 5…...
Meenan, James Nahor
Meenan, James Nahor (1879–1950), doctor and academic, was born 24 October 1879 in Corbally House, Fintona, Co. Tyrone, sixth among eleven children of Patrick Meenan, farmer and JP, and Mary Meenan (née Donnelly). Educated at St Macartan's…...
Messingham, Thomas
Messingham, Thomas (c.1575–1638?), church reformer, hagiographer, and third rector of the Irish College, Paris, was of Old English stock in Co. Meath. It is likely that he received his early formation locally or in Dublin. He was sent abroad for further education, probably…...
Moore, Georgina (Sister Mary Clare)
Moore, Georgina (Sister Mary Clare) (1814–74), Sister of Mercy, foundress, Crimean war nurse, and teacher, was born 20 March 1814 in the Church of Ireland parish of St Ann's, Dublin, youngest among three children (one son and two daughters) of George and Catherine Moore, both…...
Moore, Michael
Moore, Michael (c.1639–1726), priest, philosopher and educationist, was born in Bridge St., Dublin, son of Andrew Moore and Mary Moore (née Dowdall) of Mountown (Monktown, Co. Meath). In the 1650s Moore travelled to Nantes, where he received an education in the humanities…...
Moran, Frances Elizabeth
Moran, Frances Elizabeth (1893–1977), university teacher and lawyer, was born on 6 December 1893, younger daughter and fifth among seven children of James Moran and Elizabeth Moran (née Faulkner). Her father was a prominent catholic businessman, proprietor of Moran's Hotel, 71–3 Lr…...
Mulally, Teresa
Mulally, Teresa (1728–1803), educationist, businesswoman, and philanthropist, was born in October 1728, in Pill Lane, near Chancery Street, Dublin, the only child of Daniel and Elizabeth Mulally. While she was young, her father, a provisions dealer, retired from his business and…...
Murphy, John
Murphy, John (c.1755–1832), engraver and educational publisher, was born in Cork city and reared in its northern suburbs, around Mallow Lane. At the age of seventeen he emigrated to London, led by his ‘predilection for the Fine Arts and a desire to cultivate an inclination for…...
Murphy, Thomas
Murphy, Thomas (1915–97), academic and president of UCD, was born 3 December 1915 in Bunclody, Co. Wexford, elder of two sons of John Murphy, farmer, and Mary Murphy (née Doyle). A sister of the two boys died in childhood. Educated…...
Nagle, Nano (Honora)
Nagle, Nano (Honora) (1718–84), nun, educator, and founder of the Presentation Order, was born 9 April 1718 at Ballygriffin near Mallow, Co. Cork, eldest among five daughters and two sons of Garret Nagle (d. 1746), landowner, and Ann Nagle (née Mathew), who was from Annfield, Thurles,…...
Newman, John Henry
Newman, John Henry (1801–90), cardinal, theologian, and educationist, was born 21 February 1801 at 80 Old Broad Street, London, the first of the six children of his banker father, John Newman (d. 1824), and Huguenot-descended mother, Jemima Fourdrinier (d. 1836). He attended Ealing…...
Ní Chanainn (Ní Cheanainn) (Cannon), Áine
Ní Chanainn (Ní Cheanainn) (Cannon), Áine (1907–99), headmistress and co-founder of Cumann Scannán na nÓg, was born Annie Delia Cannon on 22 October 1907 in Derryvea, Kiltimagh, Co. Mayo, daughter of Michael Cannon, farmer and shopkeeper, and his wife Annie (née Kelly). She received…...
Ní Ghuairim, Máire
Ní Ghuairim, Máire (1896–1964), teacher, author and sean-nós singer, was born 6 July 1896 in Roisín na Manach, Carna, Co. Galway, eldest daughter of farmer Máirtín Gorham and his wife, Catherine Burke. She received her earliest education in the Convent of Mercy school in Roisín na…...
Nolan, John James (‘J. J.’)
Nolan, John James (‘J. J.’) (1888–1952), experimental physicist and academic, was born 28 December 1888 in Railway Tce, Omagh, Co. Tyrone, eldest among four sons and one daughter of Martin Nolan, member of the RIC, originally from Co.…...
Nowlan, Kevin Ingram
Nowlan, Kevin Ingram (1910–2003), engineer, planning officer, and university lecturer, was born 2 November 1910 at Iona House, Iona Drive, Glasnevin, Dublin, second son of John William Nowlan, assistant superintendent of Glasnevin cemetery, and his wife Kathleen Winifred (née Browning…...
O'Brien, George Augustine Thomas
O'Brien, George Augustine Thomas (1892–1973), economic historian and economist, was born 26 January 1892 in Dublin, only child of Richard O'Brien (d. 1906), hotelier, by his second marriage, to Mary (née Dowse) (d. 1946), a native of Co. Wicklow. His father, a self-made…...
O'Brien, Kathleen Cruise
O'Brien, Kathleen Cruise (née Sheehy ) (1886–1938), teacher, suffragist and Irish language enthusiast, was born 28 April 1886 in Loughmore, Co. Tipperary, the youngest in a family of two sons and five daughters (one of whom died in infancy) of …...
O'Brien, Miriam Thérèse
O'Brien, Miriam Thérèse (1945–2006), religious sister, educator, and aid worker in west Africa, was born Colette O'Brien on 18 April 1945 in Antrim town, the eldest of three daughters of Matthew O'Brien and his wife Mary (née Nash); she also had a younger brother. She attended St…...
Ó Buachalla, Breandán
Ó Buachalla, Breandán (1936–2010), scholar and critic, was born in Cork city on 15 January 1936, the fourth of the seven children of Joseph and Bridget Buckley (née de Courcy). He attended St Nessan's Christian Brothers' School, O'Sullivan's Quay, and later studied at University College…...