Morton, William (Billy)
Morton, William (Billy) (1910–69), athletics organiser, was born 28 June 1910 at 26 Sandwith St., Dublin, eldest of three children of Patrick Morton, saddler, of Wicklow, and Mary Morton (née Clegg) of Cootehill, Co. Cavan. Educated at Great Brunswick St. (latterly Pearse St.)…...
Mullane, Anthony John ('Tony')
Mullane, Anthony John ('Tony') (1859–1944), baseball player, was born either 30 January or 7 February 1859 in Co. Cork, eldest among three sons and one daughter of Dennis Mullane, a labourer, and his wife Elizabeth (née Behan). His family emigrated to the USA in the early 1860s,…...
Mullen, (Daniel) Karl
Mullen, (Daniel) Karl (1926–2009), rugby player and gynaecologist, was born on 26 November 1926 in Courtown Harbour, Co. Wexford, one of three sons and seven daughters of Daniel Mullen, an officer of the customs and excise, and his wife Annie (née Hargrove). Daniel had known and greatly…...
Mullins, Patrick ('Paddy')
Mullins, Patrick ('Paddy') (1919–2010), racehorse trainer, was born on 28 January 1919 in the townland of Old Grange, near Graiguenamanagh, Co. Kilkenny, the second eldest of seven children (four boys and three girls) of Willie Mullins, a prosperous farmer who later trained…...
Murphy, Con (Cornelius)
Murphy, Con (Cornelius) (1922–2007), hurler and GAA administrator, was born on 28 October 1922 in Toureen, near Innishannon, Co. Cork, the eldest of seven children of Dan Murphy, labourer, of Toureen, and his wife Julia (née McCarthy). Many of his uncles were active in the…...
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…...
Nowlan, James
Nowlan, James (1854?–1924), sports official, nationalist, and politician, was born in Kilkenny city; he was probably the James Nowlan baptised 14 July 1854 in St Canice's church, son of Michael Nowlan and Catherine Nowlan (née Tully), of Green's Hill, Kilkenny. A cooper by trade,…...
O'Brien, Dermot
O'Brien, Dermot (1932–2007), musician and Gaelic footballer, was born 23 October 1932 in Ardee, Co. Louth, the son of Paddy O'Brien, labourer and bandmaster of the Ardee Brass and Reed Band, of Dolan Terrace, Ardee, and his wife Nancy (née Dowdall). He attended Ardee's De La Salle…...
O'Brien, Desmond Joseph ('Des')
O'Brien, Desmond Joseph ('Des') (1919–2005), rugby player and business executive, was born 22 May 1919 in Dublin, the son of Tim O'Brien and his wife Mary (née Molloy). Educated at Belvedere College (1930–36), he joined Old Belvedere RFC in 1938, playing as flanker on the first two (…...
O'Brien, John Thomond
O'Brien, John Thomond (1786–1861), bullfighter and military officer in Argentina, was born 24 June 1786 at Baltinglass, Co. Wicklow, son of Martin O'Brien, a wealthy farmer, and Honoria O'Brien (née O'Connor). In 1811 he emigrated to South America, settling first in Brazil. His…...
O'Brien, (Michael) Vincent ('M. V. ')
O'Brien, (Michael) Vincent ('M. V. ') (1917–2009), racehorse trainer, was born 9 April 1917 at Clashganiff House near Churchtown, Co. Cork. His father, Dan O'Brien, a fox-hunting farmer who trained a few horses under a permit, lost his first wife, Helena, in childbirth while she was…...
O'Brien, Sir Timothy Carew
O'Brien, Sir Timothy Carew (1861–1948), 3rd baronet, international cricketer for England and Ireland, was born 5 November 1861 in Dublin, eldest son among three sons and a daughter of Timothy O'Brien and Mary O'Brien (née Carew O'Dwyer) of Dublin. His grandfather, Sir Timothy O'…...
Ó Caoimh, Pádraig (Paddy O'Keeffe)
Ó Caoimh, Pádraig (Paddy O'Keeffe) (1897–1964), revolutionary and sports administrator, was born 9 December 1897 in Bellanagare, Co. Roscommon, son of Michael O'Keeffe, RIC sergeant, and Mary O'Keeffe (née O'Malley). Raised in East View…...
O Ceallacháin, Seán Óg
O Ceallacháin, Seán Óg (1923–2013), sports broadcaster and hurler, was born on 12 May 1923 in Newcastle West, Co. Limerick, one of four children (three sons and a daughter) of John O’Callaghan (Seán O Ceallacháin), a commercial traveller of Newcastle West, originally from near…...
O'Connor, Thomas (‘Gega’)
O'Connor, Thomas (‘Gega’) (1918–97), Gaelic footballer, was born 3 November 1918 in Upper Main St. (or ‘Goat St.’), Dingle, Co. Kerry, one of a large family of James (‘Jimmy’) O'Connor, a publican and farmer known as ‘Tom Dick’, from Dingle, and Mary O'Connor (née McCarthy).…...
O'Donnell, John ('Kerry')
O'Donnell, John ('Kerry') (1899–1994), businessman and GAA administrator, was born on 15 November 1899 in Gleann na nGealt, Castlegregory, near Camp, Co. Kerry, the eldest child of Michael O'Donnell, a local farmer, and his wife Johanna (née O'Connor). At age 19 he emigrated to…...
O'Donnell, Nicholas (‘Nick’)
O'Donnell, Nicholas (‘Nick’) (1925–88), hurler, was born 4 September 1925 in Killeen, Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny, son of Nicholas O'Donnell, farmer, and Anne O'Donnell (née White). A member of the Éire Óg hurling club in Kilkenny city, he was a non-playing member of the Kilkenny…...
O'Dowd, Ignatius (‘Nace’)
O'Dowd, Ignatius (‘Nace’) (1931–87), Gaelic footballer and hotelier, was born 1 August 1931 in Rinbane, Ballinacarrow, Co. Sligo, where he attended the Carrowrile national school before progressing to Tubbercurry vocational school. He was one of five boys and three girls in his…...
O'Dwyer, John Gerard (‘Ged’)
O'Dwyer, John Gerard (‘Ged’) (1899–1996), Irish Volunteer, army officer, and showjumper, was born 12 April 1899 at Rahen, near Grange, Bruff, Co. Limerick, the second son of John O'Dwyer, farmer, and his wife Bridget, eldest daughter of John Hayes of Co. Limerick. Educated at…...
O'Ferrall, Roderic Charles Francis (‘Roddy’) More
O'Ferrall, Roderic Charles Francis (‘Roddy’) More (1903–90), horse breeder, trainer, and arboriculturist, was born in Kingstown (Dún Laoghaire), Co. Dublin, on 25 July 1903, eldest among three sons and a daughter of Dominic More O'Ferrall of Kildangan, Co. Kildare, landowner and…...
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…...
O'Flanagan, Kevin Patrick
O'Flanagan, Kevin Patrick (1919–2006), athlete, rugby and soccer international, Olympics administrator and medical doctor, was born on 10 June 1919 in Dublin, son of Timothy O'Flanagan, tobacconist, and his wife Teresa (née McLaughlin). Raised in Terenure, he attended the Christian…...
O'Gorman, James
O'Gorman, James (1765–1855), landowner and angler, and his brother Nicholas Purcell O'Gorman (1777/8–1857), barrister and secretary to the Catholic Association, were the first and second of the three sons of James O'Gorman (1717–87) of Ennis, Co. Clare, and his wife, Susanna (née…...
O'Halloran, Michael Joseph
O'Halloran, Michael Joseph (1933–99), railwayman and politician, was born 20 August 1933 in Doonbeg, Co. Clare, son of Martin O'Halloran, railwayman. He was educated at Clohanes national school up to the age of 14, when he left to work on the railways in London. He became an active…...
O'Hehir, Michael
O'Hehir, Michael (1920–96), sports commentator and journalist, was born Michael James Hehir on 2 June 1920 in Glasnevin, Dublin, son of James Hehir, civil servant, from Co. Clare, and his wife Esther (née Sheehan) from Tullamore, Co. Offaly. He was educated at St Patrick's…...