Daly, Edward Kevin
Daly, Edward Kevin (1933–2016), catholic bishop and social activist, was born in West Rock Nursing Home, Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal, on 5 December 1933, eldest of five children (two sons and three daughters) of Thomas Daly, shopkeeper, undertaker and farmer of Belleek,…...
Daly, Miriam
Daly, Miriam (1928–80), historian and political activist, was born Miriam Annette McDonnell at the Curragh Camp, Co. Kildare, on 16 May 1928, daughter of Commandant Daniel McDonnell (d. 1972) and his wife Anne McDonnell (née Cummins); she had one sister. Her father came from a Dublin…...
Dargan, William
Dargan, William (1799–1867), engineer, was born 28 February 1799 in Co. Carlow. His parents were Patrick and Elizabeth Dargan, his father being a well-to-do farmer who was a tenant of Lord Portarlington. Much of William's early life is obscure. Likewise the exact place of birth is…...
Darragh, Austin
Darragh, Austin (1927–2015), doctor and businessman, was born in the family home in Heytesbury Street, Dublin, on 27 April 1927, the sixth of nine children of Alexander Darragh, a mathematics teacher, and his wife Frances (née McDonnell). He grew up in Terenure, Dublin, and spent his…...
Daunt (Moriarty), William Joseph O'Neill (‘Denis Ignatius’)
Daunt (Moriarty), William Joseph O'Neill (‘Denis Ignatius’) (1807–94), politician and writer, was born 28 April 1807 at Tullamore, King's County, the eldest of three sons and two daughters of Joseph Daunt (1779–1826), captain of the Louth militia quartered there, and his first…...
Deane, Anne (Duff)
Deane, Anne (Duff) (c.1834–1905), businesswoman, philanthropist, and nationalist, was born at Ballaghadereen, Co. Roscommon, the daughter of Joseph Duff and Monica Duff (née Dillon), a younger sister of the Young Irelander, …...
De Paor, Máire
De Paor, Máire (1925–94), archaeologist, was born 6 May 1925 in Buncrana, Co. Donegal, second child among four children (one son and three daughters) of Eamonn (Ned) McDermott, grocer, and Delia McDermott (née McVeigh), teacher; both parents were veterans of the republican movement, who…...
De Róiste, Liam
De Róiste, Liam (1882–1959), politician, writer and Irish-language activist, was born 15 June 1882 in Fountainstown, Co. Cork, son of Edward Roche and Eliza Roche (née Ahern), both schoolteachers. He attended the local national school and, although little Irish was spoken in his area,…...
De Valera, Ruaidhrí
De Valera, Ruaidhrí (1916–78), archaeologist, was born 3 November 1916 in Dublin, fourth son among five sons and two daughters of Éamon de Valera (qv) and Sinéad de Valera (qv) (née…...
Devereux (D'Evereux, Devereaux), John
Devereux (D'Evereux, Devereaux), John (1778?–1860), soldier and adventurer, was born in Co. Wexford, son of a prominent catholic landowner, probably William Devereux of Taghmon, Co. Wexford. He and his father may have been United Irishmen: they certainly took part in the 1798…...
Devereux, John Thomas
This is a co-subject for the entry on Devereux, Richard. View the original entry....
Devereux, Nicholas
Devereux, Nicholas (1791–1855), merchant, banker, and philanthropist, was born 7 June 1791 in The Leap near Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford, youngest child of Thomas Devereux and Catherine Devereux (née Corish). Family tradition claims that the Norman Devereux family was descended from…...
Devereux, Richard
Devereux, Richard (1795–1883), merchant, shipowner, and philanthropist, was born 13 June 1795 in Wexford, eldest son among four sons of Richard Devereux of Wexford, corn merchant and maltster, and his wife Christine (née Herron), daughter of a prosperous Wexford shipowner and…...
Dillon, Elizabeth
Dillon, Elizabeth (1865–1907), diarist, was born 2 March 1865 in England, eldest among five children of Sir James Charles Mathew (qv) (1830–1908) and his wife Elizabeth Blackmore Mathew (d. 1933), daughter of the Rev. Edwin…...
Diver, Bridget
Diver (Divers, Deaver, Deavers, Devens, Devins, Devan), Bridget (‘Irish Biddy’, ‘Michigan Bridget’) (fl. 1861–4), vivandière and ‘daughter’ of the First Michigan Cavalry regiment, was born in Ireland sometime before 1840. It has been suggested that the ‘Michigan Bridget’ legend…...
Dixon, Beatrice Maureen
Dixon, Beatrice Maureen (1916–2005), pioneer of women's participation in public life, was born 17 August 1916 in Dublin, the younger of two daughters of James Bayley Butler (qv), a professor of zoology, and his wife Katherine Butler (…...
Dolan, Joseph
Dolan, Joseph (1872–1930), businessman and local activist, was born in January 1872 in Ardee, Co. Louth, son of Thomas Dolan, publican, merchant and farmer who was a native Irish speaker, and his wife Anne Segrave. The Dolans had built up an extensive business in Ardee since the early…...
Donnelly, Nicholas
Donnelly, Nicholas (1837–1920), catholic bishop, church musician, and local historian, was born 23 November 1837, in St Paul's parish, Dublin, eldest son of John Donnelly, a merchant. He was educated at Castleknock College and the Irish College, Rome, where he was ordained priest…...
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…...
Douglas, Caroline Margaret
Douglas, Caroline Margaret (1821–1904), marchioness of Queensberry , nationalist benefactor, was born in Ireland, younger daughter of Sir William Clayton , former army general and MP for Marlow, Buckinghamshire, England, and Alice Clayton (née O'Donel), an heiress originally…...
Dowdall, Jane (‘Jennie’)
Dowdall, Jane (‘Jennie’) (1899–1974), philanthropist and politician, was born Jane Doggett at 28 Smithfield, Dublin, on 29 September 1899, the daughter of Michael Doggett , eating-house keeper, and Mary Ellen Doggett (née Andrews). After her schooling she worked as a nurse at St…...
Duffy, Sir Charles Gavan
Duffy, Sir Charles Gavan (1816–1903), politician and journalist, was born in Monaghan town on 12 April 1816, the sixth and youngest child of John Duffy (d. 1827), a shopkeeper and former United Irishman, and his wife, Anne (née Gavan). Formative years After the premature deaths of his…...
Dunning, Gertrude Frances
Dunning, Gertrude Frances (née Hayes; other married name Talbot Power) (1856–1926), philanthropist, was born on 29 March 1856 in St Patrick’s parish in Cork city, the only child of Thomas Hayes (1820/21–12 Aug. 1905) and his wife Margaret (née Ryan) of Grenville House,…...
Edwards, Robert (‘Robin’) Walter Dudley
Edwards, Robert (‘Robin’) Walter Dudley (1909–88), historian, was born 4 June 1909 in Dublin, elder son of Walter Edwards (1862–1946), a minor civil servant from Worcestershire, England, and Bridget Teresa McInerney (1871–1956), a nurse from Co. Clare. When his parents, a quaker and a…...
Fennell, Nuala
Fennell, Nuala (1935–2009), feminist and politician, was born Fionnuala Campbell in north Co. Dublin on 25 November 1935, the third eldest child of Patrick Campbell, from the rural east Co. Galway area of Lisheennavannoge (Clancarty), an IRA volunteer and one of the earliest Garda…...