Dreaper, Thomas (‘Tom’) William
Dreaper, Thomas (‘Tom’) William (1898–1975), racehorse trainer, was born 28 September 1898 in Donaghmore, Ashbourne, Co. Meath, the second son of James Dreaper, farmer, and Harriet Dreaper (née McKeever). He was educated at St Andrew's College, Dublin. In 1930 he moved to Greenogue…...
Duffy, Patrick Joseph (‘Paddy’)
Duffy, Patrick Joseph (‘Paddy’) (1921–87), Olympian and fencing master (maitre d'armes), was born 15 April 1921 at the Rotunda Hospital, Dublin, one of a large family born to James Duffy, labourer, and Kathleen (‘Kate’) Duffy (née McCarney), of 5 Commons St., Dublin. Duffy…...
Duke, Philip James (‘P. J.’)
Duke, Philip James (‘P. J.’) (1925–50), Gaelic footballer, was born 22 April 1925 in Stradone, Co. Cavan, one of four sons and two daughters of Andrew Duke, farmer and shopkeeper, and Rose Anne Duke (née Donoghue). He was educated at Laragh national school, St Patrick's College,…...
Dunlop, Henry Wallace Doveton
Dunlop, Henry Wallace Doveton (1844–1930), sports promoter, civil servant and engineer, was born in February 1844 in Bombay (Mumbai), India, the only son of (William) Henry Glasgow Dunlop (d. 1869), deputy superintendent of the Bombay Water Police, and his wife Mary Anne (née Pilkington…...
Dunlop, Robert
Dunlop, Robert (1960–2008), motorcycle racer, was born 25 November 1960, fourth child among three sons and four daughters (including his twin sister Margaret) of William Dunlop, a motor mechanic, and his wife May (née Barkley), of Ballymoney, Co. Antrim, where Robert attended school.…...
Dunlop, William Joseph (‘Joey’)
Dunlop, William Joseph (‘Joey’) (1952–2000), racing motorcyclist, was born 25 February 1952 at Unshinagh, near Dunloy, Co. Antrim, second among seven children of William Dunlop, motor mechanic, and his wife May (née Barkley). Joey received his early education at Ballymoney High School,…...
Dunne, James (‘Fairy’)
Dunne, James (‘Fairy’) (c.1841–1927), horse-racing trainer, was son of James Dunne, farmer (details of his mother are not known), and was initially apprenticed as a jockey to Peter Davis of Hawthorn Lodge, and subsequently to …...
Dunne, James (‘Jimmy’)
Dunne, James (‘Jimmy’) (1905–49), soccer player, was born 3 September 1905 in Ringsend, Dublin, son of Thomas Dunne, bottle blower of 18 Cambridge Street, Ringsend, and Catherine Dunne (née Shea). He began his soccer career with local Ringsend teams Parkview and Riverside Athletic.…...
Dunne, John (‘Tull’)
Dunne, John (‘Tull’) (1911–90), Gaelic footballer, coach, and administrator, was born 26 December 1911 in Brackernagh, Ballinasloe, Co. Galway, the son of William Dunne, carpenter, and his wife, Katie, née Donelan. He was educated in the local Christian Brothers’ school before…...
Dunne, Michael (‘Mick’)
Dunne, Michael (‘Mick’) (1929–2002), GAA broadcaster and journalist, was born 27 May 1929 in Clonaslee, Co. Laois, one of two sons of Francis Dunne, insurance agent, and Agnes Dunne (née Foley), schoolteacher. Educated at Clonaslee national school and Knockbeg College, Co. Carlow,…...
Dunville, John
Dunville, John (1866–1929), balloonist, was born 20 October 1866 in Redburn, near Holywood, Co. Down, the son of Robert Grimshaw Dunville, a noted Belfast distiller, and Janie Dunville (née Chassie). He was heavily involved in sport as an enthusiastic cross-country rider and a…...
Dyke, Sir William Hart
Dyke, Sir William Hart (1837–1931), MP, Conservative party chief whip, chief secretary for Ireland, and pioneer in lawn tennis and squash, was born 7 August 1837, second son of Sir Perceval Hart Dyke, of Lullingstone Castle, Kent, and his wife Elizabeth, daughter of John Wells of…...
Earley, (Anthony William) Dermot
Earley, (Anthony William) Dermot (1948–2010), Gaelic footballer and army officer, was born on 24 February 1948 in Castlebar, Co. Mayo, the eldest of three sons and two daughters of Peadar Earley, a primary school teacher, and his wife Catherine (née Byrne), both from Co. Mayo. He…...
Eddery, Patrick (Pat) James John
Eddery, Patrick (Pat) James John (1952–2015), flat racing jockey and racehorse trainer, was born on 18 March 1952 in Newbridge, Co. Kildare, near the Curragh Racecourse. He was the fifth of twelve children of Jimmy Eddery, a jockey who was Irish Flat Champion in 1954 and 1955, and who…...
Edwards, William Victor (‘Billy’)
Edwards, William Victor (‘Billy’) (1887–1917), rugby, swimming, and water polo international, was born 16 October 1887 in Strandtown, Belfast, the son of Alfred Edwards, merchant, from Strandtown, and Mary Edwards (née Wilson). He was educated at Thanet College, Margate, England;…...
Egan, John
Egan, John (1952–2012), Gaelic footballer, was born on 13 June 1952 in Tahilla, near Sneem, Co. Kerry, one of four sons and three daughters of Paddy Egan, a carpenter of Tahilla, and his wife Mary (née O'Shea), who ran a small shop there. He played Gaelic football constantly,…...
Egan, Michael
Egan, Michael (1880–1954), handballer, was born 28 August 1880 at Ballyglass, Glenamaddy, Co. Galway, the son of Thomas Egan, a small farmer, and Catherine Egan (née Haddican) of Ballyglass. When he was young, his family migrated to Pittsburgh, USA. In 1896 they moved again, to…...
Eglington, Tommy (Thomas Joseph)
Eglington, Tommy (Thomas Joseph) (1923–2004), soccer player, was born 15 January 1923 at 14 Norfolk Market, Great Britain (latterly Parnell) Street, Dublin, son of Christopher Eglington, butcher, and his wife Margaret (née McHugh). In his childhood the family moved to 7 Hazel Road…...
Elliott, James
Elliott, James (1838–83), boxer, was born in March 1838 in Athlone, Co. Westmeath. His family emigrated to the US when he was an infant, and he grew up in Brooklyn, New York. His father abandoned the family shortly after their arrival in America and Elliott worked from a young age in a…...
Elliott, Seamus (‘Shay’)
Elliott, Seamus ('Shay') (1934–71), cyclist, was born 4 June 1934 at Old County Road, Crumlin, Dublin, the second of three sons of Jim Elliott, garage owner of Rathfarnham, Co. Dublin, and his wife Nell (née Farrell). His parents were part of the republican contingent that seized the…...
Evans, Emyr Estyn
Evans, Emyr Estyn (1905–89), Ireland's first professor of geography, was born 29 May 1905, youngest of four sons and one daughter of the Rev. George Owen Evans, minister of the Presbyterian Church in Wales, and Elizabeth Evans (née Jones). Born in Shrewsbury, he spent his early…...
Ewing, (Reginald) Cecil
Ewing, (Reginald) Cecil (1910–73), golfer, was born 11 July 1910 at Rosses Point, Co. Sligo, son of Thomas Ewing, hotel proprietor, and Sally Ewing (née Kerrison). His father's hotel at Rosses Point doubled as a clubhouse for the local golf club in its early days, and Cecil became…...
Fallon, Sean
Fallon, Sean (1922–2013), footballer and coach, was born on 31 July 1922 in Sligo, one of nine children (six girls and three boys) of John Fallon (1897–1980) and his wife Margaret (1897–1990; née Forde). In 1914 John Fallon quit his job in McArthur’s bakery in Sligo to join the…...
Farquharson, Tom G.
Farquharson, Tom G. (c.1900–1974), goalkeeper, was born in Dublin, son of a trader; there is no other information on his parents or early life. Displaying an early aptitude for football, he won the Leinster minor cup with Annesley before deciding to concentrate on playing…...
Farrell, Peter Desmond
Farrell, Peter Desmond (1922–99), soccer player, was born 16 August 1922 in Dalkey, Co. Dublin, son of Loughlin Farrell, insurance agent, and Teresa Farrell (née Glynn), of Ruby Cottage, Convent Road, Dalkey. He was educated at the Harold Boys School and later Dún Laoghaire…...