Andrews, Christopher Stephen (‘Todd’)
Andrews, Christopher Stephen (‘Todd’) (1901–85), revolutionary, public servant, and writer, was born 6 October 1901 at 42 Summerhill, central Dublin, elder of two sons of Christopher Andrews, of Dublin, and Mary (‘Molly’) Andrews (née Moran), daughter of a…...
Barry, Edmond
Barry, Edmond (1837–1900), priest and antiquarian, was born 7 March 1837 in Midleton, Co. Cork, elder son and second of three children of Edmond Barry, gentleman of Birch Hill and Midleton, and Mary Anne Barry (née Murphy). He was educated in the seminary at Midleton and at St…...
Barry, John
Barry, John (1745–1803), United States Navy captain, was born at Ballysampson, Tacumshane parish, Co. Wexford, son of John Barry, clerk and small farmer, and Catherine Barry (née Kelly). After his family were evicted, they moved to Rosslare and the young Barry went to sea as a cabin boy…...
Bellings (Bealing), Richard
Bellings (Bealing), Richard (c.1603–1677), lawyer, politician, and historian, was eldest son of Sir Henry Bellings (of an Old English catholic family with properties in Dublin and Kildare) and his wife Maud, about whom nothing else is known. Richard gained admittance to…...
Binchy, Daniel Anthony
Binchy, Daniel Anthony (1899–1989), historian and diplomat, was born 3 June 1899 on Main Street, Charleville, Co. Cork, second son (there were at least three other surviving children) of William Patrick Binchy, shopkeeper, and his wife Annie (née Browne). EDUCATION AND EARLY CAREER He…...
Blennerhassett, Sir Rowland
Blennerhassett, Sir Rowland (1839–1909), 4th baronet, politician, and author, was born 5 September 1839 at Blennerville, Co. Kerry, the only son among two children of Sir Arthur Blennerhassett (1794–1849), 3rd baronet, a catholic landowner and high sheriff of Co. Kerry (1820), and…...
Bourke, Francis Stephen (‘Freddie’)
Bourke, Francis Stephen (‘Freddie’) (1895–1959), medical doctor and bibliographer, was born 14/15 July 1895 in High St., Kilkenny, son of James Bourke, merchant tailor, and Kate Bourke (née Walshe). Educated at St Kieran's College, Kilkenny, he studied at the Royal College of Surgeons…...
Bourke, Patrick Martin Austin
Bourke, Patrick Martin Austin (1913–95), meteorologist and historian, was born 10 May 1913 in Dungarvan, Co. Waterford, second son of Patrick M. Bourke, stationmaster, and Clare Bourke (née O'Sullivan). He was educated at Mount Sion CBS…...
Bourke, Ulick Joseph
Bourke, Ulick Joseph (1829–87), catholic priest, Irish-language revivalist, teacher, and antiquarian, was born 29 December 1829 at Laherdane, Castlebar, Co. Mayo, son of Ulick Bourke and his wife Cecilia Sheridan. He was educated at Errew Monastery, Castlebar, and studied Irish…...
Boylan, Henry Joseph
Boylan, Henry Joseph (1911–2007), civil servant and writer, was born 21 December 1911 in Drogheda, Co. Louth, the seventh of nine children (five boys and four girls) of John Boylan, merchant sea captain, and his wife Mary (née Coleman; d. 1958). He enjoyed a comfortable childhood,…...
Boylan, Patrick Joseph
Boylan, Patrick Joseph (1879–1974), priest, biblical scholar, and Egyptologist, was born 2 December 1879 in Barrowhouse, near Athy, Co. Kildare, son of Patrick Boylan, a teacher at Shanganamore national school, and his wife Anne (née Walker), of Queen's County (Laois).…...
Brady, William Maziere
Brady, William Maziere (1825–94), clergyman and historian, was born 8 January 1825 in Dublin, son of Sir Nicholas William Brady (1791–1843), manufacturer of gold and silver lace, of Willow Park and Killiney Park, Co. Dublin, and Catherine Anne Brady (d. 1839), daughter of Peter…...
Brenan, John
Brenan, John (1768–1830), physician and satirist, was born March 1768, eldest of six children of a minor landed catholic family from Ballaghide, Co. Carlow. The details of his early life are unknown. In 1793 he wrote epigrams and short verse for Dublin magazines. Claiming to have…...
Brown, Stephen James Meredith
Brown, Stephen James Meredith (1881–1962), Jesuit priest, bibliographer, and librarian, was born 24 September 1881 in Holywood, Co. Down, eldest of four children of Stephen James Brown (1853–1931), solicitor and JP, and Catharine Brown (…...
Bruodin (MacBrody), Anthony
Bruodin (MacBrody), Anthony (d. 1680), Franciscan author and lecturer, was the son of Miler Bruodin, a landowner, and Margaret O'Mollony; he was a member of a bardic family of Ballyhogan, Co. Clare, who traditionally acted as chroniclers and genealogists to the O'Brien kings of…...
Burke (de Burgo), Thomas
Burke (de Burgo), Thomas (1709/10–1776), Dominican historian and bishop of Ossory 1759–76, was born in Dublin, a descendant of the Burkes of Cloghcroke, near Athenry, Co. Galway; no details of his parents are known. His grand uncle, Thomas Burke (c.1650–1724), was prior…...
Burke, Thomas Nicholas (‘Tom’)
Burke, Thomas Nicholas (‘Tom’) (1830–83), Dominican preacher and historian, was born Nicholas Anthony Burke on 8 September 1830 in Kirwan's Lane, off Cross St., Galway, fourth surviving child and only son of Walter Burke, baker, and Margaret Burke (née MacDonough). He was educated…...
Burke, William P.
Burke, William P. (1864–1941), priest and historian, was born 11 October 1864 in Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, second son of Edmund Burke, founder of Burke's bacon-curers, and Eileen Burke (née McGrath). He was educated by the Christian Brothers in Clonmel, at Rockwell College, Cashel,…...
Butler, Edward Joseph Aloysius (Dom Cuthbert
Butler, Edward Joseph Aloysius (Dom Cuthbert ) (1858–1934), Benedictine abbot and author, was born 6 May 1858 in Dublin, only child of Edward Butler (fl. 1854–96), barrister and professor of mathematics at the Catholic University of Ireland, and Mary Butler (née Cruise),…...
Campion, Edmund
Campion, Edmund (1540–81), Jesuit, writer, and martyr, was born in London on 25 January 1540, the son of a bookseller. He attended Christ's Hospital and then St John's College, Oxford, graduating BA in 1561 and MA…...
Cane, Robert
Cane, Robert (1807–58), nationalist, physician, and historian, was born in Kilkenny city; his mother's name was Scott, from a well known Kilkenny family. In the 1820s he worked as a pharmaceutical assistant in Kilkenny, and graduated from the Royal College of Surgeons, London (…...
Carew (Carve) Thomas
Carew (Carve) Thomas (1590–1672?), historian and priest, was born at Mobarnan, Co. Tipperary. He claimed descent from a noble branch of the Munster Carews and that his brother, Sir Ross Carew, was married to Lady Hyde, sister of the great Clarendon. His mother was probably a…...
Carrigan, William
Carrigan, William (1860–1924), catholic priest and historian, was born at Rothestown House, Muckalee (Ballyfoyle), Co. Kilkenny, probably in August 1860, the youngest of thirteen children of James Carrigan, a substantial farmer, and his wife Johana Brenan. Educated at St Kieran's…...
Carty, Francis
Carty, Francis (1899–1972), revolutionary, journalist, and author, was born 29 March 1899 in Wexford town, eldest child of Francis Carty, shopkeeper, and Margaret Carty (née Storey). Educated at CBS, Wexford, he contributed stories…...
Carty, James
Carty, James (1900–59), historian, librarian, and bibliographer, was born in Wexford on 7 August 1900, one of the four sons of Francis Carty, a barber, and his wife, Margaret (née Storey). In 1920, while he was still a student at UCD…...