McDowell, Kathleen Mary (‘Kay’)
McDowell, Kathleen Mary (‘Kay’) (1897–1975), trade union leader, was born 16 August 1897 at 20 Connaught St., Phibsborough, Dublin, daughter of William McDowell, wine merchant, of that address, and Mary McDowell (née Kirwan). Her father's family, which had roots in the north of…...
McElborough, Robert Henry
McElborough, Robert Henry (1884–1952), gas fitter and trade unionist, was born 11 February 1884 at 13 Matilda St. (in the predominantly protestant Sandy Row–Donegall Road area of Belfast, where he lived for the greater part of his life), second among four sons of William McElborough…...
McElligott, Thomas J.
McElligott, Thomas J. (1888–1961), police man, union activist, and republican, was born 2 April 1888 at Duagh, Listowel,Co. Kerry, second eldest of sixteen children of a small farmer named McElligott and his wife Julia (née McCarthy). He received a local national school education…...
McGhee, Richard
McGhee, Richard (1851–1930), trade unionist and politician, was baptised on 12 February 1851 in Lurgan, Co. Armagh, the eldest of three sons of Richard McGhee, a tenant farmer and later a shopkeeper, and his wife Alice. He claimed that at age 14, in protest against 'the bigotry and…...
McHugh, Edward
McHugh, Edward (1853–1915), political activist and trade unionist, was born on 21 August 1853 in Co. Tyrone (probably in the parish of Termonamongan in the far west of the county), the son of Matthew McHugh, smallholder and labourer, and his wife Margaret (née McCrory); he had one…...
McLaughlin, Hugh
McLaughlin, Hugh (1918–2006), publisher and inventor, was born 11 October 1918 in the family residence at Cavan Lower in Killygordon, Co. Donegal, the youngest of five sons and two daughters of James McLaughlin, stationmaster, and his wife Dorothy (née Rogers). He attended Dromore…...
McMullen, William
McMullen, William (1888–1982), trade unionist and politician, was born in Lilliput Street, Belfast, son of Joseph McMullen, shop owner, of County Monaghan; his mother was a native of County Cavan. When he was two years old, his family moved to a bigger shop on Shore Road, Belfast…...
Megaw, Basil
Megaw, Basil (1913–2002), archaeologist and folklife scholar, was born in Belfast on 22 June 1913, the third of four sons of Arthur Stanley Megaw, solicitor and writer, and his wife (Helen Isabel) Bertha (née Smith). Arthur Stanley Megaw (1873–1961) was a younger son of Robert Megaw…...
Merrigan, Matthew Paul (‘Matt’)
Merrigan, Matthew Paul (‘Matt’) (1921–2000), trade unionist and socialist, was born 25 June 1921 in a two-room cottage at 5 Thomas Place, Dolphin's Barn, Dublin, eighth of nine children of Matthew Merrigan (c.1884–1928), builder's labourer, and Anne (‘Nanny’) Merrigan (née…...
Midgley, Henry Cassidy (‘Harry’)
Midgley, Henry Cassidy (‘Harry’) (1892–1957), trade unionist and politician, was born 8 September 1892 at 59 Seaview St., Belfast, third child and eldest son among two daughters and three sons of Alexander Midgley (1860–99), shipyard labourer, originally of Lurgan, Co. Armagh,…...
Miller, Liam
Miller, Liam (1924–87), publisher, was born William Miller 24 April 1924 in Mountrath, Co. Laois, son of James Miller, victualler, and Elizabeth Miller (née Carbery). He studied architecture at UCD and travelled to London after 1945 to…...
Moloney, Katherine (Kathleen)
Moloney, Katherine (Kathleen) (1896–1969), republican and trade unionist, was born Catherine Agnes Barry on 19 October 1896 in the family home at 8 Fleet Street, Dublin, eldest child among five daughters and two sons of Thomas Barry (d. 1908), prosperous dairyman, and Mary Barry (…...
Molony, Helena
Molony, Helena (1883–1967), actress, republican, trade unionist, and feminist, was born 15 January 1883 at 8 Coles Lane, off Henry St., Dublin, the younger of one daughter and one son of Michael Moloney, grocer, of that address, and Catherine Moloney (née McGrath). Orphaned at an early…...
Monteith, Charles Montgomery
Monteith, Charles Montgomery (1921–95), publisher, was born 9 February 1921 in Lisburn, Co. Antrim, son of James Monteith, draper, and Marian Monteith (née Montgomery). The family were devoutly presbyterian. Charles was educated at the Royal Belfast Academical Institute – he later…...
Mooney, John Joseph
Mooney, John Joseph (1920–2000), farmer and publisher, was born 8 March 1920 in a nursing home at 4 Upper Pembroke Street, Dublin, elder of two children of Patrick Mooney, farmer and cattle dealer, a native of Athy, Co. Kildare, who had inherited an uncle's farm at Kilmurry, Co.…...
Moore, Theophilus
Moore, Theophilus (c.1730–c.1809), almanack compiler, may have been born in King's Co. (Offaly), but details of his life are scant and conflicting. John McCall (qv) in his comprehensive ‘History of Irish almanacks’ (written 1878; unpublished…...
Morrissey, Daniel
Morrissey, Daniel (1895–1981), trade unionist, politician, and businessman, was born 28 November 1895 in Silver St., Nenagh, Co. Tipperary, one of three sons and one daughter of William Morrissey, carter-contractor, and Bridget Morrissey (née Gleeson). Educated at Nenagh…...
Mortished, Ronald James Patrick
Mortished, Ronald James Patrick (1891–1957), socialist and first chairman of the Labour Court, was born 14 June 1891 in London, son of James Mortished, a printer from Limerick, and his wife (née Thompson) from Sligo. Ronald began his education in London council schools and through…...
Mullen, Michael
Mullen, Michael (1919–82), trade unionist, republican, and politician, was born 1 February 1919 at 10 New St., Church St., Dublin, son of John Mullen, glassblower, and Martha Mullen (née Smith). Educated at St Michan's, Halston St., Dublin, he was forced to leave school at 14 to…...
Mullen, Patrick
Mullen, Patrick (1883–1972), labourer, trade unionist, and writer, was born 17 April 1883 in Kilronan, Inishmore, Aran Islands, Co. Galway, fourth among ten or eleven children of Johnny Mullen, smallholder, and Mary Mullen (née Costelloe). His father, self-styled ‘king of the island…...
Murphy, John
Murphy, John (c.1755–1832), engraver and educational publisher, was born in Cork city and reared in its northern suburbs, around Mallow Lane. At the age of seventeen he emigrated to London, led by his ‘predilection for the Fine Arts and a desire to cultivate an inclination for…...
Murphy, John ('Jack')
Murphy, John ('Jack') (1920–84), trade unionist, republican, and activist for the unemployed, was born near Synge Street in Dublin, third son among four sons and five daughters of Denis Murphy, a carpenter; his mother's forename was probably Mary. His father, a founding member in…...
Murray, James Andrew
Murray, James Andrew (1840–1921), businessman, was born in 1840 in Co. Clare, the eldest of five sons and one daughter of Michael Murray and his wife Ann (née MacNamara), of whom little is known. The family emigrated to Canada about 1845, and in 1858 at age eighteen, James left for the…...
Nannetti, Joseph Patrick (‘J. P.’)
Nannetti, Joseph Patrick (‘J. P.’) (1851–1915), trade unionist and politician, was born 19 March 1851 in Dublin, son of Giacomo Nannetti, sculptor and modeller, of 6 Great Brunswick St. Educated at Baggot St. convent schools and CBS…...
Neal (Neale), John
Neal (Neale), John (fl.1701–40), publisher of music, manufacturer of musical instruments, and musician, worked in Dublin throughout his adult life and may have been born in the city. He appears, c.1701, running a recorder-making shop in Christ Church Lane, Dublin. From…...