McAughtry, Sam
McAughtry, Sam (1921–2014), writer and broadcaster, was born on 24 March 1921 in the Tiger’s Bay area of north Belfast, the son of Marriott ‘Mark’ McAughtry (1882–1951), a merchant seaman, and his wife Elizabeth ‘Lizzie’ (née Condit). Sam was the sixth of ten children, four of whom died…...
McClintock, Sir Francis Leopold
McClintock, Sir Francis Leopold (1819–1907), Royal Naval officer and Arctic explorer, was born 8 July 1819 at 1 Seatown Place, Dundalk, Co. Louth, eldest surviving son of Henry McClintock, collector of customs in Dundalk and formerly an officer in the 3rd Dragoon Guards, and his…...
McDowell, Thomas Bleakley
McDowell, Thomas Bleakley (1923–2009), newspaper executive, was born in Belfast on 18 May 1923, the only child of Thomas McDowell, clerk, latterly of Upper Jordanstown, Belfast, and his wife Violet (née Hardy), originally from Dundalk, Co. Louth. His parents were unionists and members…...
Mecredy, Richard James Patrick
Mecredy, Richard James Patrick (1861–1924), cyclist and journalist, was born 18 May 1861 at Ballinasloe, Co. Galway, son of the Rev. James Mecredy, DD, a Church of Ireland clergyman then in the parish of Inveran, Spiddal, Co. Galway.…...
Moles, Thomas
Moles, Thomas (1871–1937), MP and journalist, was born 13 November 1871 in Belfast, second son of Edward Moles of Ardmore, Ballymena, Co. Antrim, and Margaret Jane Moles (née Carson). He was educated at the old Collegiate School in Ballymena and was subsequently appointed to the…...
Molloy, Charles
Molloy, Charles (1690–1767), dramatist and journalist, was born in Dublin in 1690, son of Hugh Molloy; nothing is known of his mother. He is believed to have been educated at TCD, though no records survive to confirm this. Moving to…...
O Brien, Conor
O Brien, Conor (1880–1952), sailor and author, was born Edward Conor Marshall O'Brien on 3 November 1880 in Cahirmoyle, Co. Limerick, the son of Edward William O'Brien, JP, and Julia O'Brien (née Marshall). A grandson of…...
O'Donoghue, Nannie Power
Power O’Donoghue (née Lambert), Nannie (1843–1940), journalist, equestrian and writer was born 2 June 1843 and baptised as Ann Stewart Lyster Lambert in St Thomas Church of Ireland, Marlborough Street, Dublin. She was the youngest child of four daughters and one son of Charles Lambert,…...
Porter, John Grey Vesey
Porter, John Grey Vesey (1817–1903), newspaper proprietor and improving landlord, was born 25 August 1817 in Kilskeery parish, Co. Fermanagh, only son of the Rev. John Grey Porter (1789–1873), non-resident prebend and rector (1813–42) of Donaghmoyne, Co. Monaghan, and…...
Read, Charles Anderson
Read, Charles Anderson (1841–78), writer, journalist, and editor, was born 10 November 1841 at Killsellagh (Kilsella) House, in the parish of Drumcliffe, near Sligo. His father, George Read, was a gentleman who, having lost an inheritance, was forced to take a position as…...
Richey, Alexander George
Richey, Alexander George (1830–83), lawyer, historian, and editor, was born 22 October 1830 in Dublin, only son of Alexander Richey (d. 1852), land agent, of Mount Temple, Coolock, Co. Dublin, and his wife, Matilda (daughter of Dodwell Browne of Co. Mayo), aunt of the 3rd earl of…...
Rolleston, Thomas William Hazen (T. W.)
Rolleston, Thomas William Hazen (T. W.) (1857–1920), poet, critic and journalist, was born 1 May 1857 at Glasshouse, near Shinrone, King's County (Offaly), youngest child among three sons and a daughter of Charles Rolleston-Spunner (d. 1887), barrister and county court judge for…...
Ruddock, Alan (Stephen Denis)
Ruddock, Alan (Stephen Denis) (1960–2010), journalist and editor, was born on 21 July 1960 in Dublin, the only son (he had one sister) of John Ruddock, a schoolteacher (eventually headmaster of Villiers School, Limerick city), and his wife Doreen. He came from a middle-class Church of…...
Savage, Marmion Wilme
Savage, Marmion Wilme (1803–72), novelist and journalist, was born 22 February 1803 in Dublin, the only child of Revd Henry Savage and Sarah Savage (née Bewley). He grew up in his father's parish in Ardkeen, Co. Down. Awarded a BA in classics…...
Somerville, Henry Boyle Townshend
Somerville, Henry Boyle Townshend (1863–1936), naval officer, hydrographer, and author, was born 7 September 1863 on his family's historic estate at Drishane, Castletownshend, near Castle Haven, Co. Cork, third son of Lt.-col. Thomas Henry Somerville (later high sheriff of Cork) and his…...
Stuart, James
Stuart, James (1764–1840), newspaper editor and historian, was born in Armagh city, son of Benjamin Stuart of Co. Antrim. He was educated at Armagh Royal School under Dr Arthur Grueber and in 1784 took sixth place on entrance to TCD. He…...
Supple, Gerald Henry
Supple, Gerald Henry (1823–98), journalist, lawyer, poet, and nationalist, was born in Cork city, eldest son among two sons and four daughters of Thomas Supple, of Bowling Green St., Cork city, and Letitia Anne Supple (née Sherlock), of Ballintemple, Co. Cork, a lineal descendant…...
Swift, Deane Theophilus
Swift, Deane Theophilus (1774–1858), United Irishman and author, was born in Co. Meath, eldest son of the writer and eccentric Theophilus Swift (qv) and his wife Charlotte (née Pead). He was a collateral descendant of…...
Taylor, John Sydney
Taylor, John Sydney (1795–1841), barrister and journalist, was born in Donnybrook, Dublin, son of John Taylor, artist. His father had been born John McKinley but had assumed the surname of Taylor, and was descended from Capt. David McKinley who had commanded a company of the…...
Thompson, Samuel (Sam)
Thompson, Samuel (Sam) (1916–65), playwright and shipyard worker, was born 21 May 1916 at 2 Montrose Street, Ballymacarrett, Belfast, one of the eight children of Hugh Thompson, lamplighter and part-time sexton of the Church of Ireland St Clement's church, and his wife, Margaret, née…...
Thornberry, Cedric Henry Reid
Thornberry, Cedric Henry Reid (1936–2014), human rights lawyer, journalist and UN official, was born on 22 June 1936 at 14 Ardmore Park South, Belfast, the elder son of (William Henry) Laylee Thornbury, headmaster of Lurgan Model School, and his wife Lila (née Watson). Cedric was raised…...
Tickell, George
Tickell, George (1828/9–1892), unionist, businessman and newspaper proprietor, was the eldest of at least two sons of Thomas Tickell (d. 1873), a timber merchant of North King Street, Dublin. The Tickells were an old-established Dublin protestant merchant family who had been resident…...
Tonna, Charlotte Elizabeth
Tonna, Charlotte Elizabeth (1790-1846), evangelical journalist and novelist, was born Charlotte Elizabeth Browne on 1 October 1790 in Norwich, England, daughter of Michael Browne, a minor canon of the cathedral, and his wife (probably a Murray). Her maternal grandmother, of Scots…...
Warren, Sir Peter
Warren, Sir Peter (1703–52), admiral in the British navy, was born 10 March 1703 at Warrenstown, Co. Meath, third son among three sons and two daughters of Michael Warren, Roman catholic landowner, and Catherine Warren (née Aylmer). Educated locally, he entered the Royal Navy in…...
Wheeler, George Bomford
Wheeler, George Bomford (1805/8–1877), anglican clergyman, classical scholar, and editor of the Irish Times, was son of James Wheeler; his mother's name is unknown. Very little is known of his early life and the records of TCD…...