Ó Cléirigh, Cú Choigcríche (O'Clery, Peregrine)
Ó Cléirigh, Cú Choigcríche (O'Clery, Peregrine) (fl. 1630–62), one of the ‘four masters’, was from Baile Uí Chléirigh, Co. Donegal. His father, Diarmaid, might possibly be the Diarmaid son of An Cosnamhach found in an Ó Cléirigh genealogy, and/or the ‘Dermot O Clery’ pardoned…...
Ó Cléirigh, Mícheál (O'Clery, Michael)
Ó Cléirigh, Mícheál (O'Clery, Michael) (c.1590–1643), OFM, historian and scribe, chief of the ‘four masters’, was born into the learned family of Ó Cléirigh in Co. Donegal, fourth son of Donnchadh (son of Uilliam son of Tuathail) Ó Cléirigh and his wife Honora Ultach (Onora Ó…...
Ó Cléirigh (O'Clery), Lughaidh
Ó Cléirigh (O'Clery), Lughaidh (c.1580–a.1630?), historian and poet, was born in Co. Donegal, the eldest of the five sons of Maccon Ó Cléirigh (d. 1595), who was ‘Ollav to O'Donnell in history, an erudite and ingenious man, professed in history and poetry’ (AFM, vi,…...
O'Clery, (Patrick) Keyes
O'Clery, (Patrick) Keyes (1845?–1913), soldier, barrister, politician, and author, was born, probably in May 1845, at Darragh house, Kilfinnane, Co. Limerick, the only son of John Walsh O'Clery (The O'Clery ) and Elisa O'Clery (née O'Donoghue Keyes); some sources record his birth…...
Ó Conbhuidhe (Conway), Séamus (Colmcille)
Ó Conbhuidhe (Conway), Séamus (Colmcille) (1909–92), Irish-language scholar, poet and historian, was born James Conway on 26 September 1909 at 53 Gladstone Street, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, the eldest son of Patrick Joseph Conway, a paper merchant, and his wife Kate (née Dwyer). Patrick…...
O'Connell, Maurice Rickard
O'Connell, Maurice Rickard (1922–2005), historian, was born at Kilheffernan House, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary on 13 December 1922, third son (he had one sister) of Captain Maurice C. O'Connell, a first world war British army veteran who subsequently made his career in the Irish army,…...
O'Connor, Fergal
O'Connor, Fergal (1926–2005), priest and philosopher, was born Thomas Francis O'Connor on 6 December 1926 in Rathmorrel, Causeway, Co. Kerry, third of seven children of Henry O'Connor, national school teacher, and his wife Nora (née Egan). O'Connor's grandfather had also been a…...
O'Conor, Charles
O'Conor, Charles (1764–1828), priest, librarian, and antiquary, was born 15 March 1764 at Belanagare, Co. Roscommon, second of six sons of Denis O'Conor (d. 1804) and Catharine O'Conor (neé Browne), who also had six daughters. The O'Conors were catholic, descendants of a princely…...
O'Conor, Charles
O'Conor, Charles (1710–91), Irish language scholar, antiquarian, and catholic activist, of Belanagare (Bellanagare), Co. Roscommon, was born at Kilmactranny, Co. Sligo, in early January 1709/10, eldest of six sons and three daughters. Family His father was Denis (Donnchadh Liath) O'…...
O'Conor, Matthew
O'Conor, Matthew (1773–1844), barrister and historian, was born 18 September 1773, sixth son of Denis O'Conor (1732–1804) of Belanagare, Co. Roscommon, DL of Roscommon, and his wife Catherine (d. 1817), daughter of Martin Browne of Cloonfad,…...
Ó Cuinneagáin, Gearóid Seán Caoimhín
Ó Cuinneagáin, Gearóid Seán Caoimhín (1910–91), political activist and publisher, was born 2 January 1910 at Belfast, the third child of Sean Cunningham and his wife Caitlín. He was educated in Belfast, at St Brigid's school, Malone Rd, and the …...
O'Curry (Curry, Ó Comhraí), Eugene (Eoghan)
O'Curry (Curry, Ó Comhraí), Eugene (Eoghan) (1794–1862), Irish scholar, was born 20 November 1794 at Dunaha, about three miles south of Kilkee, Co. Clare, third among four children of Eoghan ‘Mór’ O'Curry (c.1740–1825) and Catherine O'Curry (née Madigan) of Dunaha. His father,…...
O'Daly, Daniel (Dominic; Domingos do Rosario)
O'Daly, Daniel (Dominic; Domingos do Rosario) (1595–1662), Dominican priest, diplomat, and historian, was born in Kilsarkan near Castleisland, Co. Kerry. He came from a family of poets, the Ó Dálaigh; his grandfather, Maoilseachlainn na Scoile, his uncle Cuchonnacht, and his…...
O'Daly, John
O'Daly, John (1800–78), writer and publisher, was born 5 February 1800 in Fernane, Cappoquin, Co. Waterford, eldest among three sons and three daughters of Eamonn O'Daly and Brigid O'Daly (née Kyley). He was educated at a local hedge school before going to work, in 1826, for the…...
O'Doherty, (Eamonn) Feighin
O'Doherty, (Eamonn) Feighin (1918–98), priest, academic, and psychologist, was born in Dublin on 10 February 1918, youngest son among four sons and two daughters of Séamus O'Doherty (qv), revolutionary, and his wife Kitty O'Doherty (qv). His…...
O'Donoghue, David James
O'Donoghue, David James (1866–1917), biographer, editor, and librarian, was born 22 July 1866 in Chelsea, Middlesex, England, of Cork-born parents. He studied at local Roman Catholic primary schools, and was self-educated at the British Museum library, where he read widely on…...
O'Donoghue, Florence (‘Florrie’)
O'Donoghue, Florence (‘Florrie’) (1897–1967), revolutionary, soldier, and historian, was born 6 May 1897 in Rathmore, Co. Kerry, the only son of six children of Timothy O'Donoghue, a farmer of Gortdromakerry, and Julia O'Donoghue (née Murphy). His father had served time in prison…...
O'Donohue, John Joseph
O'Donohue, John Joseph (1956–2008), priest, philosopher and spiritual writer, was born 2 January 1956 in Ennistymon hospital, Co. Clare, eldest of three sons and one daughter of Patrick O'Donohue (d. 1970s), a small farmer and stonemason (whom John remembered as a profound influence…...
O'Donovan (Ó Donnabháin), John (Seán)
O'Donovan (Ó Donnabháin), John (Seán) (1806–61), Irish scholar, was born about 25 July 1806 at Atateemore, in the parish of Slieverue, Co. Kilkenny, a few miles from Waterford city, the seventh of nine children (of whom two died young) of Edmund (Óg) O'Donovan, farmer, and Ellenor…...
Ó Duibhgeannáin, Cú Choigcríche
Ó Duibhgeannáin, Cú Choigcríche (O'Duigenan, Peregrine) (fl. 1630–41), chronicler and scribe, one of the compilers of the Annals of the Four Masters, was son of Tuathal Buidhe Ó Duibhgeannáin, of Castlefore, Co. Leitrim; nothing is known of his mother. In the late medieval…...
O'Faolain, Sean
O'Faolain, Sean (1900–91), writer and editor, was born 23 February 1900 at 16 Halfmoon St., Cork, youngest of three sons (Patrick, Augustine, and John) of Denis Whelan (d. 1928), member of the RIC, and Bridget Whelan (née Murphy; d.…...
O'Farrell, Patrick James
O'Farrell, Patrick James (1933–2003), historian, was born on 17 September 1933 in Greymouth, a small port in the Westland province of the South Island of New Zealand, youngest child of Patrick Vincent ('Paddy') O'Farrell (originally Farrell), tailor and labour activist, and his wife…...
O'Ferrall, Richard
O'Ferrall, Richard (d. 1663), Capuchin friar and author of Commentarius Rinuccinianus, was born Barnabas O'Ferrall in Annaly, Co. Longford. In 1630 he went to Flanders in the company of Father Francis Nugent (qv) of Co.…...
Ó Fiaich, Tomás
Ó Fiaich, Tomás (1923–90), cardinal archbishop of Armagh, was born 3 November 1923 at Anamar, Cullyhanna, Co. Armagh, as Thomas James Fee, second son of Patrick Fee (1882–1964) and Annie Fee (née Carragher; d. 1932). Both parents taught at Cregganduff public elementary school: his…...
O'Flaherty, Roderick (Ó Flaithbheartaigh, Ruaidhrí)
O'Flaherty, Roderick (Ó Flaithbheartaigh, Ruaidhrí) (1629–1718), historiographer, was born in late 1629 at Moycullen, Co. Galway, to Hugh O'Flaherty, proprietor of the castle and manor of Moycullen, and his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Alderman Martin Darcy of Galway city and a…...