Pearse, Patrick Henry
Pearse, Patrick Henry (1879–1916), writer, educationalist, and revolutionary, was born 10 November 1879 at the family home, 27 Great Brunswick Street (latterly Pearse Street) Dublin, the elder son and second of the four children of James Pearse, stone carver and monumental sculptor,…...
Pléimeann, Seán
Pléimeann, Seán (Fleming, John) (1814–97), lexicographer, scribe, and editor, was born in Ballyneil, Mothel, Carrick-on-Suir, Co. Waterford, where his father worked on the estate of the Barron family. Seán received his earliest education in the Irish language and Irish literature from…...
Plunkett, Richard (Risteard Pluincéid)
Plunkett, Richard (Risteard Pluincéid) (fl. 1662), Franciscan friar and dictionary compiler, is of obscure origins. The Plunketts were one of the most prominent Old English families of the Pale, with titles such as ‘lord of Louth’, ‘Lord Dunsany’, and ‘baron of Killeen’.…...
Power, Maura Wyse (Máire)
This is a co-subject for the entry on Power, Jennie Wyse. View the original entry....
Power, Richard (Dick) (de Paor, Risteard)
Power, Richard (Dick) (de Paor, Risteard) (1928–70), civil servant and writer, was born 24 February 1928 in a private nursing home at 17 Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin, the eldest of five sons of Patrick Joseph Power, a bank official, originally of Kilrossanty, Co. Waterford, and…...
Purcell, Pierce Francis
Purcell, Pierce Francis (1881–1968), civil engineer, peat fuel pioneer, and university professor, was born 6 October 1881 at the Quay, Kilkenny city, only son of Thomas Purcell of Albert House, Dalkey, Co. Dublin, and Margaret Purcell (née Phelan). Educated in Dublin at St Vincent…...
Quigley, Gerry (Edmund Gerard)
Quigley, Gerry (Edmund Gerard) (1928–2003), trade unionist, was born 3 November 1928 in Virginia Street, off Donegall Pass in south Belfast. He was one of seven children of John Joseph Quigley and his wife Margaret (née O’Connor). Quigley was educated at St Mary’s Christian…...
Redmond, Séamus
Redmond, Séamus (1925–96), trade unionist, was born 9 February 1925 in the Rotunda Hospital, Dublin, second son to James Redmond, company sergeant, and Mary Redmond (née McLoughlin). He was raised in the Curragh and Spike Island and later moved to Whitehall, Dublin. Educated at the…...
Redpath, James
Redpath, James (1833–91), journalist, abolitionist and Land Leaguer, was born 24 August 1833 in Berwick-on-Tweed on the Anglo–Scottish border , eldest of nine children (two sons and two daughters survived to adulthood) of Ninian Davidson Redpath, schoolmaster, and his wife Maria (née…...
Rice, Peter Ronan
Rice, Peter Ronan (1935–92), structural engineer, was born 16 June 1935 at the Leinster nursing home, 26 Upper Pembroke St., Dublin, son of James Patrick Rice, head of the Louth vocational education committee, and Maureen Rice (née Quinn), living at 11 Faughart Terrace, St Mary's…...
Roberts, Ruaidhrí Butler
Roberts, Ruaidhrí Butler (1917–86), trade unionist, was born 1 January 1917 at 40 Grosvenor Road, Rathmines, Co. Dublin, one of two sons of George Roberts (qv), publisher, of that address and of 3 Montalto, Sorrento Road, Dalkey, Co.…...
Ronayne, Joseph Philip
Ronayne, Joseph Philip (1822–76), civil engineer and politician, was born at Mount Verdun, Cork, youngest son of Edward Ronayne, glassmaker, and his wife Margaret, daughter of John Meany of Dorrickmore, Co. Cork. He was educated in Cork at the school of Hamblin and Porter; then…...
Roney, Frank
Roney, Frank (1841–1925), Fenian and trade unionist, was born 13 August 1841 in Belfast, the eldest of a family of eight. Roney inherited his nationalist and trade unionist principles from his parents. His father was a carpenter and secretary of a carpenters' union in Belfast, and…...
Rushe, Denis Carolan
Rushe, Denis Carolan (1852–1928), historian, antiquary and public servant, was born in Monaghan town, where his father worked as a doctor in the county infirmary. Both his parents came from the south of the county; other details of them are unknown. He attended St Louis convent, St…...
Ryan, Matthew
Ryan, Matthew (1844–1937), catholic priest, agrarian agitator, and Gaelic Leaguer, was born at Kilduff, Pallasgrean, Co. Limerick, in September 1844, a son of Matthew Ryan, a farmer and a native of Ballyluddy. He learned Latin from an itinerant teacher and was educated at St…...
Sayers, Peig (‘Peig Mhór’)
Sayers, Peig (‘Peig Mhór’) (1873–1958), storyteller, was born in Vicarstown, Dunquin, Co. Kerry, one of thirteen children of Tomás Sayers, storyteller and small farmer, and his wife Peig (née Ní Bhrosnacháin). She was baptised 29 March 1873 in Ballyferriter, Co. Kerry. Of English…...
Sheehan, Daniel Desmond (‘D. D.’)
Sheehan, Daniel Desmond (‘D. D.’) (1873–1948), journalist, labour leader, MP, barrister, and soldier, was born 28 May 1873 at Dromtariffe, Kanturk, Co. Cork, the eldest of the three sons and one daughter of Daniel Sheehan, tenant farmer, and his wife, Ellen (née Fitzgerald). He…...
Sisk, John Gerard
Sisk, John Gerard (1911–2001), civil engineer and businessman, was born 18 January 1911 in Cork, second son among two sons and one daughter of John Valentine Sisk (1868–1955), head of the family building firm, and his wife Mary Josephine, daughter of Patrick Harty,…...
Smithson, Annie M(ary) P(atricia)
Smithson, Annie M(ary) P(atricia) (1873–1948), author, nurse, republican, and trade unionist, was born Margaret Anne Jane Smithson 26 September 1873 at 22 Claremont Rd, Sandymount, Dublin, daughter of Samuel Raynor Smithson, a protestant, unionist barrister, and Margaret Louisa…...
South (Sabhat), Seán
South (Sabhat), Seán (1928–57), republican, journalist and Irish-language activist, was born 8 February 1928 at 47 Henry St., Limerick, one of three sons of John South, grocer, and Mary South (née O'Donovan). His father died when he was 13. Educated locally by the Christian…...
Stapleton, Theobald (‘Teabóid Gálldubh’)
Stapleton, Theobald (‘Teabóid Gálldubh’) (c.1589–1647), priest and author, was born probably in Kilkenny, son of John Stapleton and his wife Fionnuala (née Nic Conmara). He was of English extraction, and his Irish sobriquet ‘Gálldubh’ signified ‘dark foreigner’. Details of his…...
Swift, (Laurence) John
Swift, (Laurence) John (1896–1990), trade unionist and labour historian, was born 26 August 1896 in Dundalk, Co. Louth, the eldest of two sons and two daughters of Patrick Swift, a master baker, and his wife Alice (née Deane), daughter of a Dundalk businessman. Known generally as…...
Timoney, Séamus Gearóid
Timoney, Séamus Gearóid (1926–91), engineer and university professor, was born 13 September 1926 in Galway, eldest among seven sons and three daughters of Lieutenant-colonel Séamus Timoney and Agnes (Nancy) Timoney (née Fullerton). He belonged to a devout catholic family, of whom two…...
Uí Choisdeailbh, Eibhlín (Edith Costello)
Uí Choisdeailbh, Eibhlín (Edith Costello) (1870–1962), folksong collector, Irish language enthusiast, and political activist, was born 27 June 1870, probably in the Strand union workhouse, St Pancras, London. She was christened Edith Drury and raised a member of the Church of…...
Walsh (Bhailís, Wallis, Uailis), Francis (Proinsias)
Walsh (Bhailís, Wallis, Uailis), Francis (Proinsias) (1654–1724), lexicographer and Franciscan priest, was born in the Fingal area of north Co. Dublin. Nothing is known of his family or early education. He entered the Franciscan order and was ordained (1677) in the Irish Franciscan…...