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…...
McClory, Kevin O'Donovan
McClory, Kevin O'Donovan (1926–2006), film maker, was born in Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin, on 8 June 1926, son of Thomas John O'Donovan McClory (stage name Desmond O'Donovan), from Banbridge, Co. Down, and his wife Winifred (née Doran) from Wexford. Both parents were actors in…...
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, 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 (…...
McGinley, Thomas Colin
McGinley, Thomas Colin (1830?–1887), schoolmaster and antiquary, was born probably at Meenacross (a family stronghold), Glencolumbkille, Co. Donegal, possibly the only child of a father who died when the infant Thomas was six months old, leaving his wife Catherine McGinley (née…...
McKenna, Siobhán
McKenna, Siobhán (1922–86), actor and theatre director, was born 24 May 1922 at 28 St James's Park, off the Falls Road, Belfast, Co. Antrim, the second daughter of Margaret (Gretta) O'Reilly from Loch Gamhna, Co. Longford, and her husband, Eoghan McKenna (b. Millstreet, Co. Cork, 1892)…...
McKenna, Thomas Patrick ('T. P.')
McKenna, Thomas Patrick ('T. P.') (1929–2011), actor, was born on 7 September 1929 in Mullagh, Co. Cavan, the eldest of ten children of Raphael ('Ralph') McKenna, an auctioneer and merchant, and his wife Mae. After attending Mullagh national school, he boarded at St Patrick's College,…...
Meehan, Charles Patrick
Meehan, Charles Patrick (1812–90), priest and historian, was born 12 July 1812 at 141 Great Britain (latterly Parnell) St., Dublin. His father, a native of Manorhamilton, Co. Leitrim, was a prosperous farmer at Ballymahon, Co. Longford. Charles received his early education in a…...
Messingham, Thomas
Messingham, Thomas (c.1575–1638?), church reformer, hagiographer, and third rector of the Irish College, Paris, was of Old English stock in Co. Meath. It is likely that he received his early formation locally or in Dublin. He was sent abroad for further education, probably…...
Miley, John
Miley, John (1805–61), priest and ecclesiastical historian, was born in Co. Kildare, possibly near Eadestown (his parents’ names are not known), and educated at Maynooth and the Irish College, Rome. After his ordination he returned to Dublin, where he served under Archbishop…...
Millett, Benignus
Millett, Benignus (1922–2006), Franciscan priest and historian, was born 1 April 1922 in Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, eldest of eight children (five sons and three daughters) of Matthew Millett, a tax consultant and auditor, and his wife Mary (née Keating); he was christened Austin Matthew…...
Mitchel, Charles Gerald
Mitchel, Charles Gerald (1920–96), actor and broadcaster, was born 8 November 1920 at Montpelier Manor, Monkstown, Co. Dublin, third among four children of Albert David Mitchel, manufacturer of religious goods, and Netta Mitchel (née Fitzgerald), also a company director, from…...
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…...
Montgomery, James
Montgomery, James (1870–1943), filmcensor, was born 8 October 1870 in Dublin, son of Thomas Montgomery and Mary Montgomery (née Dempsey), of Lime St., Dublin. Educated at CBS, Westland Row, he worked on the engineering staff of the…...
Mooney, Canice
Mooney, Canice (1911–63) Franciscan priest, historian, and Irish language scholar, was born 13 February 1911 in Drumshambo, Co. Leitrim, one of eight children of publican, auctioneer and public representative Andrew Mooney and his wife Josephine Gaffney. He was christened Albert…...
Mooney, Donatus (Donagh)
Mooney, Donatus (Donagh) (1577–1624), Franciscan priest and historian, was born near Ballymore, Co. Donegal; nothing else is known of his family background. After a short military career in Donegal, he joined the Franciscan order c.October 1600. Before he could finish his…...
Moore, Kieron
Moore, Kieron (1924–2007), actor and catholic activist, was born Ciarán Ó hAnnracháin in Skibbereen, Co. Cork, on 5 October 1924, one of four sons and two daughters of the Gaelic Leaguer and political activist Peadar Ó hAnnracháin (1873–1965) and his wife Máire Ní Dheasúna (Desmond) (…...
Morgan, Dermot
Morgan, Dermot (1952–98), comedian, was born 31 March 1952 in a nursing home at 7 Herbert Place, Dublin, third child and elder son among two sons and two daughters of Donnchadh Morgan (d. 1974, suddenly in his early 50s), a civil servant, native of Thurles, Co. Tipperary, and Hildegarde…...
Morrison, Bill (William McKay)
Morrison, Bill (William McKay) (1940–2011), dramatist, was born on 22 January 1940 in Ballymoney, Co. Antrim, the son of Hugh Morrison, principal of Ballymoney Model School, and his wife Annie (née McKay). Receiving primary education at Ballymoney Model, and secondary education…...
Mulhall, Michael George
Mulhall, Michael George (1836–1900) writer and newspaper proprietor and editor, was born at 100 St Stephen's Green, Dublin, the sixth of the ten children (six boys and four girls) of Thomas Mulhall and Catherine Flood. His father, his uncle John B. Mulhall, and his elder brother…...
Mullooly, Joseph
Mullooly, Joseph (1812–80), Dominican priest and archaeologist, was born 19 March 1812 at Lanesborough, Co. Longford, the son of Gilbert Mullooly, farmer, and his wife Brigid (née Dowd). He went to Italy 1840, took the Dominican habit at La Quercia as a member of the Irish…...
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…...
Murphy, Arthur
Murphy, Arthur (1727–1805), dramatist, actor, and lawyer, was born 27 December 1727 at his mother's family home at Cloonyquin, Co. Roscommon, the fifth (and second surviving) child of Richard Murphy, a prosperous Dublin merchant, and his wife, Jane (née French) (d. 1761). Following…...
Murphy, Denis
Murphy, Denis (1833–96), priest and historian, was born 12 January 1833 at Scarteen, near Newmarket, Co. Cork, the eldest son of Timothy Murphy and his wife Joanna (née O'Connell). He was educated at Mr Curran's school in Kanturk before attending Clongowes Wood College, Co.…...
Murray, Laurence Patrick, ('Larry'), (Ó Muireadhaigh, Lorcán)
Murray, Laurence Patrick, ('Larry'), (Ó Muireadhaigh, Lorcán) (1883–1941), priest, historian and Irish-language activist, was born 8 June 1883 in Newry Street, Carlingford, Co. Louth, the eldest of seven surviving children (four sons and three daughters) of James Murray, a member of the…...