Ford, Patrick
Ford, Patrick (1837–1913), journalist and land reformer, was born 12 April 1837 in Galway, the son of Edward Ford (1805–80) and his wife Anne (née Ford) (1815–1893). He emigrated with his parents to the US in 1845 and never revisited Ireland. Although he devoted his life to Irish…...
Forristal, Desmond Timothy ('Des')
Forristal, Desmond Timothy ('Des') (1930–2012), priest, broadcaster and writer, was born on 25 September 1930 at 70 Botanic Road, Glasnevin, Dublin, to Anthony James Forristal, civil servant, and his wife Máirín Genevieve (née McInerney), who were then living at 8 Weston Villas,…...
French, (William) Percy
French, (William) Percy (1854–1920), songwriter, humourist, entertainer, and painter, was born 1 May 1854 in Cloonyquin House, parish of Tulsk, Co. Roscommon, second son and third child among four sons and five daughters of Christopher French (1821–97), landowner, and Susan Emma French…...
Gageby, (Robert John) Douglas
Gageby, (Robert John) Douglas (1918–2004), newspaper editor, was born 29 September 1918 in Ranelagh, Dublin, only son of Thomas Robert Gageby, civil servant, and his wife Ethel (née Smith), a former national school teacher; an elder sister died of meningitis aged five in 1921. Gageby's…...
Gaine, Hugh
Gaine, Hugh (1726–1807), printer and newspaper editor in New York, was born in Portglenone, Co. Antrim, the son of Hugh Gaine, possibly a merchant. There was at least one other son, who also emigrated. The family was Church of Ireland, although in a 1766 religious census family…...
Gallagher, Frank
Gallagher, Frank (1893–1962), journalist, author, and republican, was born 22 February 1893 in Cork, one of a family of four brothers and five sisters of James Gallagher, an accountant, and his wife Kathleen Gallagher (née Whitely). Educated at Presentation College, Cork, he…...
Gallagher, James (Ó Gallchobhair, Séamus)
Gallagher, James (Ó Gallchobhair, Séamus) (c.1684–1751), catholic bishop and author of published sermons in Irish, was born in the diocese of Kilmore; nothing is known of his parents. He was most likely ordained in Ireland around 1709 before being sent to the Continent to…...
Gardiner, Marguerite (Margaret)
Gardiner, Marguerite (Margaret) (1789–1849), countess of Blessington , writer, journalist, and society hostess, was born 1 September 1789 at Knockbrit, Co. Tipperary, the second daughter and fourth child of Edmund Power and his wife Ellen (née Sheehy), both from well-established…...
Gately, Stephen Patrick
Gately, Stephen Patrick (1976–2009), pop singer and entertainer, was born 17 March 1976 at the Rotunda hospital, Dublin, third son and fourth child among four sons and one daughter of Martin Francis Gately, house painter and decorator, and Margaret Gately (née Martin), homemaker and…...
Geary, Francis (‘Frank’) Joseph
Geary, Francis (‘Frank’) Joseph (1891–1961), journalist and newspaper editor, was born 2 August 1891 in Kilkenny city, youngest son of Patrick Geary – grocer, GAA stalwart, and supporter of…...
Gibson, Chloe
Gibson, Chloe (1899–1995), theatre and television director, was born 18 May 1899 in Torquay, Devon, England, daughter of Walter Ernest Cawdle and Lotte Cawdle (née Saunders). She was educated at Lauriston Hall, Torquay. After studying painting briefly, she trained in speech and drama…...
Gibson, William (Mac Giolla Bhríde, Liam)
Gibson, William (Mac Giolla Bhríde, Liam) (1868–1942), 2nd Baron Ashbourne , Irish-language activist, was born 16 December 1868 in Dublin, eldest child of Edward Gibson (qv), 1st Baron Ashbourne, and Frances Maria Adelaide Gibson (née Colles…...
Gill, Thomas Patrick
Gill, Thomas Patrick (1858–1931), journalist, politician, and secretary of the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction, was born 25 October 1858 at Ballygraigue, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary, the first of the four sons of Robert Gill, a civil engineer who was assistant county…...
Godley, John Raymond
Godley, John Raymond (1920–2005), 3rd Baron Kilbracken of Killegar , pilot, journalist, traveller, landowner and environmentalist, was born 17 October 1920 in Chester Street, Belgravia, London, England, the eldest of two sons (Wynne being the younger) and a daughter (Kathleen) of…...
Gógan, Liam Seosamh
Gógan, Liam Seosamh (1891–1979), Irish-language poet, was born 24 October 1891 at 391 North Circular Road, Dublin, son of William J. Gogan, sweet merchant and Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB) member, and Ellen Gogan (née Hendrick). He was educated in O'Connell's Christian Brothers'…...
Goodman, James (Séamus Gudman)
Goodman, James (Séamus Gudman) (1828–96), clergyman, Irish-language scholar, and music collector, was born 22 September 1828 at Ballyameen near Dingle, Co. Kerry, second son among five sons and four daughters of Thomas Chute Goodman, clergyman, and Mary Goodman (née Gorham). Brought up…...
Gorham, Maurice Anthony Coneys
Gorham, Maurice Anthony Coneys (1902–75), author, journalist, and broadcasting administrator, was born in London on 19 August 1902, the younger child of James John Gorham, doctor, formerly of Clifden, Co. Galway, and his wife Mary Smith of Lancaster. His sister Mary Honora was…...
Gowan, Ogle Robert
Gowan, Ogle Robert (1803–76), grand master of the Orange order in Canada, journalist, and politician, was born 13 July 1803 in Wexford, eighteenth child of John Hunter Gowan (qv), magistrate of Gorey, Co. Wexford, and captain of the…...
Graves, Clotilde Inez Mary (‘Richard Dehan’)
Graves, Clotilde Inez Mary (‘Richard Dehan’) (1863–1932), novelist, dramatist, and journalist, was born 3 June 1863 at Buttevant barracks, Co. Cork, the third daughter of Major W. H. Graves and Antoinette Graves (née Deane). Her father was a cousin of the journalist and critic…...
Gray, Edmund John Chisholm Dwyer
Gray, Edmund John Chisholm Dwyer (1870–1945), journalist and politician, was born 2 April 1870 in Dublin, son of Edmund Dwyer Gray (qv), MP, and Caroline Agnes Gray (née Chisholm). Gray's grandfather, Sir…...
Gray, Sir John
Gray, Sir John (1816–75), newspaper proprietor and politician, was born 13 July 1816, the third son in the family of six sons and four daughters of John Gray (d. 1856), a farmer and excise officer of Claremorris, Co. Mayo, and his wife, Elizabeth or Eliza, only child of George…...
Greene, Philip Desmond
Greene, Philip Desmond (1920–2011), sports broadcaster, was born on 2 October 1920 in Broadstone, Dublin, the eldest of four children of Patrick Henry Greene, a clerk with the Midland Great Western Railway, and his wife Agatha (née Malone). He was educated at St Canice's…...
Gregory, (William) Robert
Gregory, (William) Robert (1881–1918), painter, theatre designer, sportsman, and airman, was born 20 May 1881 in London, only child of Sir William Gregory (qv) of Coole Park, Co. Galway, and his second wife, Isabella Augusta…...
Griffith, Amyas
Griffith, Amyas (d. 1801), excise officer, writer, and freemason, was born at Roscrea, Co. Tipperary, son of an excise officer, Jonas Griffith, who seems to have been a connection of Richard Griffith (qv) (1714?–88); Amyas Griffith's…...
Griffith, Arthur Joseph
Griffith, Arthur Joseph (1871–1922), journalist and politician, was born 31 March 1871 in Dublin into a working-class family, son of Arthur Charles Griffith, printer, and Mary Griffith (née Whelan). He attended the CBS schools in St Mary's…...