Kennedy, Patrick
Kennedy, Patrick (1801–73), writer, folklorist, and bookseller, was born in Kilmyshal, near Bunclody, Co. Wexford, in early 1801. Little is known of his family life other than that his father was Patrick Kennedy and that he appears to have been the fourth child born to his parents.…...
King, William Donald Aelian ('Bill')
King, William Donald Aelian ('Bill') (1910–2012), submarine captain and yachtsman, was born on 23 June 1910 in Church Avenue, Farnborough, Hampshire, the only son of four children of William King, army officer, originally from Co. Galway, and his wife Georgina Marie (née Mackenzie…...
Lecky, Squire Thornton Stratford
Lecky, Squire Thornton Stratford (1838–1902), master mariner, cartographer, and writer on navigation, was born in Downpatrick, Co. Down, fifth son of Holland Lecky of Castle Lecky, Magilligan, Co. Londonderry, and Ballyholland House, Co. Down, and his wife Elizabeth, daughter of the…...
Loftus, Sean Daniel ('Dublin Bay')
Loftus, Sean Daniel ('Dublin Bay') (1927–2010), environmentalist and political activist, was born in Dublin on 26 November 1927, eldest of seven children (four sons and three daughters) of J. J. Loftus, medical doctor, and his wife Margaret, former captain of the Irish hockey team. The…...
Lucas, Charles Davis
Lucas, Charles Davis (1834–1914), Royal Navy officer, awarded the first Victoria Cross, was born 19 February 1834 at Drumargole, Co. Armagh, son of Davis Lucas, bank official, of Clontibert and Drumargole, a member of the Lucas-Scudamore family of Castleshane, Co. Monaghan. He…...
Lyster, Thomas William
Lyster, Thomas William (1855–1922), librarian and author, was born 17 December 1855 in Co. Kilkenny, son of Thomas Lyster of Rathdowney, Co. Laois, and Jane Lyster (née Smith) of Roscrea, Co. Tipperary. Of a quaker family, he was educated at Wesley College, Dublin, before…...
MacDonnell, Randell
MacDonnell, Randell (c.1633–1711), naval commander and Jacobite, was second son of Sir James MacDonnell, 2nd baronet of Moye, a cousin of Randal MacDonnell (qv), 2nd earl and later marquis of Antrim. His mother was Mary…...
Mac Murchadha Caomhánach, Seán Óg
This is a co-subject for the entry on Kavanagh, Muiris (‘Kruger’). View the original entry....
MacNamara, Desmond Joseph
MacNamara, Desmond Joseph (1918–2008), artist, writer and bohemian, was born 10 May 1918 in a private hospital at 29 Upper Mount Street, Dublin, son of Patrick William MacNamara, secretary of Greenslade and Co., ladies' tailors and costumers of 32 Wicklow Street, Dublin (at which…...
Magennis, James Joseph
Magennis, James Joseph (1919–86), Royal Navy submariner and frogman, was born 27 October 1919 at 4 Majorca St., west Belfast, third child of William Magennis (a packer in a local mill, who also worked as a musician) and Mary Magennis (née Murphy). His early years were ones of…...
Marsden, William
Marsden, William (1754–1836), orientalist, numismatist, and secretary to the admiralty, was born 16 November 1754, probably in Verval, Co. Wicklow, youngest child among six sons and four daughters of John Marsden (d. 1801), a wealthy merchant in Dublin, who was one of the founders…...
Mason, Henry Joseph Monck
Mason, Henry Joseph Monck (1778–1858), miscellaneous bilingual writer, librarian, and evangelical reformer, was born 15 July 1778 at Powerscourt demesne, Enniskerry, Co. Wicklow, son of Lt-col. Henry Monck Mason and his second wife, Jane, only daughter of…...
Massy, Annie Letitia
Massy, Annie Letitia (1868–1931), marine biologist and ornithologist, was born on 29 January 1868 in Netley, Hampshire, England, third among two sons and two daughters of Hugh Deane Massy, a British army surgeon of Stagdale, Co. Limerick, and his wife Annie. The Massy family claimed…...
McCarthy, Mortimer
This is a co-subject for the entry on McCarthy, Timothy (‘Tim’). View the original entry....
McCarthy, Timothy (‘Tim’)
McCarthy, Timothy (‘Tim’) (1887–1917), sailor and Polar explorer, was born 15 July 1887 in Kinsale, Co. Cork, a younger son of John McCarthy, farmer and fisherman of Lower Cove, Kinsale, and Mary McCarthy (née Ford) who was originally from Garrylucas, near the Old Head of Kinsale.…...
McClintock, Sir Francis Leopold
McClintock, Sir Francis Leopold (1819–1907), Royal Naval officer and Arctic explorer, was born 8 July 1819 at 1 Seatown Place, Dundalk, Co. Louth, eldest surviving son of Henry McClintock, collector of customs in Dundalk and formerly an officer in the 3rd Dragoon Guards, and his…...
McClure, Sir Robert John Le Mesurier
McClure, Sir Robert John Le Mesurier (1807–73), Royal Navy officer and Arctic explorer, was born 28 January 1807, at the Rectory, Main St., Wexford, son of Capt. Robert McClure of the 89th Foot and his wife Jane, daughter of Archdeacon Elgee, rector of Wexford. His father died…...
McGuinness, Charles John
McGuinness, Charles John (1893–1947), sailor and adventurer, was born 6 March 1893 in Derry city, elder of two sons of John McGuinness, sea-captain and harbourmaster, and Margaret McGuinness (née Hernand). In 1908, at the age of 15, McGuinness left home, stowing away in a ship and…...
McHugh, Kevin
McHugh, Kevin (1946–2006), fisherman and businessman, was born in Bullsmouth, Achill Island, Co. Mayo, on 26 May 1946, the fourth of eight children of Michael McHugh, ESB maintenance engineer, and his wife Norah (née Lavelle). Educated…...
Millett, Benignus
Millett, Benignus (1922–2006), Franciscan priest and historian, was born 1 April 1922 in Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, eldest of eight children (five sons and three daughters) of Matthew Millett, a tax consultant and auditor, and his wife Mary (née Keating); he was christened Austin Matthew…...
Murphy, John
Murphy, John (1772–1847), catholic bishop of Cork and bibliophile, was born 23 May 1772 in Cork city, son of John Murphy, a wealthy merchant in the leather and tanning business, and Joan Murphy (née Brouilly). The Murphys were among the most prominent Cork mercantile families; another…...
Niland, Nora
Niland, Nora (1912–88), Sligo county librarian and founder of the Sligo municipal art collection, was born 21 March 1912 in Galway, eighth child among six sons and three daughters of John Niland, of Ballinastack, Tuam, Co. Galway, railway worker and small farmer, and his wife Elizabeth…...
O Brien, Conor
O Brien, Conor (1880–1952), sailor and author, was born Edward Conor Marshall O'Brien on 3 November 1880 in Cahirmoyle, Co. Limerick, the son of Edward William O'Brien, JP, and Julia O'Brien (née Marshall). A grandson of…...
O'Conor, Charles
O'Conor, Charles (1764–1828), priest, librarian, and antiquary, was born 15 March 1764 at Belanagare, Co. Roscommon, second of six sons of Denis O'Conor (d. 1804) and Catharine O'Conor (neé Browne), who also had six daughters. The O'Conors were catholic, descendants of a princely…...
O'Donnell, Charles James O'Cahan
O'Donnell, Charles James O'Cahan (1850–1934), civil servant, politician, and controversialist, was probably born 28 May 1850 at Port Louis, Mauritius, youngest son of Capt. Bernard MacDonald of the Northumberland Fusiliers, from Carndonagh, Co. Donegal, and Mary MacDonald (née…...