Martin, William Gregory Wood-
Martin, William Gregory Wood- (1847–1917), historian, archaeologist, folklorist, landowner, and soldier, was born 16 July 1847 in Woodville, Co. Sligo, the only surviving son of James Wood, landowner of Woodville, and his second wife, Anne (née Martin), of Cleveragh, Co. Sligo. Anne…...
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…...
McCoan, James Carlile
McCoan, James Carlile (1829–1904), barrister, journalist, author, and MP, was born 14 July 1829 at Dunlow, Co. Tyrone, the only son of Clement McCoan of Charlemont, Co. Armagh, and his wife Sarah, daughter of James Carlile of Culreavogh, Co. Tyrone. Educated at Dungannon school and…...
McCorley, Roddy (Roger)
McCorley, Roddy (Roger) (d. 1800), United Irishman, was born in the parish of Duneane, Co. Antrim. His family is said to have been prosperous, but to have been evicted from their farm when the father died, and to have been reduced to begging, and the young man became involved in the…...
McDonnell, Alexander
McDonnell, Alexander (1829–1904), civil and locomotive engineer, was born in Dublin on 18 December 1829, third son amongst six sons and five daughters born to John MacDonnell (qv), an eminent Dublin doctor, and his wife Charity,…...
McGregor, John James
McGregor, John James (c.1773–1834), historian and topographer, was born 24 February c.1773 in Limerick city, the seventh son and youngest of seventeen children (many of whom did not survive to adulthood) of John McGregor (d. 1796), native of Scotland, probably by…...
McKeever, Ian
McKeever, Ian (1970–2013), mountaineer and charity fundraiser, was born on 13 February 1970 in Dublin. He was adopted from St Patrick’s Guild, an adoption agency run by the Sisters of Charity in Blackrock, Co. Dublin, by Niall McKeever, an accountant, and his wife Aedeen (née Molone).…...
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…...
Merne, Oscar James
Merne, Oscar James (1943–2013), ornithologist and conservationist, was born on 6 November 1943 in Dublin to Oscar Sean Merne, a bank official, and Madeline Mary (née Patten). He was the middle child between two sisters, Morna (b. 1942) and Cloida (b. 1947). He attended school at the…...
Mitchell, George Francis (‘Frank’)
Mitchell, George Francis (‘Frank’) (1912–97), environmental historian, archaeologist, geologist, and educator, was born 15 October 1912 in Dublin, younger son of David William Mitchell, owner of a Dublin ironmongery and furniture business, and Francis Elizabeth Mitchell (née Kirby). His…...
Moore, (William) Arthur
Moore, (William) Arthur (1880–1962), traveller and international journalist, was born 21 December 1880 at Glenavy, Co. Antrim, younger son and fourth among five children of the Rev. William Moore (d. 4 August 1920), curate of Glenavy, and Marianne Moore (née Frizelle; d. Feb. 1917)…...
Moran, Michael (‘Zozimus’)
Moran, Michael (‘Zozimus’) (c.1794–1846), balladeer, was born to poor parents in Faddle Alley, off Blackpitts in the Liberties of Dublin. At the age of two weeks an illness left him blind. This effectively limited his choice of career, and his parents sent him to rhyme on…...
Moryson, Fynes
Moryson, Fynes (1566–1630), secretary to Lord Mountjoy and writer on Ireland, was third surviving son of Thomas Moryson (d. 1591), of Cadeby, Lincolnshire, England, clerk of the pipe and MP (for Great Grimsby in the parliaments of 1572, 1584, 1586, and 1588–9), and his wife…...
Mulhall, Michael George
Mulhall, Michael George (1836–1900) writer and newspaper proprietor and editor, was born at 100 St Stephen's Green, Dublin, the sixth of the ten children (six boys and four girls) of Thomas Mulhall and Catherine Flood. His father, his uncle John B. Mulhall, and his elder brother…...
Murphy, James Cavanah (Cavanagh)
Murphy, James Cavanah (Cavanagh) (c.1760–1814), artist, topographer, and architect, was a native of Blackrock, Co. Cork. He is known as ‘James Murphy architect’ in his published works and it is not clear when ‘Cavanah/Cavanagh’ was inserted into his name. His parentage is…...
Murphy, Michael Joseph
Murphy, Michael Joseph (1913–96), writer and collector of folklore, was born in Eden St., Liverpool, England, on 2 July 1913, son of Michael Murphy, ship's fireman, and Susan Murphy (née Campbell). Both parents were from south Armagh, and in 1922 the family returned to this region.…...
Neville, Parke
Neville, Parke (1812–86), civil engineer, architect, and land surveyor, was born in Dublin, son of Arthur Neville, engineer and surveyor; his mother's name is not known. The Neville family had been associated with engineering and surveying in Ireland for at least four generations. His…...
Nutt, Alfred Trübner
Nutt, Alfred Trübner (1856–1910), folklorist, Celtic scholar, and publisher, was born 22 November 1856 in London, the only surviving son of David Nutt (d. 1863), bookseller and publisher, and his wife Ellen, daughter of Robert Carter, naval surgeon, and granddaughter of William…...
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…...
Ó Criomhthain, Tomás
Ó Criomhthain, Tomás (1854/5–1937), author, was born on the Great Blasket Island, Co. Kerry, youngest child among three sons and five daughters of Dónall Mac Criomhthain and Cáit Ní Shé (m. 26 January 1837). He lived all his life on the island, with visits to Dún Chaoin and Daingean Uí…...
Ó Danachair, Caoimhín (Danaher, Kevin)
Ó Danachair, Caoimhín (Danaher, Kevin) (1913–2002), university lecturer and folklorist, was born 30 January 1913 in Athea (Áth an tSléibhe), Co. Limerick, the second eldest of four sons of William Danaher, a primary school principal, and his wife Margaret (née Ryan) of Martinstown,…...
Ó Duilearga, Séamus (James Hamilton Delargy)
Ó Duilearga, Séamus (James Hamilton Delargy) (1899–1980), folklorist, was born 26 May 1899 in Cushendall, Co. Antrim, son of James Delargy, publican from a long line of seafarers, and Mary Josephine Delargy (née McQuillan). He had one brother. His father died when he was two, and the…...