Hourican, Liam
Hourican, Liam (1944–93), journalist, was born in Dublin on 30 May 1944, the only child of William Hourican (1908–74), a schoolteacher in Roscommon, and his wife, Una (née Kilroy) (1907–97), a former teacher and Irish-language activist. He was educated locally by the Christian Brothers…...
Hughes, James Joseph (‘Séamus’)
Hughes, James Joseph (‘Séamus’) (1881–1943), broadcaster, was born in Dublin, one of three sons and three daughters of James Hughes, baker and trade-unionist of Rhode, Co. Offaly, and Elizabeth Hughes (née Doyle) of Dublin. His mother died in 1887; his father's second marriage…...
Jacob, William Beale
Jacob, William Beale (1825–1902), businessman, was born 17 August 1825 in Waterford, the eldest of the three children of quakers Isaac Thomas Jacob (d. 23 March 1839), baker, and his wife, Ann, eldest daughter of William Beale, woollen manufacturer, of Mountmellick, Co. Laois. After…...
Jennings, Vincent
Jennings, Vincent (1937–2010), newspaper editor and executive, was born 26 March 1937 in Church Road, East Wall, Dublin, the youngest of five children of Patrick Jennings, a railway clerk, and his wife Maud (née Brett). His mother died when he was four and his father subsequently…...
Jones, Mary Harris (‘Mother Jones’)
Jones, Mary Harris (‘Mother Jones’) (1837?–1930), union organiser, was (according to baptismal records) born in July 1837 in Cork city; however, the year is disputed. Many details of her life come from The autobiography of Mother Jones (1925; 1974). She emigrated to North…...
Jordan, John Edward
Jordan, John Edward (1930–88), writer, actor, academic, and broadcaster, was born 8 April 1930 in Dublin, eldest of two sons and a daughter of John Anthony Jordan, cooper at Guinness's brewery, and Mary Agnes Jordan (née Byrne), born of Irish parents in Jarrow, England; both of Parkview…...
Joyce, William Brooke (‘Lord Haw-Haw’)
Joyce, William Brooke (‘Lord Haw-Haw’) (1906–46), fascist and propagandist, was born 24 April 1906 in Brooklyn, New York, the eldest of three sons of Michael Joyce, building contractor, and his wife, Gertrude (née Brooke), whose forebears were protestants from Cavan. Michael…...
Kavanagh (Caomhánach), Séamus
Kavanagh (Caomhánach), Séamus (1910–64), teacher, actor, and broadcaster, was born 28 October 1910 in Sarsfield Quay, Dublin, son of Jack Kavanagh, shoemaker, and Julia Kavanagh (née Holohan). Educated at the Carmelite school in Whitefriar St., he was a monitor there for four years…...
Kavanagh, Patrick Joseph
Kavanagh, Patrick Joseph (1904–67), poet, novelist, and journalist, was born 21 or 23 October 1904 at the family home in the townland of Mucker, Inniskeen parish, Co. Monaghan, the elder son and fourth of ten children of James Kavanagh, cobbler, and his wife, Bridget (née Quinn) of…...
Keane, Terry
Keane, Terry (1939–2008), socialite and journalist, was born Ann Teresa O'Donnell in Guildford, Surrey, England, on 9 September 1939, only child of Timothy O'Donnell, medical doctor, and his wife Ann, a bank official, both Irish-born. At the age of one, Terry was sent to Ireland to…...
Kearney, Denis
Kearney, Denis (1847–1907), labour activist in America, was born 1 February 1847 at Oakmount, Co. Cork, second son among seven children. Orphaned, he left home (1858) to go to sea, eventually reaching the rank of first officer on an American steamer. Ten years later he visited San…...
Kelly, Anna
Kelly, Anna (1891–1958), journalist, was born Annie Christina Fitzsimmons on 8 January 1891 in Ballysadare, Co. Sligo, one of four children (two daughters and two sons) of James Fitzsimmons, RIC constable (stationed at the time in…...
Kelly, Jasper
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Kelly, Richard
Kelly, Richard (1810–84), newspaper proprietor and local politician, was born at Loughrea, the son of Jasper Kelly and his wife, Frances (née Davis). The Kellys were a family of minor catholic gentry from Dunmore (near Loughrea); they transmitted the names ‘Jasper’ and ‘Richard’…...
Kelly, Richard John
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Kelly, Rosaline
Kelly, Rosaline (1922–2013), union official and media professional, was born on 27 November 1922 to Laurence Kelly, an insurance agent, and Ellen Kelly (née Fogarty) of 2 Sandyford Terrace, Drogheda, Co. Louth. Rosaline attended primary school at St Patrick's and St Philomena's in…...
Kenealy, William
Kenealy, William (1828–76), journalist, poet, and nationalist, was born 1 July 1828 in Cloyne, Co. Cork, the son of a blacksmith and farmer. He worked as a teacher and was appointed headmaster of Churchtown national school, but was dismissed when authorship of an inflammatory…...
Kenny, Patrick Dermott
Kenny, Patrick Dermott (1862–1944), journalist and cultural critic, was born at Lismagansion, Dugorry, Aghamore, near Kilkelly in south-east Mayo, where his parents farmed 33 acres. He knew some Irish. Kenny claimed he received only one year's formal education at the local…...
Kenny, Thomas Joseph Warren
Kenny, Thomas Joseph Warren (1884–1940), journalist, was born 21 August 1884 at 23 Mary Street, Cork city, only child of John Kenny, a member of the RIC, and Margaret Kenny (née Warren). During his childhood the family moved to Ardagh, Co…...
Keon, Miles Gerald
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Keyes, Michael John
Keyes, Michael John (1886–1959), Labour politician and trade unionist, was born 21 March 1886 at 41 Blackboy Pike, Limerick city, the second son of Michael Keyes, caretaker, and his wife Hannah (née White). After being educated by the Christian Brothers at Sexton Street, Limerick…...
Kickham, Charles Joseph
Kickham, Charles Joseph (1828–82), journalist, Fenian, and novelist, was born 8 May 1828 near Cashel, Co. Tipperary, the eldest of the four sons and four daughters of John Kickham, draper and urban property rentier, and his wife, Anne (née Mahony), of Mullinahone in the same…...
Kiely, Benedict ('Ben')
Kiely, Benedict ('Ben') (1919–2007), writer, critic and journalist, was born Thomas Joseph Benedict Kiely near Dromore, Co. Tyrone, on 15 August 1919, the sixth and youngest child of Thomas Kiely, a British army veteran and measurer for the Ordnance Survey (born in Moville, Co. Donegal…...
Kilmartin, Terence (‘Terry’) Kevin
Kilmartin, Terence (‘Terry’) Kevin (1922–91), intelligence officer and literary editor, was born 10 January 1922 at Church Road, Greystones, Co. Wicklow, seventh of eight children of Ambrose Joseph Kilmartin, deputy forestry commissioner and veteran of the 1916 rising, and Eva…...
Knightly, Michael T.
Knightly, Michael T. (1888–1965), journalist and press censor, was born at Ballyard, Tralee, Co. Kerry. Educated at the CBS, Tralee, he began his career in journalism on the Kerry Weekly Reporter and the Kerry News…...