Houlihan, Con
Houlihan, Con (1925–2012), sportswriter, was born on 6 December 1925 in Reineen, near Castleisland, Co. Kerry, the middle child among two boys and a girl of Michael Houlihan and his wife Ellen ('Nell') (née Cronin). His parents farmed a small holding (about five acres of arable land),…...
Jackson, William
Jackson, William (1737?–95), protestant clergyman, journalist, and revolutionary, was born probably in Ireland, the youngest of the four sons of an official in the prerogative court in Dublin, and his wife (née Gore), both of whom were Irish. The eldest son, Richard, was vicar…...
Jocelyn, Percy
Jocelyn, Percy (1764–1843), disgraced bishop, was born 29 November 1764, third of four sons of Robert, 1st earl of Roden (qv), and his wife Anne, née Hamilton. Educated at TCD, he graduated…...
Joyce, William Brooke (‘Lord Haw-Haw’)
Joyce, William Brooke (‘Lord Haw-Haw’) (1906–46), fascist and propagandist, was born 24 April 1906 in Brooklyn, New York, the eldest of three sons of Michael Joyce, building contractor, and his wife, Gertrude (née Brooke), whose forebears were protestants from Cavan. Michael…...
Kelly, Sarah
Kelly, Sarah (1801–56), landowner and murder victim, was born Sarah Birch in Ramsgate, Kent, England, sixth child of John Birch, husbandman and innkeeper, and his wife Elizabeth. At the age of 15 she was seduced by Joshua Paul Meredith, an Anglo-Irish gentleman who took her to…...
Lamb, John George Dalkeith ('Keith')
Lamb, John George Dalkeith ('Keith') (1919–2011), horticultural scientist and plantsman, was born on 19 August 1919 in Dublin, the younger son of John Lamb, who had been a doctor in the British army, and his wife Constance (née Johnston). Constance's father, also a doctor, was a…...
Le Fanu, Joseph Thomas Sheridan
Le Fanu, Joseph Thomas Sheridan (1814–73), novelist and journalist, was born 28 August 1814 in Lower Dominick Street, Dublin, eldest son and second child of three children of the Rev. Thomas Philip Le Fanu (1784–1845), Church of Ireland clergyman, and his wife, Emma Lucretia (née…...
Lennon, Peter Gerard
Lennon, Peter Gerard (1930–2011), journalist, documentary film-maker and social critic, was born on 28 February 1930 at 30 North Frederick Street, Dublin, the eldest of three sons of Peter Joseph Lennon and his wife Delia (née Fenton). His mother was a former post office worker…...
Lloyd, Edward
Lloyd, Edward (fl. 1700–1732), coffee house proprietor, publisher, and writer, was born in England and probably moved to Dublin in the 1690s. Nothing is known of his parents. A namesake, Edward Lloyd (d. 1713), founded (c.1688) Lloyd's coffee house in London, which…...
Lucas, Charles
Lucas, Charles (1713–71), politician, physician, and writer, was born 16 September 1713, the younger son of Benjamin Lucas (d. c.1727) of the townland of Ballingaddy, Kilmanahan parish, Corcomroe, Co. Clare, and his wife, Mary (née Blood), also of Co. Clare. …...
MacKnight, Thomas
MacKnight, Thomas (1829–99), newspaper editor and political writer, was born 15 February 1829 at Gainsford, Co. Durham, son of Thomas MacKnight and his wife Elizabeth. He was initially educated at the Rev. Dr Bowman's school at Gainsford. After his parents moved to London he…...
Marcus, David
Marcus, David (1924–2009), author, editor and journalist, was born on 21 August 1924 in his parents' house on the Mardyke in Cork city, son of Solomon Marcus, picture framer, and his wife Frances (née Goldberg), a sister of Gerald Goldberg…...
Martin, Richard
Martin, Richard (1754–1834), politician, animal rights campaigner, and duellist, was born 6 February 1754 at Ballinahinch castle, Dangan, Co. Galway, the eldest son of Robert Martin, a landowner, and his first wife, Bridget Martin (née Barnewall), daughter of the 11th Baron…...
Maunsell, James Poole
Maunsell, James Poole (1855?–1897), journalist and newspaper proprietor, was born in Dublin, one of three sons and six daughters of Henry Maunsell (qv), doctor and journalist, and his second wife, Caroline (née Stevenson). The family were…...
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…...
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…...
McGuckin (McGucken), James
McGuckin (McGucken), James (d. 1817), attorney, politician, and informer, of South Parade, Belfast, was a native probably of Antrim or Down. According to Bernard McAuley (1771–1863), a catholic priest who knew him well, his father was a catholic but he and his sisters belonged…...
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…...
Norcott, William
Norcott, William (1773?–1820), barrister, satirist, and bon vivant, was eldest son of William Norcott of Charleville, Co. Cork, and Mary Norcott (née Knight). He entered TCD in July 1790, graduating BA…...
Nowlan, David Shackleton
Nowlan, David Shackleton (1936–2010), journalist, critic and medical doctor, was born on 19 May 1936 at 16 Lower Hatch Street, Dublin, the eldest of four children (two boys and two girls) of Revd George Nowlan (1904–74), rector (1935–9) of St Matthias's church, Dublin, and his wife…...
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,…...
O'Faolain, Nuala
O'Faolain, Nuala (1940–2008), journalist, writer and feminist, was born 1 March 1940 in Clontarf, Dublin, the second of nine children (six daughters and three sons) of Terry O'Sullivan (qv) (Terry Phelan), journalist and broadcaster, and…...
Phelan, Jim (James Leo)
Phelan, Jim (James Leo) (1895–1966), writer, activist and tramp, was born in Inchicore, Dublin, the third child and eldest son of five surviving children (three daughters and two sons; two others died in childhood) of James Phelan, ironworker at the Inchicore railway works, and his wife…...