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…...
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,…...
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…...
Challoner, Luke
Challoner, Luke (1550–1613), Church of Ireland clergyman and vice-provost of Trinity College, Dublin, was born into a prosperous family, which had emigrated from London to Dublin late in Henry VIII's reign. All that is known of his father is that he owned property in Dublin, but…...
Christle, Joseph Patrick
Christle, Joseph Patrick (1927–98), republican, college lecturer, and sports administrator, was born 4 November 1927 in Dublin, into the large family (which included at least seven sons, of whom he was the fourth) of James Christle, a small farmer from Co. Offaly who moved to…...
Cleary, James Vincent
Cleary, James Vincent (1828–98), catholic archbishop and educator, was born 18 September 1828 in Dungarvan, Co. Waterford, the son of Thomas Cleary and his wife Margaret O'Brien. Educated locally, at the age of fifteen he went to Rome to begin studies for the priesthood. Returning…...
Cochrane, Jean Crawford
Cochrane, Jean Crawford (1914–2013), educator and activist for women's education, was born on 27 June 1914 in Lifford, Co. Donegal, the eldest daughter of Hugh Crawford Cochrane, a solicitor and under-sheriff for the county, and Lucy Cameron Cochrane (née Boyd). Jean attended school…...
Coffey, Brian
Coffey, Brian (1905–95), poet, academic, teacher, and publisher, was born 8 June 1905 at Glenageary, Co. Dublin, son of Denis J. Coffey (qv), president of UCD, and Maude Coffey (née Quin…...
Coffey, Denis Joseph
Coffey, Denis Joseph (1865–1945), academic, president of UCD, was born 21 January 1865 in Tralee, Co. Kerry, son of John Coffey, shopkeeper, and Mary Coffey (née McMahon). He was educated by the Christian Brothers and at Holy Cross, Tralee, before entering the Catholic University…...
Coffey, Peter
Coffey, Peter (1876–1943), priest and professor ofphilosophy, was born 27 April 1876 in Rathrone, Enfield, Co. Meath, son of Andrew Coffey, farmer, and Bridget Coffey (née Cosgrove). Educated at the model school, Trim, the diocesan seminary, Navan, and St Patrick's College,…...
Colleran, Enda
Colleran, Enda (1942–2004), Gaelic footballer, was born 2 May 1942 in Moylough, Co. Galway, the fifth of six children of James Colleran, farmer, of Moylough, and his wife Ellen (née Wilson), a national school teacher. Born into a strong Gaelic football family, with three older…...
Colum, Mary Catherine (‘Molly’)
Colum, Mary Catherine (‘Molly’) (1887–1957), critic, editor, and teacher, was born 13 June 1887 in Co. Sligo, daughter of Charles Maguire of Derryhawlagh, Killesher parish, Co. Fermanagh, and Maria Maguire (née Gunning). After the death of her parents, she was raised by her…...
Conefrey, Peter
Conefrey, Peter (1880–1939), catholic priest and social critic, was born 9 June 1880 in Mohill, Co. Leitrim, son of James Conefrey, publican, and his wife Mary McGivney. There were many priests on both sides of the family. His uncle, Fr Thomas Conefrey, parish priest of Drumlish,…...
Conmee, John Stephen
Conmee, John Stephen (1847–1910), Jesuit priest, writer, and educator, was born 25 December 1847 in Glanduff, near Athlone, Co. Westmeath, the son of John N. Conmee, a prosperous farmer. His family later moved to Kingsland, Co. Roscommon, and it was here that he spent his early…...
Conway, Arthur William
Conway, Arthur William (1875–1950), academic and president of UCD, was born 2 October 1875 in Main St., Wexford town, the only son of Myles and Teresa Conway (née Harris). He had one sister. His father died, aged 34, when Arthur was only two, and his mother married again, to a…...
Conway, Honoria (Sister Mary Vincent)
Conway, Honoria (Sister Mary Vincent) (1815–92), Sister of Charity, foundress, and educator, was born 18 June 1815 in Dover Castle, Isle of Wight, England, youngest of three children (one son and two daughters) of Sgt Michael Conway of the Galway Militia, Galway, and Eleanor…...
Corcoran, Timothy
Corcoran, Timothy (1872–1943), priest and educationist, was born 17 January 1872 at Honeymount, Dunkerrin, Co. Tipperary, eldest son of Thomas Corcoran, a large farmer, and Alice Corcoran (née Gleeson). His father was locally prominent in the Land League and Gaelic Athletic Association…...
Corish, Patrick Joseph
Corish, Patrick Joseph (1921–2013), priest and historian, was born on 17 March 1921 in Ballytarsna near Ballycullane, Co. Wexford, the son of Peter William Corish, a schoolteacher, and his wife Brigid (née O’Shaughnessy). Patrick had five brothers and one sister, and remained close to…...
Cosgrave, Mary Anne (Patrick)
Cosgrave, Mary Anne (Patrick) (1863–1900), pioneer nurse in Rhodesia, educationist, and Dominican prioress, was born 22 May 1863 in Summerhill, Co. Meath, one of four children of a member of the Irish Constabulary, who came from Ballysilla, near Oulart Hill, Co. Wexford. Her…...
Costigan, Ethna Mary Byrne-
Costigan, Ethna Mary Byrne- (1904–91), academic and writer, was born 24 May 1904 at Upper Leeson Street, Dublin, the eldest daughter of Thomas Joseph Byrne (qv), chief architect to the Office of Public Works, and Mary Ellen Byrne…...
Cowley, Jane (Sister Mary Teresa)
Cowley, Jane (Sister Mary Teresa) (1857–1914), Sister of Mercy, Boer war nurse, and educator, was born in Dunshaughlin, Co. Meath, daughter of John Cowley and Margaret Cowley (née Loughran). She entered the Convent of Mercy, Strabane, Co. Tyrone, on 2 February 1877, taking the…...
Cregan, Donal Francis
Cregan, Donal Francis (1911–95), priest, educationist, and historian, was born 16 May 1911 in Newcastlewest, Co. Limerick, only son among three children of John D. Cregan, shopkeeper, and Elizabeth Cregan (née Foley). He attended (1924–9) Castleknock College, Dublin, after which…...
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.…...
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,…...