MacCarthy Reagh, Florence (Finian, Finghín)
MacCarthy Reagh, Florence (Finian, Finghín) (c.1562–c.1640), Gaelic chieftain and scholar, was born probably at Kilbrittan castle, eldest son of Sir Donough MacCarthy Reagh (d. 1576). His mother was a Geraldine, being the sister of Maurice of Desmond and the aunt…...
MacDermot, Francis Charles (‘Frank’)
MacDermot, Francis Charles (‘Frank’) (1886–1975), politician and author was born 25 November 1886, tenth among thirteen children (and eighth and youngest son) of Hugh Hyacinth O'Rorke MacDermot (qv),…...
MacDonagh, Oliver Ormond Gerard
MacDonagh, Oliver Ormond Gerard (1924–2002), historian, was born 23 August 1924 in Carlow town, elder son of Michael MacDonagh (1892–1972), bank official from Limerick, and his wife Loretto Oliver (1897–1970). His childhood was spent in Roscommon town, where his father was posted…...
MacErlean, John Campbell (Mac Fhir Léinn, Eoin)
MacErlean, John Campbell (Mac Fhir Léinn, Eoin) (1870–1950), Irish-language scholar and church historian, was born 15 February 1870 in Belfast, son of Andrew MacErlean, legal clerk, and Eliza MacErlean (née Campbell). Having attended St Malachy's College, Belfast, he entered the…...
Mac Firbhisigh, Dubhaltach Óg
Mac Firbhisigh, Dubhaltach Óg (c.1600–71), antiquary, was a native of Lackan, parish of Kilglass, Co. Sligo. His father, Giolla Íosa Mór Mac Firbhisigh, was a member of a family that had provided the O'Dowds, lords of Tír Fhiachrach (the barony of Tireragh, Co. Sligo),…...
MacGeoghegan, James
MacGeoghegan, James (1702–63), historian and priest, was probably born near Uisneach, Co. Westmeath, son of a prosperous catholic farmer. Educated from an early age in France, he studied at Rheims, where he obtained distinction in his theological studies, and on his ordination he…...
Mackle, Henry
Mackle, Henry (1921–94), physical chemist and folklore writer, was born 12 May 1921 at Derrykeeran, Co. Armagh, the son of Patrick Mackle, farmer, and Sarah Mackle (née Byrne). He studied chemistry at QUB, graduating with first-…...
MacLysaght, Edward Anthony Edgeworth
MacLysaght, Edward Anthony Edgeworth (1887–1986), farmer, horticulturist, poet, novelist, senator, historian, and genealogist, was born 6 November 1887 at Flax Bourton, Somerset, the elder of the two sons of Sidney Royse Lysaght, novelist, poet, and businessman, and his wife, Kathrine,…...
MacMahon, Bernard
MacMahon, Bernard (c.1736–1816), priest, scientist, and translator, was born at Castlering, Co. Louth, one of two brothers. He was educated locally and studied for the secular priesthood at Antwerp, presumably at the Irish College there. His name appears on the 1771 list…...
MacNeill, Eoin (John)
MacNeill, Eoin (John) (1867–1945), Gaelic scholar and nationalist politician, was born 15 May 1867 in Glenarm, Co. Antrim, sixth of eight children of Archibald MacNeill, baker, sailor and merchant, and his wife Rosetta (née Macauley). Family background and education MacNeill was…...
MacNeven (MacNevin), William James
MacNeven (MacNevin), William James (1763–1841), physician, scientist, and United Irishman, was born 21 March 1763 at Ballynahown, near Aughrim, Co. Galway, the eldest of the four sons of James MacNeven and his wife Rose (née Dolphin). Rose MacNeven died young and James not long…...
MacNevin, Thomas
MacNevin, Thomas (1814–48), Young Irelander, journalist, and historian, was born 17 May 1814 in Dublin, eldest son of Daniel MacNevin, solicitor and native of Loughrea, Co. Galway, and his second wife, Amelia (née Foster), of Ashfield, Gort, Co Galway. Before moving to Dublin, his…...
MacSwiney, Patrick John
MacSwiney, Patrick John (1885–1940), catholic priest, Gaelic scholar, antiquarian, historian and teacher, was born on 16 March 1885 in 40 Nile Street (latterly Sheares Street), Cork city, the son of Terence McSweeney (b. 1847), a bootmaker, and his wife Hannah (née McCarthy; b. 1848…...
Mac Thomáis, Éamonn
Mac Thomáis, Éamonn (1927–2002), author, local historian, and republican, was born Edward Patrick Thomas on 13 January 1927 in an apartment above Rathmines fire station, Dublin, son of James Heather Thomas, a chief fire brigade officer, and Alice Thomas (née Kavanagh). The family's…...
Madden (Maddyn), Daniel Owen
Madden (Maddyn), Daniel Owen (1815–59), writer, was born in Mallow, Co. Cork, the only son of Owen Madden, Cork merchant, and Margaret Madden (née Quain). He was educated in Cork and worked for a time as a merchant before enrolling in King's Inns in 1838. Over the next four…...
Madden, Richard Robert
Madden, Richard Robert (1798–1886), medical man, traveller, anti-slavery campaigner, government official, and historian of the United Irishmen, was born 20 August 1798 at 6 Wormwood Gate, Dublin, the youngest of the 21 children of a prosperous silk manufacturer, Edward Madden (1739–1829…...
Magee, John ('Jack')
Magee, John ('Jack') (1914–93), historian and teacher, was born 11 December 1914 in Belfast, son of Francis Magee, a fireman and later an engine driver on the Great Northern Railway, and his wife Mary; he had at least one brother and a sister. His father was transferred to Clones, Co.…...
Malone, Sylvester
Malone, Sylvester (1822–1906), priest, ecclesiastical historian, and Irish-language enthusiast, was born in the parish of Kilmally, Co. Clare, son of Jeremiah Malone and Mary Malone (neé Slattery). A fluent Irish-speaker since his youth, he was educated at Maynooth and ordained in 1853…...
Martin, Francis Xavier
Martin, Francis Xavier (1922–2000), historian, was born 2 October 1922 in Ballylongford, Co. Kerry, youngest son among five sons and five daughters of Conor Martin, medical practitioner, and Katherine Martin (née Fitzmaurice). Three of his four brothers also became priests,…...
McCarthy, Justin
McCarthy, Justin (1830–1912), journalist, historian, and politician, was born 22 November 1830 into a catholic family at Dunmanway, Co. Cork, second child and elder son of Michael Francis McCarthy (d. 1864), chief clerk to the Cork city magistrates, and Ellen McCarthy (née…...
McConnell, James Robert
McConnell, James Robert (1915–99), mathematical physicist and priest, was born 25 February 1915 at 3 Duke Row, Dublin, second child of Robert McConnell, pharmacist, and Frances McConnell (née Lennon). His grandfather was a presbyterian from Ballymena, Co. Antrim. He was educated at…...
McCoy, Gerard Anthony Hayes-
McCoy, Gerard Anthony Hayes- (1911–75), historian, was born 15 August 1911, third child of Thomas McCoy and Mary Kathleen McCoy (née Wallace), in Galway city, where he received his early education from the Patrician brothers. A mild-mannered person of liberal catholic convictions…...
McEnery, John
McEnery, John (1796–1841), palaeontologist and catholic priest, was born 17 November 1796 in Limerick city. Educated at St Munchin's seminary, Park House, near Limerick city, he was ordained in 1819 for the diocese of Limerick. Soon thereafter, pursuant to his participation in a…...
McEnery, Michael Joseph
McEnery, Michael Joseph (1858–1940), archivist, antiquarian, deputy keeper of the Public Record Office of Ireland, was born on 1 January 1858 in Ballintober East, Kileedy parish, Co. Limerick. He was the eldest of eleven children of Thomas McEnery, Ballintober East, and Mary McEnery (…...
McGauley, James William
McGauley, James William (d. 1867), priest, scientist, and inventor, was apparently born into a Roman catholic family in Dublin, and is said to have been the son of a carpenter; it is possible he was in some way related to the family of the Venerable…...