Malone, Sylvester
Malone, Sylvester (1822–1906), priest, ecclesiastical historian, and Irish-language enthusiast, was born in the parish of Kilmally, Co. Clare, son of Jeremiah Malone and Mary Malone (neé Slattery). A fluent Irish-speaker since his youth, he was educated at Maynooth and ordained in 1853…...
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…...
McKenna, Lambert (Mac Cionnaith, Láimhbheartach)
McKenna, Lambert (Mac Cionnaith, Láimhbheartach) (1870–1956), Irish-language scholar and catholic social thinker, was born 16 July 1870 in Clontarf, Co. Dublin, son of Andrew McKenna, accountant, and Mary McKenna (née Lambert). Having attended Belvedere College, Dublin, he entered the…...
McKiernan, Eoin
McKiernan, Eoin (1915–2004), cultural entrepreneur and promoter of Irish studies, was born in Manhattan, New York city, on 10 May 1915, eldest of four children of Henry McKiernan (born in America of Cavan–Leitrim parents), foreman engineer, and his wife Delia (née Nagle), who had…...
McKinney, Thomas Joseph
McKinney, Thomas Joseph (1887–1973), army surgeon and Irish scholar, was born 30 October 1887 at Greencastle, Co. Antrim, son of Thomas McKinney, sergeant in the RIC, and Mary McKinney (née McKillop). His family later moved to…...
Mooney, Canice
Mooney, Canice (1911–63) Franciscan priest, historian, and Irish language scholar, was born 13 February 1911 in Drumshambo, Co. Leitrim, one of eight children of publican, auctioneer and public representative Andrew Mooney and his wife Josephine Gaffney. He was christened Albert…...
Moran, David Patrick (‘D. P.’)
Moran, David Patrick (‘D. P.’) (1869–1936), nationalist journalist, was born 22 March 1869 in Manor, Co. Waterford, youngest among twenty children of James Moran, building contractor, who constructed several large ecclesiastical and civic buildings in late nineteenth-century Waterford (…...
Mulchrone, Kathleen (‘Kate’) (Ó Maolchroín, Ní Maolchroín, Caitlín)
Mulchrone, Kathleen (‘Kate’) (Ó Maolchroín, Ní Maolchroín, Caitlín) (1895–1973), Celticist, was born 22 November 1895 in Kilbeggan, Co. Westmeath, youngest among four daughters of Patrick Mulchrone, RIC sergeant, originally from Co.…...
Murphy, (Henry) Gerard
Murphy, (Henry) Gerard (1901–59), Celticist, was born 2 May 1901 in Clontivern, Clones, Co. Monaghan, second son of Henry Murphy, solicitor, and his wife Mary Travers (née Donnelly). Although baptised as ‘Henry’, he was known as ‘Gerard’ to his family, friends, and students. He…...
Murray, Laurence Patrick, ('Larry'), (Ó Muireadhaigh, Lorcán)
Murray, Laurence Patrick, ('Larry'), (Ó Muireadhaigh, Lorcán) (1883–1941), priest, historian and Irish-language activist, was born 8 June 1883 in Newry Street, Carlingford, Co. Louth, the eldest of seven surviving children (four sons and three daughters) of James Murray, a member of the…...
Ní Chonaill, Eibhlín Dhubh
Ní Chonaill, Eibhlín Dhubh (c.1743–c.1800), poet, was born in Derrynane (Doire Fhionáin), Co. Kerry, one of the twenty-two children of Máire Ní Dhuibh (qv) and her husband, Domhnall Mór Ó Conaill of Derrynane…...
Nic Niocaill, Eibhlín
Nic Niocaill, Eibhlín (1884–1909), Gaelic League activist, was born 22 October 1884 in Dublin as Eveleen Constance Nicholls , only daughter and second among four children of Archibald J. Nicholls (1845–1924), barrister and secretary of the Loan Fund Board of Ireland, and his wife, Mary…...
Ní Dhonnchadha Dhuibh, Máire
Ní Dhonnchadha Dhuibh, Máire (d. 1795?), poet, was born c.1702 in Glenflesk, Co. Kerry, daughter of Domhnall Ó Donnchadha and his wife Alice (née Ferriter), both of Co. Kerry. She was a descendant of the Uí Dhonnchadha an Ghleanna (O'Donoghue of the Glen), ‘Dubh’ being…...
Ní Ghráda, Máiréad
Ní Ghráda, Máiréad (1896–1971), playwright, author, and broadcaster, was born 23 December 1896 in Knockadangan, Kilmaley, Co. Clare, younger of two daughters of James O'Grady (1856–1942), farmer and sometime county councillor, and Bridget O'Grady (née Greene; 1854–1934), native of…...
Ní Ghuairim, Máire
Ní Ghuairim, Máire (1896–1964), teacher, author and sean-nós singer, was born 6 July 1896 in Roisín na Manach, Carna, Co. Galway, eldest daughter of farmer Máirtín Gorham and his wife, Catherine Burke. She received her earliest education in the Convent of Mercy school in Roisín na…...
O'Beirne, Seamas (Ó Beirn, Séamus; Byrne, James Fahy
O'Beirne, Seamas (Ó Beirn, Séamus; Byrne, James Fahy ) (1881–1935), medical doctor, dramatist, and businessman, was born 18 July 1881 on Tawin island, Co. Galway, the eldest son among at least three sons and two daughters of Patrick Byrne, farmer, and Mary Byrne (née Fahy), of Kinvara…...
Ó Briain, Donnchadh
Ó Briain, Donnchadh (1897–1981), politician and Gaelic League activist, was born 17 November 1897 in Knockaderry, Co. Limerick, one of two sons and a daughter of David O'Brien of Clonakilty, Co. Cork, creamery manager, and Kathleen O'Brien (née Casey) of Ballyguile. He was educated at…...
Ó Briain, Liam
Ó Briain, Liam (1888–1974), republican, scholar of Romance languages, and Irish-language enthusiast, was born 16 September 1888 at 10 Church Street, North Wall, Dublin, seventh child of Arthur O'Brien, clerk, and Mary O'Brien (née Christie), who was from Co. Meath. He was christened…...
O'Brien, John (Ó Briain, Seán)
O'Brien, John (Ó Briain, Seán) (c.1701–69), bishop and lexicographer, was born at Ballyvoddy, about 5 km north of Glanworth, Co. Cork, son of Thomas O'Brien, a prosperous farmer, and his wife, Eleanor MacEniry, a native of Co. Limerick. Nothing is known of his early…...
O'Brien, Kathleen Cruise
O'Brien, Kathleen Cruise (née Sheehy ) (1886–1938), teacher, suffragist and Irish language enthusiast, was born 28 April 1886 in Loughmore, Co. Tipperary, the youngest in a family of two sons and five daughters (one of whom died in infancy) of …...
O'Brien, Paul
O'Brien, Paul (c.1763–1820), poet, priest, and professor of Irish, was born in Moynalty, Co Meath, son of Cathal O'Brien, farmer, and his wife Máiréad Downs. Among his ancestors were a great-grandfather, William O'Brien, a poet; and a great-grandmother was a sister of…...
Ó Broin, León
Ó Broin, León (1902–90), senior civil servant, historian, and author, was born Leo Byrne on 10 November 1902 at 21 Aungier Street, Dublin, the second of four sons of James P. Byrne, a potato factor's bookkeeper, and Mary Byrne (née Killeen), daughter of a seaman who abandoned his family…...
Ó Buachalla, Liam
Ó Buachalla, Liam (1899–1970), professor of economics and Irish-language enthusiast, was born 10 April 1899 at 40 Clanbrassil Street, Dublin, son of Thomas Buckley, cooper, and Sarah Buckley (née Treacy). His family moved to Drogheda when he was very young and he received his education…...
Ó Cadhain, Máirtín
Ó Cadhain, Máirtín (1906–70), republican, creative writer, and academic, was born 4 January 1906 at An Cnocán Glas, Spiddal, Co. Galway, second born and first surviving child among seven sons and six daughters of Seán Ó Cadhain, farmer, and Bríd Ní Chonfhaola, farmer's daughter, both of…...
Ó Cadhlaigh, Cormac
Ó Cadhlaigh, Cormac (1884–1960), Celticist, was born 26 April 1884, in Kinsale, Co. Cork, one of seven children of shoemaker Jeremiah Ó Cadhlaigh and his wife, Marianne McCarthy. His mother had trained as a teacher but never entered the profession and instead managed Clarke's tobacco…...