Conyngham, Sir Gerald Ponsonby Lenox
Conyngham, Sir Gerald Ponsonby Lenox - (1866–1956), geodesist, was born 21 August 1866 at Springhill, Moneymore, Co. Londonderry, the seventh of ten children of Sir William Fitzwilliam Lenox-Conyngham, KCB,…...
Cooney, Peter
Cooney, Peter (c.1755–c.1798), journalist and newspaper proprietor, came from unknown origins to prominence in 1788 when he established the Morning Post, an opposition newspaper, in Dublin. He was soon involved in the legal action between…...
Cooper, Austin
Cooper, Austin (b. c.1614, d. a.1690), gardener and strongman, inherited property from his father at Byfleet in Surrey. His father or another relative is said to have held a court appointment under Charles I. Cooper purchased land in England from a Cromwellian…...
Coppin, Louisa (Little Weesy)
This is a co-subject for the entry on Coppin, William. View the original entry....
Corbet, William
Corbet, William (d. 1838?), printer and newspaper proprietor, was in business in Dublin by 1783; he later had premises in Great Britain Street (1788–1810), Sycamore Alley (1813–22), College Green (1823–4), Palace Street (1825–30), and Upper Ormond Quay (from 1831). In 1783 he was…...
Cordner, Joseph (James)
Cordner, Joseph (James) (1875–1963), pioneer aviator, was born 11 February 1875 in Derryinver, Co. Armagh, twin brother of Edward Cordner and son of Ussiagh Cordner, farm labourer, and Anne Cordner. Educated locally, Joseph (who may also have been known as ‘James’) and Edward opened…...
Cosgrave, Patrick John Francis
Cosgrave, Patrick John Francis (1941–2001), writer and political adviser, was born 28 September 1941 in Dublin, only child of Patrick John Cosgrave, cabinet-maker and builder, and Margaret Cosgrave (née FitzGerald), daughter of a warder in Mountjoy prison, who Patrick would…...
Costello, Mary Ann
Costello, Mary Ann (1747–1827), actress and mother of the British prime minister George Canning, was born in Ireland, daughter of Jordan Costello, a Connacht squire. Apparently orphaned at an early age, she was brought up in the care of her maternal grandfather, Col. Guydickens, in…...
Cotter (alias O'Brien), Patrick
Cotter (alias O'Brien), Patrick (1760/61–1806), giant and showman, was born at Belgooly, near Kinsale, Co. Cork. His parents were farmers; while no details of his father are available, his mother was still alive at the time of his death and is named in his will as Margaret Cotter…...
Courtenay, Ellen
Courtenay, Ellen (1802–c.1837), accuser of Daniel O'Connell (qv), was born in Co. Cork, daughter of a native of the county. In 1817, at the age of 15, she moved to Dublin, and the catholic bishop of Cork,…...
Cowan, (Robert) Barry
Cowan, (Robert) Barry (1948–2004), journalist and broadcaster, was born 1 February 1948 in Coleraine, Co. Londonderry, one of two sons of Fred Cowan, a manager in the Ulster Transport Authority, and his wife Myrtle (née Gilliland Patterson). Barry was brought up a presbyterian. The…...
Cox, Walter
Cox, Walter (c.1770–1837), journalist and informer, was the son of a Co. Meath or Westmeath blacksmith and his wife, a Dease of Summerhill. He was apprenticed in turn to – or at least worked as an ‘inlayer’ for – two Dublin gunsmiths, Daniel Muley and Benjamin Powell, and…...
Coyne, John Stirling
Coyne, John Stirling (1803–68), dramatist and comic journalist, was born in Birr, Co. Offaly, the son of Denis Coyne, port surveyor of Waterford, and his wife, Bridget (née Cosgrave). Educated at Dungannon School, Co. Tyrone, he abandoned plans of entering the legal profession, and…...
Crawford, Emily
Crawford, Emily (1841–1915), journalist, was born 31 May 1841, probably in Dublin, daughter of Andrew Johnstone, landowner, of Corboy, Co. Longford, and Grace Johnstone, an American. She was educated at home. After her father's financial difficulties and death, she went (1857) with…...
Crawford, (Robert) Lindsay
Crawford, (Robert) Lindsay (1868–1945), journalist, Orangeman, and diplomat, was born 1 October 1868 at Tonagh, Lisburn, Co. Antrim, son of James Crawford, scripture reader, and Matilda Crawford (née Hastings). Educated privately, he worked for a time in business before becoming…...
Crilly, Daniel
Crilly, Daniel (1857–1923), journalist and politician, was born 14 December 1857, a son of Daniel Crilly of Rostrevor, Co. Down. In his youth he left his native country for England. He was educated at the Catholic Institute, Hope Street, Liverpool, and at Sedgley Park College,…...
Crist, Gainor Steven
Crist, Gainor Steven (1922–64), bohemian and Dublin ‘character’, was born on Shafer Boulevard in Dayton, Ohio, USA, on 1 August 1922, the only child of Dr Damian Crist (d. 1952) and his wife, Helen (d. 1928), ballerina, the daughter of Alfred Mannassau of Canada and Chicago, a well…...
Cronin, Seán Gerard
Cronin, Seán Gerard (1922–2011), journalist, historian and republican, was born on 29 August 1922 in Dublin, the only son among three children of Con Cronin (d. 1924), a member of the IRA, and his wife Kate. After Con Cronin's death, Kate worked as a cook in a boarding school while…...
Crosbie, George
Crosbie, George (1864–1934), newspaper proprietor and politician, was born 7 May 1864 at Cork, the second son of four children of Thomas Crosbie of Waterloo Place, Cork, editor of the Cork Examiner, and Marianne (or perhaps Mary Anne) Crosbie (née Callaghan), daughter of…...
Crosbie, Patrick (‘Paddy’)
Crosbie, Patrick (‘Paddy’) (1913–82), teacher, humorist, and broadcaster, was born 1 October 1917 at 12A Bridewell Lane, Dublin, third among three sons and one daughter of Martin Crosbie, foreman-fitter, and Elizabeth (Lily) Crosbie (née Corcoran). He was educated at Stanhope St.…...
Crosbie, Richard
Crosbie, Richard (1756?–1800?), balloonist, was born in Co. Wicklow, second son among five children of Sir Paul Crosbie, 4th baronet and barrack master at Bray, Co. Wicklow, and Mary Crosbie (née Daniel), an Englishwoman. His elder brother was (Sir)…...
Crosbie, Sir Edward William
Crosbie, Sir Edward William (1755?–98), 5th baronet and victim of a miscarriage of justice, was the elder son of Sir Paul Crosbie, 4th baronet, and his wife Mary, daughter of Edward Daniel of Freadsom, Cheshire, and was born in Co. Wicklow, probably at his father's seat, Crosbie…...
Crosbie, Thomas
This is a co-subject for the entry on Crosbie, George. View the original entry....
Crosbie, Thomas
Crosbie, Thomas (1817?–1899), newspaper editor and proprietor, was born in Ardfert, Co. Kerry. Educated at Clongowes Wood College, Co. Kildare, in 1842 he joined the Cork Examiner of John Francis Maguire (qv) soon after…...
Cross, Eric
Cross, Eric (1903/5–1980), writer and broadcaster, was born in Newry, Co. Down, the only child of James Cross, a British civil servant and catholic. Educated in the north of England, he studied medicine at Manchester University for six months before moving to London to study…...