Hogan, John Francis
Hogan, John Francis (1858–1918), priest, author, and president of St Patrick's College, Maynooth, was born in July 1858 in Coolreagh, Co. Clare, and baptised 6 August, son of Pat Hogan and Maria Hogan (née Duggan). He was educated at Ennis Diocesan College, Co. Clare, Saint-…...
Hughes, Anthony George ('Tony')
Hughes, Anthony George ('Tony') (1928–2007), musician and university professor, was born 6 July 1928, in south Dublin, the son of George Hughes, an optical technician, and his wife Lilian (née Jones); he had three younger sisters. Brought up in Donore Road, off the South Circular…...
Hughes, Pat
Hughes, Pat (1924–99), prospector and businessman, was born Patrick Joseph Hughes on 14 March 1924 near Keady, Co. Armagh, the only son of three children of Charles Hughes, a building contractor of Keady, and his wife Mary. When he was around 10, his catholic family moved to Newry,…...
Hurley, Michael Anthony
Hurley, Michael Anthony (1923–2011), ecumenist and theologian, was born on 10 May 1923 in Ardmore, Co. Waterford, the eldest of four children (two boys and two girls) of Michael Hurley, a small businessman, and his wife Johanna (née Foley), who kept a guest house. He won a…...
Ingram, John
Ingram, John (1887–1973), engineer, educationalist, and civil servant, was born 5 February 1887 in Derry, the son of William John Ingram, of Shipquay Street, Derry, a civil service clerk. He attended the Londonderry model school as a presbyterian, before transferring to St Columb'…...
Jordan, John Edward
Jordan, John Edward (1930–88), writer, actor, academic, and broadcaster, was born 8 April 1930 in Dublin, eldest of two sons and a daughter of John Anthony Jordan, cooper at Guinness's brewery, and Mary Agnes Jordan (née Byrne), born of Irish parents in Jarrow, England; both of Parkview…...
Joyce, Patrick Weston
Joyce, Patrick Weston (1827–1914), educationalist, historian, linguist, translator and collector of folk music, was born in Ballyorgan, Co. Limerick, one of the eight sons of Garrett Joyce, a shoemaker known locally as ‘Garrett the Scholar’ for his knowledge of poetry and religion, and…...
Kavanagh (Caomhánach), Séamus
Kavanagh (Caomhánach), Séamus (1910–64), teacher, actor, and broadcaster, was born 28 October 1910 in Sarsfield Quay, Dublin, son of Jack Kavanagh, shoemaker, and Julia Kavanagh (née Holohan). Educated at the Carmelite school in Whitefriar St., he was a monitor there for four years…...
Kavanagh, James Blake
Kavanagh, James Blake (1822–86), priest, nationalist, and philosophical and scientific writer, was born in Kilballyowen, in the parish of Killaveny, Co. Wicklow, son of Thomas Kavanagh and Mary Kavanagh (née McDonald). He received his early education at St Peter's College, Wexford…...
Kavanagh, Peter Paul
Kavanagh, Peter Paul (1916–2006), writer and critic, was born 19 March 1916 in Mucker, Iniskeen, Co. Monaghan, youngest of ten children of James Kavanagh, shoemaker and small farmer, and his wife Bridget (née Quinn). His godfather was his elder brother, the poet…...
Keane, John Joseph
Keane, John Joseph (1839–1918), university rector and archbishop of Dubuque, Iowa, was born 12 September 1839 in Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal, the eldest of three sons and two daughters of Hugh Keane, tailor, and Fannie Keane (née Connolly). He attended school locally from the age of…...
Kearney, Mother Kevin
Kearney, Mother Kevin (1875–1957), pioneer Ugandan missionary sister and foundress of Franciscan Missionary Sisters for Africa, was born 28 April 1875 in Knockenrahan, Arklow, Co. Wicklow, the third and youngest daughter of Michael Kearney, a farmer, and Teresa Kearney (née…...
Keegan, John
Keegan, John (1813–93), surveyor and diarist, was born at Laragh, near Horseleap, Co. Westmeath, in 1813, the only son of Thomas Keegan (1789–1854), a farmer, and his wife, Mary (née Gannon). The Keegans were descended from the hereditary brehons of the Irish midlands; one…...
Keenan, Alice (Sister Mary Liguori)
Keenan, Alice (Sister Mary Liguori) (1836–1914), Sister of Mercy and educator, was born in the parish of St Paul's, Dublin, daughter of John and Mary Keenan and sister of Sir Patrick J. Keenan (qv), education commissioner of…...
Keenan, Sir Patrick Joseph
Keenan, Sir Patrick Joseph (1826–94), educationist and administrator, was born probably in Dublin, son of John Keenan, justice of the peace (JP), from Phibsborough, and his wife Mary, a teacher and daughter of Patrick Sherlock of Dublin. He had at least one sister, Alice. He was both a…...
Kelly, Thomas Christopher (‘T. C.’)
Kelly, Thomas Christopher (‘T. C.’) (1917–85), composer and music teacher, was born in December 1917 in Wexford town, the fifth of six children of James Kelly, baker, and Margaret Kelly (née Redmond). His schooling took place at the local …...
Kenney, Peter
Kenney, Peter (1779–1841), Jesuit priest and educationist, was born in Dublin, probably at 28 Drogheda Street, on 7 July 1779, the son of Peter Kenney, a businessman, and his wife, Ellen (née Molloy). He had one sister (who became a nun) and a much older brother (possibly a half-brother…...
Kenny, Kevin John
Kenny, Kevin John (1881–1954), advertising pioneer, commercial manager and publisher, was born on 22 June 1881 at 12 Upper Dorset Street, Dublin, one of eight children of Michael C. Kenny, a lithographic printer and Fenian, and Catherine Kenny (née Fleming), a book-folder (cloth…...
King, Jeremiah
King, Jeremiah (1868–1927), historian, printer, and publisher, was born 11 February 1868 in Groin, in the parish of Aghadoe, Co. Kerry, elder of two sons of Laurence King, carpenter, of Currow, and Ellen King (née Counihan), farmer, of Madam's Height, Groin. Early in King's life…...
Kinlen, Dermot Patrick
Kinlen, Dermot Patrick (1930–2007), barrister, judge and penal reformer, was born 24 April 1930 in Dublin, the eldest of two sons and one daughter of Louis P. Kinlen, of Darwin Hall, 200 Rathfarnham Road, Dublin, a building contractor, and his wife Aileen (née O'Donnell). Educated…...
Kirby, Tobias
Kirby, Tobias (1803/4–1895), rector of the Irish college in Rome, was born at Tallow, Co. Waterford, on 1 January 1803 (or 1804). Nothing is known of his family or his early career save that he spoke, it was said, on political platforms with…...
Knight (Hope-Connolly), Olivia Mary
Knight (Hope-Connolly), Olivia Mary (1828?–1908), poet, translator and teacher, was born at Rathbawn, Castlebar, Co. Mayo, probably on 29 September 1828, the only daughter of Simon Knight, a civil engineer, and his wife, possibly Sarah D'Alton of Ballaghadereen, Co. Roscommon. Olivia…...
Lee, John
Lee, John (fl. 1578–1620), priest and founder of the Irish college in Paris, was a member of a Waterford merchant family with business connections in France. In 1578 he led a group of six Irish students to Paris, where they were admitted to the Collège de Montaigu in the…...
Leen, Edward
Leen, Edward (1885–1944), priest and academic, was born 17 August 1885 at Abbeyfeale, West Limerick, the son of Daniel Leen, a shopkeeper, and his wife Margaret (née Barrett). Born into a large catholic family of 14 children, of whom seven died in their youth, Leen received his…...
Leman, Jules
Leman, Jules (1826–80), priest and educationist, was born 30 June 1826 at his parents’ parish school in Deulemont, north-east of Armentières, northern France. His father, François Leman, was a Belgian migrant and his mother, Lucille (née Lecomte), a local woman; both were teachers…...