Fergus Mór
Fergus Mór (‘the great’) (d. 503), son of Erc and putatively king of Dál Riata, was an early representative of this dynasty in Co. Antrim and ancestor of the later Cenél nGabráin kings in Scotland. There is no record of his mother or his wife, but he is said to have had eleven…...
Fiachnae
Fiachnae (d. 789), son of Áed Rón and overking of Ulaid, a member of the Cenél Demmáin lineage of Dál Fiatach, was prominent in restoring his dynasty's fortunes and in countering the designs of the powerful Uí Néill kings. His father, Áed Rón (…...
Fiachnae Lurgan
Fiachnae Lurgan (‘of Lurga’ [placename?]) (d. 626), son of Báetán and overking of Ulaid, belonged to the lineage of Uí Choíldub within the dynasty of Dál nAraide. Fiachnae, whose grandfather Eochaid is numbered among the overkings of Ulaid, had a brother, Fiachra Cáech (d. 608), and…...
Fiannamail
Fiannamail (d. 680), son of Máel-tuile and overking of Leinster, belonged to the dynasty of Uí Máil. Although his great-uncle Crimthann Cualann (qv) had died in 633 as overking of Leinster, Fiannamail's immediate predecessor in the Uí…...
Fínshnechtae Cetharderc
Fínshnechtae Cetharderc (d. 808), son of Cellach and overking of Leinster, belonged to the Uí Dúnchada lineage of Uí Dúnlainge. His sobriquet, meaning ‘looking four ways’, may be intended to convey a circumspect character; he certainly proved to be a political survivor and did much…...
Fínshnechtae Fledach
Fínshnechtae Fledach (d. 695), son of Dúnchad and king of Tara, belonged to the Uí Néill dynasty of Síl nÁedo Sláine. Fínshnechtae was a strong king who defended the midlands against threats from Leinster and from the north. The Old Irish regnal poem ‘Baile Chuinn’ (the ‘ecstasy’ or…...
FitzDermot, John
This is a co-subject for the entry on Mac Gilla Mo Cholmóc, Diarmait. View the original entry....
Fitzpatrick, Richard
Fitzpatrick, Richard (1662–1727), 1st Baron Gowran , Royal Navy officer and MP, was the son or grandson of Andrew Fitzpatrick of Castle Fleming, Queen's Co. (Laois), and his wife Ellice, daughter of Richard Butler, Viscount Mountgarret. Entering the Royal Navy he was appointed to…...
Flaithbertach
Flaithbertach (d. 765), son of Loingsech and king of Tara, belonged to Cenél Conaill, a dynasty of the Uí Néill federation, which by the eighth century (if not earlier) had divided into Northern and Southern groupings. His father Loingsech (…...
Flann dá Chongal
Flann dá Chongal (d. 740?), son of Díummasach and king of Uí Fhailge, features prominently in the genealogies of Uí Fhailge, where he is represented as the common ancestor of a number of lineages including Clann Cholccan, Clann Chináeda, Clann Máel-ugrai, Clann Chairpri, and Uí…...
Flann Sinna
Flann Sinna (‘of the Shannon’) (d. 916), son of Máel-Sechnaill and king of Tara, was a member of the Clann Cholmáin dynasty of the Southern Uí Néill. His father Máel-Sechnaill (qv) had died as king of Tara in 862; his mother was Lann…...
Fogartach
Fogartach (d. 724), son of Niall and king of Tara, belonged to Clann Chernaig Shotail, a lineage of Síl nÁedo Sláine, a constituent dynasty of Uí Néill. His father was a son of the eponymous Cernach Sotal (d. 668); his mother is not named, but four of his brothers or half-brothers…...
Forbes, George
Forbes, George (1685–1765), 3rd earl of Granard , diplomat, and admiral, was born 21 October 1685, third but eldest surviving son of Arthur Forbes (qv), 2nd earl, and his wife, Mary, daughter of Sir…...
Gofraid Méránach
Gofraid Méránach (d. 1095), grandson of Harold and king of Dublin, is almost certainly to be identified with Godred Crovan, king of Man. Not only are they contemporaries, but the personal names are equivalents and the sobriquets may both refer to the hand, méránach…...
Gormlaith
Gormlaith (d. 948), daughter of Flann Sinna and queen consort in turn of Munster, Leinster, and Tara, belonged to the Southern Uí Néill dynasty of Clann Cholmáin. Her father Flann Sinna (qv) was king of Tara, and her mother (also named…...
Gormlaith
Gormlaith (d. 1030), daughter of Murchad and allegedly queen consort in turn to the kings of Dublin, Tara, and Munster, belonged to the Uí Fháeláin lineage of northern Leinster. Her father, Murchad son of Finn, died in 972 as king of Leinster; her mother apparently belonged to a…...
Gráinne
Gráinne was a legendary daughter of the equally legendary pre-Christian king of Tara, Cormac (qv) son of Art. The story of her love for the tragic hero Diarmait grandson of Duibne is one of the most famous tales of the Fenian Cycle, a tale…...
Green, William Spotswood
Green, William Spotswood (1847–1919), marine scientist, was born 10 September 1847 in Youghal, Co. Cork, the only son and eldest of six children of Charles Green, JP, merchant of Youghal, and his wife Catherine Frances, daughter of Walter…...
Guaire Aidni
Guaire Aidni (‘of Aidne’) (d. 663), son of Colmán and overking of Connacht, was an early representative of the dynasty of Uí Fhiachrach Aidni. His father Colmán, who features in the regnal lists as overking of Connacht, was slain in 622 by an Uí Briúin rival, Rogallach son of Uatu,…...
Halpin, George
Halpin, George (1774×1779–1854), civil engineer and lighthouse designer, was probably born in Leinster. Little is known of his life before his appointment (1800) by the ballast board (Dublin's port authority, which replaced the ballast office in 1786) as its engineer or inspector of…...
Halpin, Robert Charles
Halpin, Robert Charles (1836–94), sea captain, was born 16 February 1836 at Wicklow town, the youngest of thirteen children of James Halpin, tavern owner, and his wife, Anne Halpin (née Halbert). Educated locally at Leitrim Place, he left school at the age of eleven, with the…...
Hanger, George
Hanger, George (1751–1824), army officer, author, and eccentric, was born 13 October 1751 in Co. Londonderry, third son of Gabriel Hanger, 1st Lord Coleraine, MP and merchant, and Elizabeth Hanger (née Bond) of Cowbury, Hereford, England. Educated at Reading School and Eton, he…...
Hayes, (Francis) Mahon (Joseph)
Hayes, (Francis) Mahon (Joseph) (1930–2011), lawyer and diplomat, was born on 2 March 1930 at Verdun, Wellington Road, Cork, the second of three sons of Francis Mahon Hayes (d. 1968), official with the Munster and Leinster Bank, and his wife Aileen (née Walsh). The family moved with…...
Henderson, John
Henderson, John (1757–88), eccentric scholar, was born 27 March 1757 in Co. Limerick (sources say at Ballygarran or Ballegarance, which may be the townland of Ballycarrane), the only son of Richard Henderson, Wesleyan lay preacher, and his first or second wife, whose name may have been…...
Henderson, Oscar
This is a co-subject for the entry on Henderson, James. View the original entry....