Markievicz, Constance Georgine
Markievicz, Constance Georgine (1868–1927), Countess Markievicz, republican and labour activist, was born 4 February 1868 at Buckingham Gate, London, eldest of the three daughters and two sons of Sir Henry Gore-Booth of Lissadell, Co. Sligo, philanthropist and explorer, and Georgina…...
McCaffrey, Anne Inez
McCaffrey, Anne Inez (1926–2011), science fiction and fantasy writer, was born on 1 April 1926 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, the second child and only daughter of George Herbert McCaffrey (1890–1954), soldier and administrator, and his wife Anne Dorothy (née McElroy), who worked…...
McDougall, Margaret Moran
McDougall, Margaret Moran (1826–99), author and journalist, was born 25 December 1826, according to family records (though her obituary said 25 December 1828), probably in Co. Antrim. Her father, J. Moran (or William Henry) Dixon , tailor, died in Galgorm, Co. Antrim, when…...
McDowell, Kathleen Mary (‘Kay’)
McDowell, Kathleen Mary (‘Kay’) (1897–1975), trade union leader, was born 16 August 1897 at 20 Connaught St., Phibsborough, Dublin, daughter of William McDowell, wine merchant, of that address, and Mary McDowell (née Kirwan). Her father's family, which had roots in the north of…...
Molloy, Dorothy (Mary)
Molloy, Dorothy (Mary) (1942–2004), poet, painter and journalist, was born 10 June 1942 in Ballina, Co. Mayo, third child of Patrick Molloy, who was in the building trade, and his wife Kathleen, known as Doris (née Murphy). The family of two daughters and three sons moved to Dublin…...
Molony, Helena
Molony, Helena (1883–1967), actress, republican, trade unionist, and feminist, was born 15 January 1883 at 8 Coles Lane, off Henry St., Dublin, the younger of one daughter and one son of Michael Moloney, grocer, of that address, and Catherine Moloney (née McGrath). Orphaned at an early…...
Mulrooney (Carbonneau), Belinda
Mulrooney (Carbonneau), Belinda (1872–1967), frontier entrepreneur, was born on 16 May 1872 (though her official birth certificate stated 10 June) in her maternal grandparents' 21-acre farm near Carns, Co. Sligo, the first child of one son and four daughters of John Mulrooney from Carra…...
Ní Chonaill, Eibhlín Dhubh
Ní Chonaill, Eibhlín Dhubh (c.1743–c.1800), poet, was born in Derrynane (Doire Fhionáin), Co. Kerry, one of the twenty-two children of Máire Ní Dhuibh (qv) and her husband, Domhnall Mór Ó Conaill of Derrynane…...
Ní Dhonnchadha Dhuibh, Máire
Ní Dhonnchadha Dhuibh, Máire (d. 1795?), poet, was born c.1702 in Glenflesk, Co. Kerry, daughter of Domhnall Ó Donnchadha and his wife Alice (née Ferriter), both of Co. Kerry. She was a descendant of the Uí Dhonnchadha an Ghleanna (O'Donoghue of the Glen), ‘Dubh’ being…...
Ní Ghráda, Máiréad
Ní Ghráda, Máiréad (1896–1971), playwright, author, and broadcaster, was born 23 December 1896 in Knockadangan, Kilmaley, Co. Clare, younger of two daughters of James O'Grady (1856–1942), farmer and sometime county councillor, and Bridget O'Grady (née Greene; 1854–1934), native of…...
Ní Ghuairim, Máire
Ní Ghuairim, Máire (1896–1964), teacher, author and sean-nós singer, was born 6 July 1896 in Roisín na Manach, Carna, Co. Galway, eldest daughter of farmer Máirtín Gorham and his wife, Catherine Burke. She received her earliest education in the Convent of Mercy school in Roisín na…...
O'Brien, Charlotte Grace
O'Brien, Charlotte Grace (1845–1909), social reformer and writer, was born 23 November 1845 at Cahirmoyle, Co. Limerick, younger daughter of the Young Ireland leader, William Smith O’Brien (qv), and his wife Lucy Caroline, daughter of…...
O'Brien, Frances Marcella
O'Brien, Frances Marcella (‘Attie ’) (1840–83), poet and novelist, was born 24 June 1840 near Ennis, Co. Clare, second youngest among three sons and two daughters of William O'Brien, farmer, from Co. Clare, and Marcella O'Brien (née Burke-Browne) of Newgrove, Co. Clare. Her mother…...
O'Brien, Kate
O'Brien, Kate (1897–1974), novelist, was born Kathleen Mary Louise O'Brien on 3 December 1897 in Limerick city, seventh among ten children of Thomas O'Brien, horse breeder, and Katherine O'Brien (née Thornhill) of Kilfinane, Co. Limerick. Her grandfather was an evicted tenant who…...
O'Brien, Sophie Raffalovich
O'Brien, Sophie Raffalovich (1860–1960), writer and activist, was born in Odessa on 15 January 1860, daughter of Herman Raffalovich , banker, and his wife, Marie. She had two brothers: André, who became well known as a homosexual aesthete, and Ernest, a banker and tsarist agent…...
O'Casey, Eileen
O'Casey, Eileen (1897–1995), actress, author, and wife of writer Sean O'Casey (qv), was born 27 December 1897 in Dublin, youngest among three children of Edward Reynolds , accountant, from Athlone, Co. Westmeath, and Kathleen Reynolds (…...
O'Donovan Rossa, Mary Jane (née Irwin)
O'Donovan Rossa, Mary Jane (née Irwin) (1845–1916), poet, was born in 1844/5 (baptised 26 January 1845) in Clonakilty, Co. Cork, the daughter of Maxwell Irwin, a farmer and member of Young Ireland. She was educated in the Sacred Heart Convent, Roscrea and started writing poetry at an…...
O'Faolain, Eileen
O'Faolain, Eileen (1900–88), author of children's books, and wife of writer Sean O'Faolain (qv), was born 10 June 1900 at 5 Lee Rd, Cork city, one of five children of Joseph Gould , engineman, and Julia Gould (née O'Connell). After the…...
O'Flaherty, May
O'Flaherty (Flaherty), May (1904–91), bookshop owner, was born Mary Angela Flaherty on 14 May 1904 in Youghal, Co. Cork, one of at least five children of Thomas Flaherty, a Royal Irish Constabulary sergeant, originally from Co. Kerry, and his wife Catherine (née Drummy), from Kilmichael…...
O'Flaherty, Kathleen Mary Josephine
O'Flaherty, Kathleen Mary Josephine (1916–94), French scholar, was born 26 December 1916 in Mayfield, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford, the youngest of the four children, two sons and two daughters, of Bernard Joseph O'Flaherty, a prominent and well-to-do solicitor, and his wife, Frances…...
O'Keeffe, Adelaide
This is a co-subject for the entry on O'Keeffe (O'Keefe), John. View the original entry....
O'Leary, Ellen
O'Leary, Ellen (1831–89), nationalist and poet, was born 22 October 1831 in Tipperary town, the second child of John O'Leary, a prosperous shopkeeper, and his second wife Margaret Ryan. After the death of her mother in the mid 1830s while she was still a very young child, Ellen…...
O'Mahoney, Katharine Aloysia O'Keeffe
O'Mahoney, Katharine Aloysia O'Keeffe (1851–1908), editor, educator, and writer, was born in Co. Kilkenny, daughter of Patrick O'Keeffe (b. 1803) and his wife Rose (b. 1824; maiden name unknown). The O'Keeffes emigrated to Methuen, Massachusetts, USA, c.1851 when she was ten…...
O'Mahony, Nora (Norah) Tynan
O'Mahony, Nora (Norah) Tynan (1866–1954), poet and novelist, was born 15 February 1866 in Whitehall, Clondalkin, Co. Dublin, one of twelve children of Andrew Cullen Tynan , a livestock farmer from Clondalkin, and Elizabeth Tynan (née Reilly). She attended the Dominician convent of…...
O'Meara, Kathleen
O'Meara, Kathleen (1839–88), novelist and biographer, was born in Dublin, the daughter of Den[n]is O'Meara of Tipperary. When she was about five, she moved with her parents to France, where they had connections: a grandfather, Barry…...