Hannan, Edward Joseph
Hannan, Edward Joseph (1836–1891), catholic priest, was born 21 June 1836 on the family farm in Ballygrennan, near Ballingarry, Co. Limerick, the second son of eleven children of John Hannan, tenant farmer, and his wife Johanna (née Sheehy). A dairy farmer with ninety acres, John Hannan…...
Haughey, Padraig Columb ('Jock')
Haughey, Padraig Columb ('Jock') (1932–2003), sportsman and would-be arms smuggler, was born in Dunshaughlin, Co. Meath, on 9 October 1932, third of four sons (there were also three daughters) of Sean 'Johnnie' Haughey, farmer and former commandant in the Free State army, and his…...
Hayden, Father Augustine
Hayden, Father Augustine (1870–1954), Capuchin priest, nationalist and Irish language advocate, was born John Hayden in November 1870, to William Hayden and Mary Hayden (née Morrisey) in Gowran, Kilkenny, and grew up in Blarney, Co. Cork, where his father was appointed railway station…...
Healy, Augustine (Gus) Anthony
Healy, Augustine (Gus) Anthony (1904–87), politician, drama and sports enthusiast, was born 20 May 1904 in Castle Road, Blackrock, Cork, the second of two sons of Timothy Healy, collector for the Cork Gas Company, from Cork, and his wife, Pauline Groegor from Germany. A fall from…...
Healy, Cahir
Healy, Cahir (1877–1970), nationalist politician and language revivalist, was born Charles Everard Healy, on 2 December 1877 at Doorin, near Mountcharles, Co. Donegal, the son of Patrick Healy, a small farmer and merchant. A catholic, he was educated at Drimcoo interdenominational…...
Heath, (Sophie) Mary (‘Lady Heath’) (née Peirce-Evans; other married name Eliott-Lynn)
Heath, (Sophie) Mary (‘Lady Heath’) (née Peirce-Evans; other married name Eliott-Lynn) (1896–1939), athlete and aviator, was born Sophie Catherine Theresa Mary Peirce-Evans on 17 November 1896 in Knockaderry, Co. Limerick, the only child of Jackie Peirce-Evans and his wife and former…...
Henebry, Richard (de Hindeberg, Risteard
Henebry, Richard (de Hindeberg, Risteard ) (1863–1916), priest, Irish-language scholar, and traditional-music collector, was born 18 September 1863 in Portlaw, Co. Waterford, son of Pierce Henebry, farmer, and Ellen Henebry (née Cashen) of Clogheen, Co. Tipperary. He was educated at…...
Hickey, John D.
Hickey, John D. (1911–77), Gaelic games sports journalist, was born 16 April 1911 in Templemore, Co. Tipperary, youngest among at least three sons and two daughters of Patrick Hickey, victualler, and Helena Hickey (née Donoghue), of Main St., Templemore. The ‘D.’ in his name is…...
Higgins, Alexander Gordon ('Alex'; 'Hurricane')
Higgins, Alexander Gordon ('Alex'; 'Hurricane') (1949–2010), snooker player, was born on 18 March 1949 in Belfast, the only son of Alexander Gordon Higgins, a labourer, of Abbingdon Drive, Sandy Row, Belfast, and his wife Elizabeth (née Stockman); he had three sisters. Educated locally…...
Higgins, Mick (Michael Joseph)
Higgins, Mick (Michael Joseph) (1922–2010), Gaelic footballer, was born on 19 August 1922 in the Bronx, New York city, USA, the eldest of five sons and one daughter of John Higgins, a bus driver, originally of Kiltimagh, Co. Mayo, and his wife Mary (née Farrelly), originally of…...
Hilliard, Robert (‘Bob’) Martin
Hilliard, Robert (‘Bob’) Martin (1904–37), clergyman, boxer, and revolutionary, was born 7 April 1904 in New St., Killarney, Co. Kerry, one of six children of Robert M. Hilliard, a wealthy protestant draper, and Alice Hilliard (née Martin). The family subsequently resided at…...
Hogan, Edmund Ignatius
Hogan, Edmund Ignatius (1831–1917), priest, Irish-language scholar, and historian, was born 23 January 1831 at Belvelly, near Cobh, Co. Cork, youngest son of William Hogan, craftsman, and Mary Hogan (née Morris). Though the older members of the family were native speakers of Irish…...
Hogg, Margaret Mary ('Peggy')
Hogg, Margaret Mary ('Peggy') (1919–94), camogie player, was born 7 July 1919 in Tralee, Co. Kerry, the only child of John Hogg, a commercial traveller, and Margaret Hogg (née McCarthy). The family moved to Cork city shortly afterwards and resided at Highfield West, College Road.…...
Horan, Joan
Horan, Joan (1918–65), paralympian, was born 26 February 1918 at 7 Merrion Square, Dublin, the home of her father Dr Patrick Dempsey , an ear, nose and throat surgeon at the Mater Hospital, and his wife Monica (née Plunkett); Joan was the second of their two children, both daughters.…...
Horan, Thomas ('Tom'; 'Tommy') Patrick
Horan, Thomas ('Tom'; 'Tommy') Patrick (1855–1916), cricketer and journalist, was born 8 March 1855 near Middleton, Co. Cork, the son of James Horan (d. 1895), a building contractor, and his wife Ellen (née Sheehan) (d. 1876). The family emigrated to Australia soon after Thomas's birth…...
Hudson, William Elliott
Hudson, William Elliott (1796–1853), lawyer and patron of Gaelic scholarship, was born 18 August 1796, probably at his family's country residence, then known as Fields of Odin, Rathfarnham, Co. Dublin. It was later called The Hermitage: Robert…...
Humphreys, Richard (‘Dick’)
Humphreys, Richard (‘Dick’) (1896–1968), revolutionary and motoring enthusiast, was born 23 April 1896 (not 19 April, as incorrectly stated on his birth certificate) in Limerick city, eldest among three children of Dr David Humphreys, physician and surgeon, of Glenstal, Co.…...
Hutton, Mary Ann
Hutton, Mary Ann (1862–1953), Irish-language scholar and writer, was born in 1862 in Manchester, England, the eldest child of James Drummond (qv) and his wife Frances (née Classon), who later had two sons and five more daughters. Secondary…...
Hyde, Douglas (de hÍde, Dubhghlas)
Hyde, Douglas (de hÍde, Dubhghlas) (1860–1949), Gaelic scholar, founder of the Gaelic League, and first president of Ireland, was born 17 January 1860 in Castlerea, Co. Roscommon, fourth child among three sons and two daughters of the Rev. Arthur Hyde (descended from the Hydes of…...
Inglis, Liam (William English)
Inglis, Liam (William English) (1709–78), Augustinian priest and Jacobite poet, was born either in Newcastle, Co. Limerick, or in Co. Tipperary. Although little light can be shed on his parentage or early years, Risteard Ó…...
Irvine, George
Irvine, George (1877–1954), republican, language activist and campaigner, was born in August 1877 in Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh, the son of John Irvine, a bookseller, and Jane Irvine (née Boyle). George was one of seven children, four of whom were living in 1911. John Irvine’s shop on…...
Johnstone, Walter Edgeworth-
Johnstone, Walter Edgeworth- (1863–1937), soldier, DMP commissioner, and sportsman, was born at Kingstown, Co. Dublin, the eldest son of Robert Johnstone (1806–85), QC and county court judge, of Laputa, Co. Donegal, and his wife Doris Tivy. In 1838 a…...
Jones, Jimmy
Jones, Jimmy (1928–2014), footballer, was born on 25 July 1928 in Keady, Co. Armagh, the son of Thomas Jones, an RUC sergeant, and Ellen Jones (née Wilson). He was raised in Lurgan, Co. Armagh, and educated at the local Carrick primary…...
Jones, Thomas (‘Tom’)
Jones, Thomas (‘Tom’) (1868–1950), priest and handball player, was born 19 December 1868, in Rock Street, Tralee, Co. Kerry, the son of Michael Jones, shopkeeper and publican, and Mary Jones (née Stack). He was educated at the Christian Brothers' School in Tralee, St Brendan's seminary…...
Joyce, Patrick Weston
Joyce, Patrick Weston (1827–1914), educationalist, historian, linguist, translator and collector of folk music, was born in Ballyorgan, Co. Limerick, one of the eight sons of Garrett Joyce, a shoemaker known locally as ‘Garrett the Scholar’ for his knowledge of poetry and religion, and…...