Mac Amhlaigh, Dónall Peadar
Mac Amhlaigh, Dónall Peadar (1926–89), author, journalist, and labourer, was born 10 December 1926 in Co. Galway, the eldest of three sons and one daughter of James McCauley and his wife, Mary McCauley (née Condon). James McCauley was born in Limerick and served with the Munster…...
Macan, Arthur Jacob
Macan, Arthur Jacob (1774–1819), politician, soldier and banker, was the youngest child of seven (six sons and one daughter) of Thomas Macan (1717–95). Thomas had been born McCann , a descendant of one of the most important Gaelic clans in Co. Armagh, but on 27 October 1751…...
Mac Aonghusa, Criostóir
Mac Aonghusa, Criostóir (1905–91), teacher, author, critic, and campaigner for the Irish language, was born 13 December 1905 in Gort an Ghabhainn, Banagher, King's Co. (Offaly), son of Francis McGuiness (surname thus on his birth certificate), farmer, and his wife, Rosanna (née Egan).…...
Mac Aonghusa, Proinsias
Mac Aonghusa, Proinsias (1933–2003), journalist and Irish language activist, was born in Salthill Nursing Home, Co. Galway, on 23 June 1933, eldest of four children (two sons and two daughters) of Criostóir Mac Aonghusa (qv), writer…...
Mac Brádaigh, Philip
Mac Brádaigh, Philip (c.1650–c.1719), poet and clergyman, commonly known as ‘Philip Ministir’ or ‘Parson Brady’, was born in Co. Cavan about the middle of the seventeenth century, probably in the district to the west of Cootehill that had previously formed the Cúil…...
Mac Cairteáin, Liam (an Dúna) (William MacCartain)
Mac Cairteáin, Liam (an Dúna) (William MacCartain) (c.1668–1724), scribe and poet, was born in Doon, Co. Cork. Nothing is known of his parents, but it is believed that he was of Ulster origin. A Jacobite, he was a major in Mac Cárthaigh Spáinneach's cavalry regiment that took…...
Mac Cana, Proinsias
Mac Cana, Proinsias (1926–2004), Celtic scholar, was born 6 July 1926 in Belfast, son of George McCann and his wife Mary Catherine (née Mallon). He grew up in a catholic district in east Belfast, where inter-community tensions were keenly felt. He attended St Malachy's College during…...
Mac Cárthaigh, Eoghan ‘an Mhéirín’
Mac Cárthaigh, Eoghan ‘an Mhéirín’ (‘of the little finger’) (c.1690–1756), poet, was born near Aherla, Co. Cork, son of Diarmaid Mac Cárthaigh, a great-grandson of Tadhg an Dúna Mac Cárthaigh, chief of the Dunmanway or Gleann an Chroim branch of the MacCarthys and a prominent…...
MacCarthy, Donogh
MacCarthy, Donogh (1668–1734), 4th earl of Clancarty , soldier and Jacobite, was born in Blarney, Co. Cork, only son of Callaghan MacCarthy (qv) (second son of Donough MacCarthy (…...
MacCarthy, Donough
MacCarthy, Donough (1594–1665), 2nd Viscount Muskerry, 1st earl of Clancarty , soldier and politician, was second (but first surviving) son of Cormac Oge MacCarthy, 1st Viscount Muskerry, and Margaret, daughter of Donough O'Brien, 4th earl of …...
MacCarthy, (Joseph) Aidan
MacCarthy, (Joseph) Aidan (1913–95), RAF physician, was born 19 March 1913 at Castletown, Berehaven (Castletownbere), Co. Cork, one of ten children (five boys and five girls) born to Daniel Florence MacCarthy, a local publican and businessman, and Julia MacCarthy (née Murphy).…...
MacCarthy, Justin
MacCarthy, Justin (c.1643–1694), Viscount Mountcashel and Baron Castleinch , army officer, was born probably in Blarney, youngest of three sons of Donough MacCarthy (qv), Viscount Muskerry and Earl Clancarty, and his wife…...
Mac Cathmhaoil (Mac Aingil), Aodh (MacCaghwell, Hugh; Cavellus, Hugo)
Mac Cathmhaoil (Mac Aingil), Aodh (MacCaghwell, Hugh; Cavellus, Hugo) (1571–1626), Franciscan scholar and catholic archbishop of Armagh, was born in Downpatrick, Co. Down, a member of a Gaelic learned family that was originally located in Clogher, Co. Tyrone. Given his proficiency as a…...
Mac Cluain, Seoirse
Mac Cluain, Seoirse (1894–1949), Irish-language scholar, was born 16 February 1894 in Capparoe, Scariff, Co. Clare, son of farmer John Clune and his wife, Ellen Rohan. He received his earliest education in Scariff national school and afterwards in the Sacred Heart College in Limerick…...
Mac Coitir, Uilliam (Liam) ‘Rua’
Mac Coitir, Uilliam (Liam) ‘Rua’ (c.1675–1738), poet, was born at Curraghdermot, near Castlelyons, Co. Cork. Nothing is known of his parents except that his mother was a Murphy, but he had at least two brothers, Éamonn and Séamas. The latter, known as Séamas Mór Mac Coitir, was…...
Mac Cuarta, Séamas ‘Dall’
Mac Cuarta, Séamas ‘Dall’ (c.1650–1732/3), poet, was probably born near Omeath, Co. Louth, although the Drumcondra area of Co. Meath is given as his birthplace in some sources. Little is known of his immediate family or their circumstances except that his father's name was…...
Mac Domhnaill, Aodh (McDonnell, Hugh)
Mac Domhnaill, Aodh (McDonnell, Hugh) (1802–67), writer and folklore collector, was born at Drumgill, near Drumcondra, Co. Meath. His father was named Séamas Mac Domhnaill but nothing else is known of his immediate family. In 1827 he married Bridget Roe of Ardee, Co. Louth, and they had…...
MacDonagh, Terence
MacDonagh, Terence (1640–1713), soldier, poet, Jacobite, and lawyer, also known as ‘Turlough Óg’ or ‘Tirlough Caoch’ (one-eyed), was second son of Terence (Turlough) MacDonagh, of Creevagh, Kilmactranny, Co. Sligo, and his wife Mary, daughter of the poet…...
MacDonnell, Alasdair (Alexander) MacColla
MacDonnell, Alasdair (Alexander) MacColla (d. 1647), Gaelic lord, was the third son of Coll MacGillespie and (most probably) Mary, daughter of Ranald MacJames of Smerby: both parents were MacDonnells, but the use of fixed hereditary surnames was not normal practice in Gaelic…...
MacDonnell, Alexander
MacDonnell, Alexander (1615–99), 3rd earl of Antrim , politician and soldier, was the second son of Sir Randal MacDonnell, 1st earl of Antrim (qv), and Alice, daughter of Hugh O'…...
MacDonnell, James Joseph
MacDonnell, James Joseph (1766–c.1848), lawyer, United Irishman, and French army officer, was born 12 August 1766 at Carnacon or Carnacun, near Hollymount, Co. Mayo, the youngest of three sons of Joseph MacDonnell (1720?–1806?), a large grazier, and his wife Mary (née…...
MacDonnell, Randell
MacDonnell, Randell (c.1633–1711), naval commander and Jacobite, was second son of Sir James MacDonnell, 2nd baronet of Moye, a cousin of Randal MacDonnell (qv), 2nd earl and later marquis of Antrim. His mother was Mary…...
Mac Eoin, Seán
Mac Eoin, Seán (1893–1973), soldier and politician, was born John Joseph McKeon, 30 September 1893, at Ballinlough, Granard, Co. Longford, eldest of five sons and three daughters of Andrew McKeon, blacksmith and farmer, of Molly, Aughnacliffe, Co. Longford, and Katherine McKeon (…...
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),…...