MacDonnell, Sir Alexander
MacDonnell, Sir Alexander (1794–1875), resident commissioner of national education, was born in Belfast, elder of two sons of James MacDonnell (qv), MD, of Belfast and Murlough, Co. Antrim, and…...
MacMunn, Charles Alexander
MacMunn, Charles Alexander (1852–1911), doctor, army officer and physiologist, was born 11 April 1852 at Seafield House, Easky, Co. Sligo, the home of his father Dr James MacMunn, medical officer to the Easky dispensary and the Dromore West Union workhouse. After attending Dromore…...
Maguire, Hugh
Maguire, Hugh (c.1710–66), soldier, was third (or third surviving) son of Brian Maguire (d. 1712) of Tempo, Co. Fermanagh, and his wife Bridget, daughter and co-heiress of James Nugent of Coolamber, Co. Longford. As a younger son, Maguire had to make his way in the…...
Mahaffy, Sir John Pentland
Mahaffy, Sir John Pentland (1839–1919), classical scholar and provost of TCD, was born at Chapponnaire, near Vevey, Switzerland, on 26 February 1839, youngest of six children of Nathaniel Brindley Mahaffy, Church of Ireland clergyman, and his wife, Elizabeth (née Pentland).…...
Mahon, Sir Bryan Thomas
Mahon, Sir Bryan Thomas (1862–1930), general, was born 2 April 1862 in Belleville, Co. Galway, son of Henry Blake Mahon, landowner, and his wife Matilda, daughter of Col. Thomas Seymour, of Ballymore Castle, Co. Galway. Educated locally, he joined the 4th (Militia) Battalion of…...
Malby, Sir Nicholas
Malby, Sir Nicholas (c.1530–1584), soldier and president of Connacht, was born probably in the West Riding of Yorkshire, England. All that is known of his parents is that his father died when he was four, and he may have been brought up in London by a merchant, John Malby…...
Massey, Eyre
Massey, Eyre (1719–1804), 1st Baron Clarina , general, was born 24 May 1719, the sixth son of Colonel Hugh Massey of Duntrileague, Co. Limerick, and his wife Elizabeth, sister of Lord Carbery and daughter of Colonel George Evans (1655–1720), MP for Co. Limerick (1692–3), Askeaton (1695–…...
Massue de Ruvigny, Henri
Massue de Ruvigny, Henri (1648–1720), marquis de Ruvigny , earl of Galway , soldier and lord justice, was born 9 April 1648 in Paris, France, son of Henri Massue, 1st marquis de Ruvigny, and his wife Marie Tallemand. The elder Ruvigny in 1656 became the deputy-general for the…...
Massy, William Godfrey Dunham
Massy, William Godfrey Dunham (1838–1906), British army general, was born 24 November 1838 at Grantstown Hall, Grantstown, Co. Tipperary, eldest son of Maj. Henry William Massy, JP, and Maria Massy (née Cahill). He was educated privately…...
Maule, Henry
Maule, Henry (1676?–1758), Church of Ireland bishop and charter school enthusiast, was eldest son of William Maule, comptroller of the customs, Dublin, and his wife Jane, daughter of Roger West, of The Rock, Co. Wicklow. He was educated by a Mr Young of Dublin before attending…...
McAughtry, Sam
McAughtry, Sam (1921–2014), writer and broadcaster, was born on 24 March 1921 in the Tiger’s Bay area of north Belfast, the son of Marriott ‘Mark’ McAughtry (1882–1951), a merchant seaman, and his wife Elizabeth ‘Lizzie’ (née Condit). Sam was the sixth of ten children, four of whom died…...
McCarthy, Charles
McCarthy, Charles (1924–86), trade unionist and academic, was born 25 January 1924 at 12 Annmount, Friars Walk, Cork city, second child of John George McCarthy of Cork, plumber, and Agnes Abina McCarthy (née O'Donoghue). He was educated at Presentation College, Cork,…...
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…...
McCormack, Percy (Percival Davis)
McCormack, Percy (Percival Davis) (1929–2015), nuclear scientist, rocket engineer, pilot and physician, was born 23 October 1929 at the family home at 5 Garville Road, Rathgar, Dublin, the eldest of three children (he had a sister, Marion, and a brother, John) born to Thomas Henry…...
McDowell, Robert Brendan (R. B.)
McDowell, Robert Brendan (R. B.) (1913–2011), historian, was born on 14 September 1913 at Carrig, Bawnmore Road, Belfast, elder son of Robert McDowell, employed at Musgrave, a Belfast tea firm, and his wife Violet (née Ferris), whose family were wine and spirit merchants in Derry…...
McElroy, George Edward Henry
McElroy, George Edward Henry (1893–1918), leading Irish-born fighter pilot of the first world war, was born 14 May 1893 at 2 Beaver Row, Donnybrook, Dublin, eldest among four sons and four daughters of Samuel McElroy, BA, national teacher, of…...
McGahern, John
McGahern, John (1934–2006), writer, was born in Dublin on 12 November 1934, eldest of seven children (two sons and five daughters) of Francis McGahern, garda sergeant and veteran of the Irish war of independence, from Gowna, Co. Cavan, and his wife Susan (née McManus), schoolteacher, a…...
Megaw, Basil
Megaw, Basil (1913–2002), archaeologist and folklife scholar, was born in Belfast on 22 June 1913, the third of four sons of Arthur Stanley Megaw, solicitor and writer, and his wife (Helen Isabel) Bertha (née Smith). Arthur Stanley Megaw (1873–1961) was a younger son of Robert Megaw…...
Mervyn, Sir Audley
Mervyn, Sir Audley (1603–75), soldier and MP, was the younger son of Sir Henry Mervyn of Wiltshire, England, admiral of the Narrow Seas, and his wife Christian Tuchet, daughter of George, Lord Audley, 1st earl of Castlehaven, and Lucy Mervyn. He entered Christ Church, Oxford, in…...
Michelburne (Michelborne, Mitchelburne), John
Michelburne (Michelborne, Mitchelburne), John (c.1648–1721), soldier, governor of Derry, playwright, was born on 2 January 1648 in Sussex, the only child of Abraham Michelburne and his wife, Penelope (née Wheeler), who died during the birth. Michelburne was baptised 8 January…...
Moffett, Sir Thomas William
Moffett, Sir Thomas William (1820–1908), professor and president of QCG, was born 3 June 1820 in Castleknock, Co. Dublin, son of William Moffett, teacher. He entered TCD in 1838, obtaining first place in the sizarship examination, and…...
Molesworth, Richard
Molesworth, Richard (1680–1758), 3rd Viscount Molesworth , field-marshal, MP, and commander-in-chief in Ireland, was second son of Robert, 1st Viscount Molesworth (qv), of Swords, Co. Dublin, and Philipstown, King's Co., and his…...
Molyneaux, James Henry
Molyneaux, James Henry (1920–2015), Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) leader, was born in Killead, near Crumlin, Co. Antrim, on 27 August 1920, eldest son of William Molyneaux, farmer, and his wife Sarah (née Gilmore). He had at least one brother and one sister. For…...
Montgomery, Alexander John
Montgomery, Alexander John (1720–1800), soldier and politician, was the heir, and eldest son among three sons and one daughter, of Thomas Montgomery (c.1700–1761), landowner and later MP for Lifford, Co. Donegal (1729–60), and Mary Montgomery (née Franklin). His youngest…...
Montgomery, Hugh
Montgomery, Hugh (1651–1717), 2nd earl of Mount-Alexander , soldier and politician, was born 24 February 1651 at Newtown, Co. Down, the son of Hugh Montgomery (qv), 1st earl of Mount-Alexander, and his wife, Mary (d. 1655), eldest daughter of…...