David Scottus
David Scottus (‘the Irishman’) (d. 1139?), teacher in the cathedral school of Würzburg and chaplain to Emperor Henry V. After taking holy orders in Ireland, David went to ‘upper Germany’ for further study. In 1108/9 he became master of the cathedral school at Würzburg, where he…...
Davin, Nicholas Flood
Davin, Nicholas Flood (1843–1901), journalist, writer, and politician, was born 13 January 1843 in Kilfinane, Co. Limerick, the only son of Nicholas Davin, doctor, and Eliza Davin (née Lane). Although he later constructed a past that seems at odds with the truth, it appears that he…...
Deasy, Liam
Deasy, Liam (1896–1974), IRA officer and author, was born 6 May 1896 at Kilmacsimon Quay, Bandon, Co. Cork, third among six sons of William Deasy, seaman, and Mary Deasy (née Murray). He was educated locally at Ballinadee before leaving school at 13 to work in nearby Bandon.…...
De Breffny, Brian
De Breffny, Brian (1931–89), architectural historian, genealogist, and author, was born Brian Michael Lees on 14 January 1931 at 66 Gordon Avenue, Isleworth, London, the only son of Maurice Lees (Moses Leese), a turf accountant and taxi driver, and his wife, Marguerite Mary (née O'…...
De Paor, Liam
De Paor, Liam (1926–98), archaeologist, historian, and academic, was born 13 April 1926 in Dublin, son of Paul Power of Tramore, Co. Waterford, and Kathleen Power (née Burke) of Dublin. His father was a railway official and de Paor grew up in Drumcondra, Dublin, where he attended the…...
De Paor, Máire
De Paor, Máire (1925–94), archaeologist, was born 6 May 1925 in Buncrana, Co. Donegal, second child among four children (one son and three daughters) of Eamonn (Ned) McDermott, grocer, and Delia McDermott (née McVeigh), teacher; both parents were veterans of the republican movement, who…...
De Robeck, Sir John Michael
De Robeck, Sir John Michael (1863–1928), admiral, was born 10 June 1863 at Gowran Grange, Naas, Co. Kildare, second son of John Henry Edward Fock, 4th Baron de Robeck, and Sophia Charlotte de Robeck (née Burton) of Burton Hall, Co. Carlow. He joined the Royal Navy as a cadet in 1875…...
De Róiste, Liam
De Róiste, Liam (1882–1959), politician, writer and Irish-language activist, was born 15 June 1882 in Fountainstown, Co. Cork, son of Edward Roche and Eliza Roche (née Ahern), both schoolteachers. He attended the local national school and, although little Irish was spoken in his area,…...
Derricke, John
Derricke, John (fl.1578), author of The image of Ireland with a discourse of woodkarne (1581), may have been the same Mr Dericke who was directed by Sir John Bourne in June 1557 to make a new great seal for Ireland, although this was more likely to have been…...
De Valera, Ruaidhrí
De Valera, Ruaidhrí (1916–78), archaeologist, was born 3 November 1916 in Dublin, fourth son among five sons and two daughters of Éamon de Valera (qv) and Sinéad de Valera (qv) (née…...
Dickson, Charles
Dickson, Charles (1886–1978), physician and historian, was born at Dromore, Co. Down, on 20 January 1886, son of John Mitchel Dickson, a linen merchant whose mother, Matilda (d. 1897), was a sister of John Mitchel (qv). Later the family, who…...
Dillon, Elizabeth
Dillon, Elizabeth (1865–1907), diarist, was born 2 March 1865 in England, eldest among five children of Sir James Charles Mathew (qv) (1830–1908) and his wife Elizabeth Blackmore Mathew (d. 1933), daughter of the Rev. Edwin…...
Dill, Sir Samuel
Dill, Sir Samuel (1844–1924), classical scholar, historian, and educationalist, was born 26 March 1844 at Hillsborough, Co. Down, eldest son of the Rev. Marcus Dill, DD, presbyterian minister of Hillsborough, and Anna Dill (née Moreland). He…...
Dingley, Thomas
Dingley, Thomas (d. 1695?), antiquary and traveller, a native of Southampton, England, is known in Ireland for his account of a tour he made in Leinster and Munster in 1681. It contains much on Irish ways of life, particularly diet, dress, pastimes, customs, language, money,…...
Dix, Ernest Reginald McClintock
Dix, Ernest Reginald McClintock (1857–1936), solicitor, book collector, and Irish language enthusiast, was born 8 April 1857 in Dublin, elder son of Henry Thomas Dix (1825–1902), a prominent solicitor, and his wife Emma Patience, daughter of an army officer, Henry McClintock of…...
Dixon, Frederick E.
Dixon, Frederick E. (1913–88) meteorologist, historian, and philatelist, was born 27 March 1913 in Oundle, near Peterborough, England, a son of Nathan Dixon and his wife, Edith, née Howitt, who also had another son and a daughter. He attended Deacon's School, Peterborough, and…...
Dobbs, Francis
Dobbs, Francis (1750–1811), Volunteer, author, and MP, was born 27 April 1750, second son among four sons and a daughter of the Rev. Richard Dobbs (c.1694–1775), rector (1743–75) of Lisburn cathedral, Co. Antrim, and his wife Mary (d. 1796), widow of Cornet McMannus, and…...
Dobbs, Margaret Emmeline
Dobbs, Margaret Emmeline (1871–1962), Gaelic Leaguer, was born in Dublin on 19 November 1871, one of four children of Conway Edward Dobbs (1818–98) of Glenariff Lodge, Parkmore, Co. Antrim, landowner, justice of the peace (JP) of Co. Antrim and high sheriff of Carrickfergus (1875) and…...
Dod (Dodd), Charles Roger Phipps
Dod (Dodd), Charles Roger Phipps (1793–1855), journalist and author, was born 8 May 1793 in Drumlease, Co. Leitrim, the only son of Rev. Roger Dod, vicar of Drumlease, and his wife Margaret (née Phipps). He entered the King's Inns 30 July 1816, but abandoned his legal studies for…...
Doheny, Michael
Doheny, Michael (1805–62), Young Ireland nationalist and author, was born 22 May 1805 at Brookhill, parish of Fethard, Co. Tipperary, the second son of Michael Doheny of Brookhill, a small farmer, and Ellen Doheny (née Keley). He received a rudimentary education from an itinerant…...
Dolan, Joseph
Dolan, Joseph (1872–1930), businessman and local activist, was born in January 1872 in Ardee, Co. Louth, son of Thomas Dolan, publican, merchant and farmer who was a native Irish speaker, and his wife Anne Segrave. The Dolans had built up an extensive business in Ardee since the early…...
Dolley, (Reginald Hugh) Michael
Dolley, (Reginald Hugh) Michael (1925–83), numismatist and historian, was born 6 July 1925 in Oxford, England, the son of A. H. F. Dolley, a civil servant, and Margaret Dolley (née Horgan). His father had Co. Galway antecedents while his mother's were from west Co. Limerick. Michael…...
Dombrain, Sir James
Dombrain, Sir James (1793–1871), comptroller general of the Irish coastguard, was born in Canterbury, Kent, son of Abraham Dombrain. He was of French huguenot stock and it is believed that his family were descended from the D'Embron family of Rouen, Normandy. He joined the Royal…...
Donnelly, Nicholas
Donnelly, Nicholas (1837–1920), catholic bishop, church musician, and local historian, was born 23 November 1837, in St Paul's parish, Dublin, eldest son of John Donnelly, a merchant. He was educated at Castleknock College and the Irish College, Rome, where he was ordained priest…...
Doolin, William
Doolin, William (1887–1962), surgeon, editor, and medical historian, was born 19 July 1887 at 20 Ely Place, Dublin, eldest child of Walter G. Doolin, architect, and Marion Doolin (née Creedon). His siblings were Daniel and Walter. He was educated at the Catholic University School…...