O'Connell, Mary
O'Connell, Mary (Sister Anthony ) (1814–97), Sister of Charity, was born 15 August 1814 in Limerick, daughter of William O’Connell and Catherine O’Connell (née Murphy). After the death of her mother (1825), the family emigrated to America; Mary was raised by an aunt in Maine, while her…...
O'Connor, Mary
O'Connor, Mary (Sister Mary Agnes ) (1815–59), Sister of Mercy, foundress, and social worker, was born 6 January 1815 in Kilkenny city, youngest among ten children of Patrick O'Connor and Mary O'Connor. Like other charitable women of her time she visited the sick poor and made…...
O'Delaney, Mary Barry
O'Delaney, Mary Barry (1862–1947), journalist and nationalist, was born Mary Barry Delany , though from the time she came to notice as a journalist she styled her surname O'Delaney (or sometimes O'Delany). In 1883 she left Ireland for Paris, where she lived in the Avenue Kléber…...
O'Donnell, Erica Marie-Josèphe
O'Donnell, Erica Marie-Josèphe (1920–99), art historian and SOE officer, was born 11 March 1920 in Dublin, the only child of Eric Hugh O'Donnell, a British army officer of Dublin and Ballingaddy, Co. Limerick, and his wife Mary Mabel Elizabeth, second daughter of Joseph Charles Dunbar…...
O'Hagan, Mary
O'Hagan, Mary (1826–76), abbess, was born in 1826 in Belfast, the only daughter of Edward O'Hagan, a trader in the city, and his wife, Mary, daughter of Captain Thomas Bell. She received little education, and was profoundly affected in her childhood by the early death of both her…...
O'Kelly, Countess Mary de Galway
O'Kelly, Countess Mary de Galway (1905–99), Belgian resistance operative, was born 24 April 1905 in Dublin, one of ten children of Thomas Patrick Cummins , a plumber, of Waterfall Cottage, Richmond Rd, Dublin, and his wife Ellen Black. Mary attended Fairview National School before…...
O'Mahoney, Katharine Aloysia O'Keeffe
O'Mahoney, Katharine Aloysia O'Keeffe (1851–1908), editor, educator, and writer, was born in Co. Kilkenny, daughter of Patrick O'Keeffe (b. 1803) and his wife Rose (b. 1824; maiden name unknown). The O'Keeffes emigrated to Methuen, Massachusetts, USA, c.1851 when she was ten…...
O'Malley, Una O'Higgins
O'Malley, Una O'Higgins (1927–2005), peace and reconciliation activist, was born in a Dublin nursing home on 25 January 1927, younger daughter of Kevin O'Higgins (qv), politician, and his wife Brigid (née Cole). Her brother…...
Organ, Nellie
Organ, Nellie (1903–8), pious and saintly child, was born at Waterford 24 August 1903, the youngest in the family of two sons and two daughters of William Organ and his wife Mary (née Aherne). William Organ, a native apparently of Dungarvan, had been a labourer at Portlaw, his…...
O'Sullivan, Maureen Patricia (‘Paddy’)
O'Sullivan, Maureen Patricia (‘Paddy’) (1918–p. 1950), undercover agent, was born 3 January 1918 in Dublin, daughter of John O'Sullivan, journalist, and his English wife, Adelaide (née Redmond), who died when Maureen was a year old. She briefly attended St Louis' convent…...
Phelan, Anastasia (Mary Gerard)
Phelan, Anastasia (Mary Gerard) (1872–1960), religious superior and educator, was born 18 January 1872 in Glenmore, Co. Kilkenny, to John Phelan, farmer, and Mary Phelan (née Dallon). Baptised Anastasia, she was educated by the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary in Waterford…...
Purcell, Mary
Purcell, Mary (1906–91), teacher, religious biographer, and archivist, was born 28 May 1906 in Moonveen, Carrigeen, Co. Kilkenny, one of three children of Richard Purcell, of Moonveen, and Anastasia Purcell (née Doyle), both of whom were schoolteachers. After attending the St Louis…...
Quinn, Edel
Quinn, Edel (1907–44), missionary and Legion of Mary envoy to Africa, was born 14 September 1907 in the parish of Castlemagner near Kanturk, Co. Cork. Her father, Charles Quinn (b. 12 November 1871 in Tuam, Co. Galway), joined the National Bank and was posted to Kanturk, where he met…...
Randles, Eileen
Randles, Eileen (1937–2015), teacher, education leader and nun, was born 26 April 1937 in Kenmare, Co. Kerry, the youngest of three daughters born to Tom Randles and his wife Nora (‘Dolly’) May (née Healy). The family lived on the premises of the garage Tom ran on Shelbourne Street in…...
Russell, Mary Baptist (Katherine, Kate)
Russell, Mary Baptist (Katherine, Kate) (1829–98), nun, philanthropist, and educator, was born 18 April 1829 at Seafield, Ballybot, Newry, Co. Down, the third daughter and third child among the six children of Arthur Russell, ship's captain turned brewer, and his wife, Margaret (…...
Ryan, Elizabeth (Mary Eucharia)
Ryan, Elizabeth (Mary Eucharia) (1860–1929), Loreto sister and pioneer of women's higher education, was baptised Elizabeth Ryan on 7 October 1860 at Templemain church, Co. Leitrim, daughter of Laurence Ryan and his wife Mary. Her parents, noted educationists, were originally from…...
Snow, Carmel
Snow, Carmel (1887–1961), magazine editor, was born on 27 August 1887 in Dalkey, Co. Dublin, one of six children to Peter White (1850–93), businessman, and his wife Anne (née Mayne), daughter of Thomas Mayne, an MP for the Irish Home Rule Party from 1883–90. Snow’s father was managing…...
Taaffe, Olivia Mary
Taaffe, Olivia Mary (1832–1918), founder of St Joseph's Young Priests Society, was born 24 June 1832 in Annagh House, Ballyglunin, seven miles from Tuam, Co. Galway, daughter of John Joseph Blake of Ballyglunin Park and Elizabeth Blake (née Bodkin). A few months later her mother…...
Thornton, Brigid Lyons
Thornton, Brigid Lyons (1896–1987), public health doctor and first female commissioned officer in the Irish Free State army, was born 13 May 1896 in Northyard, Scramogue, Co. Roscommon, the eldest child of the two daughters and one son of Patrick Lyons, farmer, and Margaret Lyons…...
Tighe, Joan
Tighe, Joan (1922–2014), journalist, editor and historian, was born on 28 June 1922 in Dublin, the second eldest of six children of Robert Tighe and his wife Catherine Angela (née Moloney). Robert Tighe served as a British army lieutenant during the first world war and was later…...
Walker, Margaret
Walker, Margaret (1881–1966), missionary in Calabar, Nigeria, was born 16 March 1881 in Brighton, Sussex, England, fifth of six children – three sons and three daughters – of Col. Edward Walker and Mary Josephine Walker (née Woodhead). She was educated at the convent of the Holy…...
Walsh, Sr Patricia
Walsh, Sr Patricia (1942–2015), missionary nurse, was born Anna Maria Catherine Walsh on 23 September 1942 in Portlick, Glasson, Co. Westmeath, the eldest of three girls and a boy, to Michael Walsh, a fisherman, and his wife Bridget (née Nolan). Having attended Glasson primary school (…...
Warde, Frances Teresa (Sister Mary Frances Teresa)
Warde, Frances Teresa (Sister Mary Frances Teresa) (1810–84), Sister of Mercy and educator, was born in Belbrook House, Abbeyleix, Queen’s Co. (Laois) in 1810, the youngest of six children (three sons and three daughters) of John Warde, a merchant, and Mary Warde (née Maher). Educated…...
Whitty, Ellen (Sister Mary Vincent)
Whitty, Ellen (Sister Mary Vincent) (1819–92), Sister of Mercy, foundress, and educator, was born 1 March 1819 in Poldharrigge, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford, daughter of Robert Whitty and Mary Whitty. She had two sisters and three brothers. Educated in Enniscorthy and the Academy of…...
Young, Mary Ursula
Young, Mary Ursula (1783–1830), Ursuline nun and writer, was born 9 October 1783 at Dublin, the eldest child of Charles Young (qv), merchant, and his wife Margaret Young (née Hervey). They were a devout family: four of Mary's brothers became…...