Dirrane, Bridget (née Gillan)
Dirrane, Bridget (née Gillan) (1894–2003), nurse, centenarian and memoirist, was born 15 November 1894 in Oatquarter in the townland of Kilmurvey on Inishmore, one of the Aran islands, Co. Galway, the youngest of four boys and four girls born to Joseph Gillan, who wove flannel cloth…...
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…...
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…...
Donaghy, John Patrick
Donaghy, John Patrick (1919–87), physician, was born 4 March 1919 in Holywood, Co. Down, the son of Matthew George Donaghy, an officer in the Royal Irish Constabulary, and Julia Donaghy (née Brady). Educated at QUB, he graduated…...
Donovan, Charles
Donovan, Charles (1863–1951), military doctor, parasitologist, and entomologist, was born in Calcutta, India, of a Cork family, the eldest of the four children of Charles Donovan, of the Bengal civil service, whose wife's name was probably Grace Jennings. When he was thirteen…...
Donovan, Michael
Donovan, Michael (1790–1876), chemist and pharmacist, was born in Kilmacow, Co. Kilkenny, son of John Donovan. He received his diploma (1811) from Apothecaries' Hall, Dublin, and opened an apothecary's shop in Townsend St. He was a founder member (1812) of the Kirwanian Chemical and…...
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…...
Drennan, Thomas
This is a co-subject for the entry on Drennan, William. View the original entry....
Drennan, William
Drennan, William (1754–1820), physician, patriot, and minor poet, was born 23 May 1754 at his father's manse in Rosemary St., Belfast, third surviving child and only son of the Rev. Thomas Drennan and his wife Anne (née Lennox). Thomas Drennan (1696–1768) was born 25 December…...
Dromgoole, Thomas
Dromgoole, Thomas (c.1750–c.1826), doctor and controversialist, was born in Ireland. Little is known about his early career. Educated at Edinburgh University, he graduated as a medical doctor before moving to Dublin, where he established a practice at Dawson St.…...
Drummond, James Lawson
Drummond, James Lawson (1783/4–1853), professor of anatomy, was born in Larne, Co. Antrim, younger son of William Drummond, naval surgeon, and Rose Drummond (née Hare). His elder brother was William Hamilton Drummond (qv) (d…...
Drummond, William Henry
Drummond, William Henry (1854–1907), poet and physician, was born 13 April 1854 in Currawn House, Mohill, Co. Leitrim, eldest of four sons of George Drumm (1812–65), officer in the Irish Constabulary, and Elizabeth Morris Drumm (née Soden). He was educated at Tawley national school…...
Drury, Michael Ivo Francis
Drury, Michael Ivo Francis (1920–88), physician, was born 17 July 1920 at Mountrath, Co. Laois, the son of Thomas Francis Drury, victualler, and Bridget Drury (née Dunne). Educated at the Patrician School, Mountrath, he later entered University College, Dublin (1937), where he…...
Dudley, Thomas (‘Bang Bang’)
Dudley, Thomas (‘Bang Bang’) (1906–81), eccentric, was born on 13 February 1906 in the Rotunda hospital, Dublin. Raised in an orphanage in Cabra, he lived for much of his adult life on Mill Lane near The Coombe in the Liberties. Although he worked briefly as a kitchen porter in Rialto…...
Duff, David
Duff, David (1883–1959), doctor, barrister and colonial civil servant, was born on 11 April 1883 in Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh, one of ten children of John Duff, the secretary of the Sligo, Leitrim and Northern Counties Railway, and his wife Anne Marie (née Elkins). Educated at the…...
Duffin, Emma Sylvia
Duffin, Emma Sylvia (1883–1979), nurse, diarist and welfare worker, was born 8 November 1883 in Belfast, fourth daughter in a family of seven daughters and two sons of Adam Duffin (qv) and Maria Duffin (née Drennan). The family was well-to-do…...
Dundee, John Wharry
Dundee, John Wharry (1921–91), anaesthetist, was born 8 November 1921 at Ballynure, Larne, Co. Antrim, the son of William Wharry Dundee, farmer, and Tillie Dundee (née McRoberts). Educated locally at Ballyclare High School, he later entered Queen's University, Belfast (1939),…...
Dundon, John
Dundon, John (1870–1952), MD, professor of materia medica, and UCC professor of surgery, was born 11 June 1870 at Araglin Mills, Fermoy, Co. Cork, youngest of six children (five sons and one daughter) of Edmond (Ned) Dundon,…...
Dunlevy, Margaret ('Pearl')
Dunlevy, Margaret ('Pearl') (1909–2002), physician and epidemiologist, was born Bridget Margaret Mary Dunlevy on 13 August 1909 at Mountcharles, Co. Donegal, the fifth of six children (four boys and two girls) of George Dunlevy, shopkeeper and merchant, and Maggie Dunlevy (née Doherty…...
Dunlop, (John) Boyd
Dunlop, (John) Boyd (1913–2005), orthopaedic surgeon, was born in Dublin on 31 July 1913, only son of John (Johnny) Boyd Dunlop and his wife Constance Mary (née Moore), who also had a daughter. Both families were presbyterian. His father was a director of a drapery company, Todd Burns,…...
Dunseith, David Lumsden
Dunseith, David Lumsden (1934–2011), policeman and broadcaster, was born on 2 October 1934 in Derry city, the eldest child of Robert Dunseith, a flour miller, and his wife Mary Dunseith (née Lumsden), formerly a factory worker. David grew up in the protestant Waterside area of Derry…...
Dun, Sir Patrick
Dun, Sir Patrick (1642–1713), physician and benefactor, was born January 1642 in Aberdeen, Scotland, and baptised there 13 January 1642, third child and second son among at least three sons and four daughters of Charles Dun (d. 1652), dyer and burgess of the city, and his second…...
Eagar, Margaret Alexandra ('Margaretta')
Eagar, Margaret Alexandra ('Margaretta') (1863–1935), nursery nurse to the Russian imperial family, was born in Limerick on 12 August 1863. She was the fifth of eleven children born to Francis MacGillycuddy Eagar and his wife Frances Holden. From 1855–80, Francis Eagar was governor of…...
Emmet, Robert
Emmet, Robert (1729–1802), state physician, was born 29 November 1729 at Tipperary, younger of two sons of Christopher Emett, physician, and Rebecca Emett (née Temple); his mother was a descendant of the powerful Temple political dynasty based at Stowe, Buckinghamshire. Educated…...
English, Adeline (‘Ada’)
English, Adeline (‘Ada’) (1875–1944), doctor, academic, and nationalist, was born 10 January 1875 in Caherciveen, Co. Kerry, younger daughter of Patrick English, pharmaceutical chemist, and Nora English (née McCardle). She was reared in Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, though her father may…...