King, Kathleen
King, Kathleen (1893–1978), botanist and bryologist, was born Anastasia Lelia Catherine 5 July 1893 in Dublin, daughter of Lawrence Murphy , of a farming family from Ballycarnew, Co. Wexford, and Bridget Murphy (née Monaghan) from Co. Longford. The family lived in Upper Merrion St…...
Kirwan, Richard
Kirwan, Richard (1733–1812), chemist, mineralogist, geologist, and meteorologist, was born 1 August 1733 at Cloughballymore, Co. Galway, second son among four sons of Martin Kirwan and Mary Kirwan (neé French). He was educated first in Ireland and later at Poitiers, France, and…...
Lemass, Frank
Lemass, Frank (1911–74), general manager and director of CIÉ, president of the Irish Management Institute, was born 13 September 1911 in Dublin, youngest son among four sons and three daughters of John T. Lemass, hatter and outfitter, of 3 Capel St., Dublin, and Frances Lemass (…...
Mackle, Henry
Mackle, Henry (1921–94), physical chemist and folklore writer, was born 12 May 1921 at Derrykeeran, Co. Armagh, the son of Patrick Mackle, farmer, and Sarah Mackle (née Byrne). He studied chemistry at QUB, graduating with first-…...
MacMahon, Bernard
MacMahon, Bernard (c.1736–1816), priest, scientist, and translator, was born at Castlering, Co. Louth, one of two brothers. He was educated locally and studied for the secular priesthood at Antwerp, presumably at the Irish College there. His name appears on the 1771 list…...
MacNeven (MacNevin), William James
MacNeven (MacNevin), William James (1763–1841), physician, scientist, and United Irishman, was born 21 March 1763 at Ballynahown, near Aughrim, Co. Galway, the eldest of the four sons of James MacNeven and his wife Rose (née Dolphin). Rose MacNeven died young and James not long…...
McConnell, James Robert
McConnell, James Robert (1915–99), mathematical physicist and priest, was born 25 February 1915 at 3 Duke Row, Dublin, second child of Robert McConnell, pharmacist, and Frances McConnell (née Lennon). His grandfather was a presbyterian from Ballymena, Co. Antrim. He was educated at…...
McEnery, John
McEnery, John (1796–1841), palaeontologist and catholic priest, was born 17 November 1796 in Limerick city. Educated at St Munchin's seminary, Park House, near Limerick city, he was ordained in 1819 for the diocese of Limerick. Soon thereafter, pursuant to his participation in a…...
McGauley, James William
McGauley, James William (d. 1867), priest, scientist, and inventor, was apparently born into a Roman catholic family in Dublin, and is said to have been the son of a carpenter; it is possible he was in some way related to the family of the Venerable…...
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…...
McLaughlin, Patrick John (‘Paddy’)
McLaughlin, Patrick John (‘Paddy’) (1899–1973), priest and physicist, was reputedly born in Scotland. The early part of his life was spent in Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal, where his father was a publican. He entered Maynooth College, where he studied science (…...
McNulty, Kathleen Rita ('Kay')
McNulty, Kathleen Rita ('Kay') (1921–2006), pioneering computer programmer, was born on 12 February 1921 in the townland of Feymore, Creeslough, Co. Donegal, the third of six children (three boys and three girls) of James McNulty (1890–1977) and his wife Anne or Annie (née Nelis).…...
McWilliams, Brendan Eugene
McWilliams, Brendan Eugene (1944–2007), meteorologist, writer and broadcaster, was born in south Dublin on 7 August 1944, the only son of John (Sean) McWilliams and his wife Nora (née Smyth). Sean McWilliams (1911–84), originally from Maghera, Co. Londonderry, was one of the first…...
Meenan, Patrick Nahor
Meenan, Patrick Nahor (1917–2008), microbiologist and physician, the second of three sons of James Nahor Meenan (qv), professor of systemic medicine at UCD, and Mary Elizabeth Meenan (née…...
Molloy, Gerald
Molloy, Gerald (1834–1906), priest and scientist, was born 10 September 1834 in Mount Tallant House, Terenure, Co. Dublin, second son of Thomas Molloy, tanner, and Catherine Molloy (née Whelan). He was educated first at a private school and then at Castleknock College. He entered…...
Murnaghan, Francis Dominic
Murnaghan, Francis Dominic (1893–1976), mathematician, was born 4 August 1893 at Omagh, Co. Tyrone, the seventh child of nine born to George Murnaghan (qv), nationalist MP at Westminster for Mid-Tyrone, and Angela Murnaghan (née…...
Murphy, Paul Aloysius
Murphy, Paul Aloysius (1887–1938), plant pathologist, was born 22 February 1887 at Ballybur, Cuffesgrange, Co. Kilkenny, son of James Murphy, farmer, and Julia Murphy (née Mackey). He attended St Kieran's College, Kilkenny, before attending the Albert Agricultural College,…...
Murray, Sir James
Murray, Sir James (1788–1871), doctor and chemist, was born in Co. Londonderry, probably in Culrady, near Maghera, eldest son of Edward Murray and Belinda Murray (née Powell). He was brought up as a Roman catholic; he had at least two brothers, and possibly other siblings. His brother…...
Nevin, Thomas Edwin
Nevin, Thomas Edwin (1906–86), physicist, was born 4 October 1906 in Bristol, Somerset, eldest among five sons and two daughters of Thomas Nevin, cabinetmaker, of Cashel, Co. Tipperary, and Alice Nevin (née Higginson) of Herefordshire. The family returned to Ireland and spent some years…...
Nolan, John James (‘J. J.’)
Nolan, John James (‘J. J.’) (1888–1952), experimental physicist and academic, was born 28 December 1888 in Railway Tce, Omagh, Co. Tyrone, eldest among four sons and one daughter of Martin Nolan, member of the RIC, originally from Co.…...
Nolan, Patrick (Paddy)
This is a co-subject for the entry on Nolan, John James (‘J. J.’). View the original entry....
Nolan, Thomas Joseph
Nolan, Thomas Joseph (1888–1945), chemist, was born 11 November 1888 at 16 Newmarket, Dublin, eldest of nine children of Joseph Nolan, compositor in a print works, and Ellen Nolan (née O'Keefe), both from Dublin. He was educated at CBS…...
Ó Ceallaigh, Cormac
Ó Ceallaigh, Cormac (1912–96), nuclear physicist, was born 29 July 1912 in Dublin, the only son among two children of Séamus Ó (Ua) Ceallaigh (James O'Kelly), consultant obstetrician and assistant master at the Coombe Hospital, and his wife Maire Cecilia (‘Birdie’) (née Ferran),…...
O'Donovan, James Laurence (‘Jim’, ‘Seamus’)
O'Donovan, James Laurence (‘Jim’, ‘Seamus’) (1896–1979), scientist and republican, was born 3 February 1896 in Castleview, Co. Roscommon, fifth among seven children (three daughters and four sons) of Daniel J. O'Donovan, excise officer, and Margaret O'Donovan (née Brennan), of Co. Cork…...
O'Flaherty, Stephen
O'Flaherty, Stephen (1902–82), motor factor, was born 23 January 1902 in Passage East, Co. Waterford, second son of Patrick O'Flaherty, farmer, of Passage East, Co. Waterford, and Kate O'Flaherty (neé O'Dywer), from Limerick. He was educated at the local national school and the…...