De Lacy, Stanley
De Lacy, Stanley (1914–2005), hockey international and athlete, was born in the family home at 2 Cameron Street, Dublin, on 26 December 1914, the sixth of eight children of John Lacy and his wife Anne (née White). The family soon moved to Limerick where they lived on Barrington Street.…...
Dempsey, Jack (‘The Nonpareil’)
Dempsey, Jack (‘The Nonpareil’) (1862–95), world middleweight boxing champion, was born John Edward Kelly on 15 December 1862, near Clane, Co. Kildare, son of Martin Kelly and Alicia Kelly (née Lennon). In 1867, aged four, he emigrated with his family to America, where he attended…...
Devlin, Joseph Francis (‘Frank’)
Devlin, Joseph Francis (‘Frank’) (1900–88), badminton player, was born 19 January 1900 at 11 Wellington Place, Dublin, to Joseph Edmund Devlin, government official, and Edith Devlin (née Jeneken). He was the only child in a mixed-denomination marriage and as a result there were…...
Devlin, Patrick James (‘Celt’)
Devlin, Patrick James (‘Celt’) (1877–1941), GAA journalist, was born 21 January 1877 in McCrumms Court, Co. Armagh, the son of Patrick Devlin, an RIC constable, and his wife, Eliza Jane, née McGoldrick. When he was aged nine his…...
Dickson, Thomas Arnell ('Tommy')
Dickson, Thomas Arnell ('Tommy') (1929–2007), footballer, was born 16 July 1929 in the Sandy Row area of Belfast. As a teenager he played with the local Roosevelt Street Boys' Club and, while working as an apprentice fitter at the Brookfield Linen Company, was signed by Brantwood as an…...
Dicuil (Dícuil(l))
Dicuil (Dícuil(l)) (c.760–p.825), Irish scholar-exile at the courts of Charles the Great and Louis the Pious, was an important author of several works on geography, computus, grammar, and astronomy. The only details of his life that are known are what can be…...
Dinneen, Frank Brazil
Dinneen, Frank Brazil (1863–1916), GAA president, proprietor of Croke Park, and journalist, was born in Ballylanders, Co. Limerick, son of Nicholas Dinneen of Ballylanders. In the early 1880s he was one of the leading sprinters in the Munster area and regularly competed at meetings…...
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…...
Dockrell, George Shannon
Dockrell, George Shannon (1886–1924), swimmer and water-polo player, was born 22 October 1886 in Rathdown, Co. Dublin, the son of Sir Maurice Edward Dockrell (qv), merchant and politician, and his wife…...
Doherty, Peter Dermot
Doherty, Peter Dermot (1913–90), soccer player and manager, was born 4 June 1913 in Church St., Magherafelt, Co. Londonderry, son of William Doherty, carter, and Sarah Doherty (née Duffin). His family moved to Coleraine, Co. Londonderry, where he was educated at St Malachy's primary…...
Donnellan, Michael (‘Mick’)
Donnellan, Michael (‘Mick’) (1900–64), politician and GAA footballer, was born in Dromore, Co. Galway, the eldest of four children (two boys and two girls) of a local farmer. After being educated at the local national school and St Jarlath's College, Tuam, Co. Galway, he worked…...
Donnelly, Dan
Donnelly, Dan (1788–1820), pugilist, was born in 1788 in Townsend Street, Dublin, eldest surviving son among seventeen children of Joseph Donnelly, carpenter, of Dublin; his mother’s surname was Gore. His life is one in which reality and mythology are not easily separated. The main…...
Donoghue, Stephen
Donoghue, Stephen (1884–1945), jockey, was born 8 November 1884 at Aikin Street, Warrington, Lancashire, the eldest of three sons and two daughters of an Irish immigrant, Patrick Donoghue, an iron puddler, and Mary, née Mitchell, also of Irish ancestry. He was educated at St Mary'…...
Doonan, William (‘Willie’; ‘Bill’)
Doonan, William (‘Willie’; ‘Bill’) (1920–76), Gaelic footballer, was born 16 April 1920 in Cavan town, one of thirteen children of John Doonan, a UDC employee from Bawnboy, Co. Cavan, and Mary Anne Doonan (née Dempsey) from Templeport, Co…...
Dougan, (Alexander) Derek
Dougan, (Alexander) Derek (1938–2007), footballer and author, was born 20 January 1938 at 41 Susan Street in the Newtownards Road district of east Belfast, the eldest of six children (three boys and three girls) of John 'Jackie' Dougan, a boilermaker at the Harland and Wolff…...
Dowdall, Paddy
Dowdall, Paddy (1920–68), boxer, was born 16 June 1920 at 23 The Coombe, Dublin city, son of Patrick Dowdall, porter, and Catherine Dowdall (née Kinsella). His mother died when he was an infant, and the children were raised by their father. He was educated locally at Francis St.…...
Downes, George
Downes, George (1790–1846), travel writer and topographer, was born in South King St., Dublin, son of John Downes; no details of his mother are known. He worked as a draper's assistant in his youth before being befriended by one of the Shackletons of Ballitore, Co. Kildare, who…...
Doyle, Edmond (Eddie Neddy)
This is a co-subject for the entry on Doyle, Richard (‘Dick’). View the original entry....
Doyle, Jack
Doyle, Jack (1913–78), boxer, actor, singer and playboy, was born Joseph Alphonsus Doyle, 31 August 1913 at 12 Queen Street, Queenstown, Co. Cork, eldest son among four sons and two daughters of Michael Doyle, sailor, of Queenstown, and Anastasia Doyle. His schooling, at St Joseph's…...
Doyle, Jimmy
Doyle, Jimmy (1939–2015), hurler, was born on 20 March 1939 at Bohernanave, Thurles, Co. Tipperary, the eldest among six children (two surviving sons and three daughters; another son died in infancy) of Gerry Doyle, a shoemaker, and Bridget Doyle (née Slattery). Gerry Doyle was also a…...
Doyle, John
Doyle, John (1930–2010), hurler, was born on 12 February 1930 in Glenbane, Holycross, Co. Tipperary, the only child of Timothy Doyle, farmer, and his wife Margaret (née Spillane). His mother died forty-six days later from blood poisoning, after which his father struggled with raising…...
Doyle, Michael (Mick)
This is a co-subject for the entry on Doyle, Richard (‘Dick’). View the original entry....
Doyle, Mick (Michael Gerard)
Doyle, Mick (Michael Gerard) (1940–2004), rugby player and coach, was born 13 October 1940 in his maternal grandparents' house at Currow, Farranfore, Co. Kerry, the elder of two sons of Michael Doyle, a general merchant, publican and poultry farmer, of Castleisland, Co. Kerry, and…...
Doyle, Richard (‘Dick’)
Doyle, Richard (‘Dick’) (1886–1959), hurler, was born 4 February 1886 in Dournane, Mooncoin, Co. Kilkenny, third among nine surviving children of William Doyle, farmer, originally from Piltown, Co. Kilkenny, and Ellen Doyle (née Dunphy) from Dournane. He was educated at Mooncoin…...
Doyne, William Thomas
Doyne, William Thomas (1823–77), railway engineer, was born in April 1823 at Old Leighlin, Co. Carlow, second son of the Rev. Thomas Doyne and Sophia Doyne (née Armstrong). At the age of 16 he entered the University of Durham and studied engineering for a year. In 1840 he was…...