De Breffny, Brian
De Breffny, Brian (1931–89), architectural historian, genealogist, and author, was born Brian Michael Lees on 14 January 1931 at 66 Gordon Avenue, Isleworth, London, the only son of Maurice Lees (Moses Leese), a turf accountant and taxi driver, and his wife, Marguerite Mary (née O'…...
De Buitléar, Éamon
De Buitléar, Éamon (1930–2013), filmmaker, environmentalist, author and musician, was born on 22 January 1930 in Renmore Barracks, Co. Galway, one of seven children of Colonel Éamon de Buitléar (1902–81), an army officer of Clanbrassil Street, Dublin, and his wife Nóra (née O'Brien…...
De Búrc (Búrc), Éamon
De Búrc (Búrc), Éamon (1866–1942), storyteller and singer in Irish, was born 2 April 1866 in Carna, Connemara, Co. Galway, son of the storyteller Liam a’ Búrc. His mother came from Cashel, Roundstone, Connemara; other details of her are unknown. He was more commonly known as Éamon Liam…...
Delahunty, Michael (‘Mick’; ‘Mick Del’)
Delahunty, Michael (‘Mick’; ‘Mick Del’) (1915–92), musician and bandleader, was born 11 November 1915 at 13 Raheen Road, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, son of Michael Delahunty, private in the Royal Irish Regt, and Mary Delahunty (née Ahearne). Reared in Clonmel at 7 Glenagad Road, Old…...
Denny, Sir Edward
Denny, Sir Edward (1796–1889), MP and hymn-writer, was born 2 October 1796 in Dublin, eldest son of Sir Edward Denny, 3rd baronet, of Tralee Castle, Co. Kerry, and Elizabeth Denny, daughter and heir of Robert Day, MP. Educated at Eton, and later Exeter College, Oxford, he…...
De Paor, Liam
De Paor, Liam (1926–98), archaeologist, historian, and academic, was born 13 April 1926 in Dublin, son of Paul Power of Tramore, Co. Waterford, and Kathleen Power (née Burke) of Dublin. His father was a railway official and de Paor grew up in Drumcondra, Dublin, where he attended the…...
De Paor, Máire
De Paor, Máire (1925–94), archaeologist, was born 6 May 1925 in Buncrana, Co. Donegal, second child among four children (one son and three daughters) of Eamonn (Ned) McDermott, grocer, and Delia McDermott (née McVeigh), teacher; both parents were veterans of the republican movement, who…...
De Róiste, Liam
De Róiste, Liam (1882–1959), politician, writer and Irish-language activist, was born 15 June 1882 in Fountainstown, Co. Cork, son of Edward Roche and Eliza Roche (née Ahern), both schoolteachers. He attended the local national school and, although little Irish was spoken in his area,…...
Derricke, John
Derricke, John (fl.1578), author of The image of Ireland with a discourse of woodkarne (1581), may have been the same Mr Dericke who was directed by Sir John Bourne in June 1557 to make a new great seal for Ireland, although this was more likely to have been…...
De Valera, Ruaidhrí
De Valera, Ruaidhrí (1916–78), archaeologist, was born 3 November 1916 in Dublin, fourth son among five sons and two daughters of Éamon de Valera (qv) and Sinéad de Valera (qv) (née…...
Devereux, John Corish
This is a co-subject for the entry on Devereux, Nicholas. View the original entry....
Dickson, Charles
Dickson, Charles (1886–1978), physician and historian, was born at Dromore, Co. Down, on 20 January 1886, son of John Mitchel Dickson, a linen merchant whose mother, Matilda (d. 1897), was a sister of John Mitchel (qv). Later the family, who…...
Dillon, Elizabeth
Dillon, Elizabeth (1865–1907), diarist, was born 2 March 1865 in England, eldest among five children of Sir James Charles Mathew (qv) (1830–1908) and his wife Elizabeth Blackmore Mathew (d. 1933), daughter of the Rev. Edwin…...
Dill, Sir Samuel
Dill, Sir Samuel (1844–1924), classical scholar, historian, and educationalist, was born 26 March 1844 at Hillsborough, Co. Down, eldest son of the Rev. Marcus Dill, DD, presbyterian minister of Hillsborough, and Anna Dill (née Moreland). He…...
Dingley, Thomas
Dingley, Thomas (d. 1695?), antiquary and traveller, a native of Southampton, England, is known in Ireland for his account of a tour he made in Leinster and Munster in 1681. It contains much on Irish ways of life, particularly diet, dress, pastimes, customs, language, money,…...
Dixon, Frederick E.
Dixon, Frederick E. (1913–88) meteorologist, historian, and philatelist, was born 27 March 1913 in Oundle, near Peterborough, England, a son of Nathan Dixon and his wife, Edith, née Howitt, who also had another son and a daughter. He attended Deacon's School, Peterborough, and…...
Dobbs, Margaret Emmeline
Dobbs, Margaret Emmeline (1871–1962), Gaelic Leaguer, was born in Dublin on 19 November 1871, one of four children of Conway Edward Dobbs (1818–98) of Glenariff Lodge, Parkmore, Co. Antrim, landowner, justice of the peace (JP) of Co. Antrim and high sheriff of Carrickfergus (1875) and…...
Dod (Dodd), Charles Roger Phipps
Dod (Dodd), Charles Roger Phipps (1793–1855), journalist and author, was born 8 May 1793 in Drumlease, Co. Leitrim, the only son of Rev. Roger Dod, vicar of Drumlease, and his wife Margaret (née Phipps). He entered the King's Inns 30 July 1816, but abandoned his legal studies for…...
Doheny, Michael
Doheny, Michael (1805–62), Young Ireland nationalist and author, was born 22 May 1805 at Brookhill, parish of Fethard, Co. Tipperary, the second son of Michael Doheny of Brookhill, a small farmer, and Ellen Doheny (née Keley). He received a rudimentary education from an itinerant…...
Doherty, John
Doherty, John (c.1895–1980), traditional fiddler, was born in Ardara, Co. Donegal, youngest of the five sons and four daughters of Michael ‘Mickey’ Doherty (c.1850–1934), musician and tinsmith, of the Simey branch of Dohertys of Lettermacaward, Co. Donegal, and Mary…...
Doherty, Michael (Mickey)
Doherty, Michael (Mickey) (1894–c.1967), traditional fiddler, was the third son and sixth child among five sons and four daughters of Michael ‘Mickey’ Doherty (c.1850–1934), musician and tinsmith, also known as ‘An Dochartach Mór’, of Lettermacaward, Co.…...
Dolan, Joseph
Dolan, Joseph (1872–1930), businessman and local activist, was born in January 1872 in Ardee, Co. Louth, son of Thomas Dolan, publican, merchant and farmer who was a native Irish speaker, and his wife Anne Segrave. The Dolans had built up an extensive business in Ardee since the early…...
Dolan, Joseph Francis Robert ('Joe')
Dolan, Joseph Francis Robert ('Joe') (1939–2007), pop singer, was born 16 October 1939 in the county hospital, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, youngest of eight surviving children (five boys and three girls; another boy had died in early childhood) of Patrick Dolan (c.1890–1950) and…...
Dolley, (Reginald Hugh) Michael
Dolley, (Reginald Hugh) Michael (1925–83), numismatist and historian, was born 6 July 1925 in Oxford, England, the son of A. H. F. Dolley, a civil servant, and Margaret Dolley (née Horgan). His father had Co. Galway antecedents while his mother's were from west Co. Limerick. Michael…...
Donaghy, Eileen
Donaghy, Eileen (1930–2008), singer, was born on 16 July 1930 in Brackaville, near Coalisland, Co. Tyrone, the second of three children (two girls and a boy) of Hugh Pat McNally, a stonemason, and his wife Brigid (née Corey). She was christened Mary Josephine, but was always known…...