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,…...
Ó Colmáin, Domhnall
Ó Colmáin, Domhnall (c.1645–c.1704), writer, was born probably in the Knockraha area of Co. Cork. Little is known of his background. He was most likely a priest and in the preface to Fr Cornelius Mac Curtain's Agallamh na bhFíoraon, he is referred to as a doctor of law. A…...
Ó Conaire, Pádraic
Ó Conaire, Pádraic (1882–1928), novelist and short-story writer, was born 28 February 1882 in the ‘Lobster Pot Bar’ in Galway city, one of five children of Tomás Ó Conaire, publican, and his wife Cáit (née Ní Dhonncha). Much folklore surrounds Pádraic's life and his biographers have…...
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, Frederick William
O'Connell, Frederick William (1876–1929), clergyman and Irish-language scholar, was born 22 October 1876 in Clifden, Co. Galway, son of Reverend W. Morgan O'Connell, rector of Clifden. Educated at the High School, Dublin, he entered Trinity College Dublin (TCD) with entrance prizes in…...
O'Connell, Peter (Ó Conaill, Peadar)
O'Connell, Peter (Ó Conaill, Peadar) (1755–1826), schoolmaster and lexicographer, was born at Carne, Killimer, Co. Clare (a townland latterly designated as Carrowdotia, on the Shannon estuary 8 km east of Kilrush), one of four sons and two daughters of Tadhg Ó Conaill and Áine Ó Conaill…...
O'Connell, Thomas Joseph (‘T. J.’)
O'Connell, Thomas Joseph (‘T. J.’) (1882–1969), teacher, trade unionist, and politician, was born 28 November 1882 at Spotfield, Bekan, Co. Mayo, second son of Thomas Connell, farmer, and Maria Connell (née Biesty). Educated at Bekan national school, where from July 1895 he served…...
O'Connor, Mary
O'Connor, Mary (Sister Mary Agnes ) (1815–59), Sister of Mercy, foundress, and social worker, was born 6 January 1815 in Kilkenny city, youngest among ten children of Patrick O'Connor and Mary O'Connor. Like other charitable women of her time she visited the sick poor and made…...
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'Conway, Matthias James
O'Conway, Matthias James (1766–1842), linguist and lexicographer, was born 3 February 1766 in Galway, son of Matthew O'Conway (who was according to one source a ‘merchant’ of that city) and his wife Elizabeth O'Hogan. We know of only one other sibling, an older brother, John. A native…...
Ó Creag, Séamus (Craig, James Patrick)
Ó Creag, Séamus (Craig, James Patrick) (1863–1934), Irish–language teacher, writer, and scholar, was born into the large Irish-speaking family of Pádraig Ó Creag, small farmer of Droim na Soileach in the Glenties, Co. Donegal, and Ann (or Máire) Gildea, from nearby Mín na Tine townland…...
Ó Cuiv, Shan
Ó Cuiv, Shan (1875–1940), journalist and writer, was born in Macroom, Co. Cork, as John Michael O'Keefe, son of John O'Keefe, tanner, and Margaret O'Keefe (née Duggan), both of Macroom. He attended schools in Macroom and Dunmanway but the major event of his formative years was…...
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,…...
Ó Dálaigh, Aonghus Fionn (‘the fair’) (Aenghus O'Daly)
Ó Dálaigh, Aonghus Fionn (‘the fair’) (Aenghus O'Daly) (fl. 1585–1601), bardic poet, was born into a very prominent Munster bardic family, patronised for centuries by the MacCarthys of Desmond. The Annals of the Four Masters record in 1161 the death of Raghnall Ó Dálaigh, ‘ollamh…...
Ó Dálaigh, Máirín
Ó Dálaigh, Máirín (née Nic Dhiarmada ) (c.1909–94), Celticist and lexicographer, was born in Mussoorie, United Provinces of India and Kashmir. Both her parents were Irish and living in India as her father was a teacher with the Munster fusiliers. At the age of two and a half she was…...
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…...
Ó Domhnalláin, Tomás (Donlon, Tom)
Ó Domhnalláin, Tomás (Donlon, Tom) (1913–2005), teacher and linguist, was born 30 March 1913 in Delvin, Co. Westmeath, the youngest of five sons of John Donlon of Ballyhealy, near Delvin, a shepherd and land agent, and his wife Mary (née Kelly), a post office worker and native of Navan…...
Ó Donnchadha, Tadhg (‘Torna’)
Ó Donnchadha, Tadhg (‘Torna’) (1874–1949), professor of Irish, was born 4 September 1874 in Cork, one of three sons and a daughter of Donnchadh Ó Donnchadha, farmer, and Síle (Julia) Ní Donnchadha (née Hegarty). He attended North Monastery school in Cork, and in 1892 went to St Patrick'…...
O'Donnell, Hugh McHugh Dubh (Aodh Ó Domhnaill)
O'Donnell, Hugh McHugh Dubh (Aodh Ó Domhnaill) (c.1537–1618), nobleman and bardic poet, was born in Co. Donegal, the youngest son of Aodh Dubh O'Donnell (qv), lord of Tír Conaill (d. 1537). His mother may…...
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 Droighneáin, Muiris
Ó Droighneáin, Muiris (1901–79), Irish-language scholar, was born 12 November 1901 in Clohonora House, Newtownshandrum, Co. Cork, eldest of three children of farmer James Drinan and his wife, Mary Rea. He received his earliest education in the locality and afterwards attended the…...
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…...
Ó Duilearga, Séamus (James Hamilton Delargy)
Ó Duilearga, Séamus (James Hamilton Delargy) (1899–1980), folklorist, was born 26 May 1899 in Cushendall, Co. Antrim, son of James Delargy, publican from a long line of seafarers, and Mary Josephine Delargy (née McQuillan). He had one brother. His father died when he was two, and the…...
O'Flanagan, Theophilus
O'Flanagan, Theophilus (c.1762–1814), classical and Irish scholar, was born in the parish of Tulla, Co. Clare, son of Mathghamhain Ó Flannagáin, scribe and hedge-schoolmaster. He was baptised Tadhg but later on entering TCD…...