Dempsey, Jack (‘The Nonpareil’)
Dempsey, Jack (‘The Nonpareil’) (1862–95), world middleweight boxing champion, was born John Edward Kelly on 15 December 1862, near Clane, Co. Kildare, son of Martin Kelly and Alicia Kelly (née Lennon). In 1867, aged four, he emigrated with his family to America, where he attended…...
Denvir, John
Denvir, John (1834–1916), author, journalist, publisher, and Fenian, was born in Bushmills, Co. Antrim, eldest son of James Denvir, clerk, of Ballywalter, Lecale, Co. Down, and Margaret ‘Peggy’ Denvir (née O'Loughlin) of Ballymagenaghy, Co. Down. Although born in Ireland while his…...
Devlin, Joseph Francis (‘Frank’)
Devlin, Joseph Francis (‘Frank’) (1900–88), badminton player, was born 19 January 1900 at 11 Wellington Place, Dublin, to Joseph Edmund Devlin, government official, and Edith Devlin (née Jeneken). He was the only child in a mixed-denomination marriage and as a result there were…...
Devlin, Paddy
Devlin, Paddy (1925–99), politician and trade unionist, was born 8 March 1925 at 46 Lady St. in the Falls Road area of Belfast, eldest child among four daughters and three sons of Patrick Devlin, ex-serviceman and later flour-mill worker, and his wife Anna, of Belfast, daughter of…...
Devlin, Patrick James (‘Celt’)
Devlin, Patrick James (‘Celt’) (1877–1941), GAA journalist, was born 21 January 1877 in McCrumms Court, Co. Armagh, the son of Patrick Devlin, an RIC constable, and his wife, Eliza Jane, née McGoldrick. When he was aged nine his…...
Dickson, Thomas Arnell ('Tommy')
Dickson, Thomas Arnell ('Tommy') (1929–2007), footballer, was born 16 July 1929 in the Sandy Row area of Belfast. As a teenager he played with the local Roosevelt Street Boys' Club and, while working as an apprentice fitter at the Brookfield Linen Company, was signed by Brantwood as an…...
Dinneen, Frank Brazil
Dinneen, Frank Brazil (1863–1916), GAA president, proprietor of Croke Park, and journalist, was born in Ballylanders, Co. Limerick, son of Nicholas Dinneen of Ballylanders. In the early 1880s he was one of the leading sprinters in the Munster area and regularly competed at meetings…...
Dockrell, George Shannon
Dockrell, George Shannon (1886–1924), swimmer and water-polo player, was born 22 October 1886 in Rathdown, Co. Dublin, the son of Sir Maurice Edward Dockrell (qv), merchant and politician, and his wife…...
Doherty, John
Doherty, John (c.1798–1854), trade union pioneer, radical activist, journalist, and factory reformer, was born in Inishowen, Co. Donegal; nothing is known of his parents. His birth place and date are uncertain. A son said it was ‘Buncrana, Inishowel’ (sic) in…...
Doherty, Peter Dermot
Doherty, Peter Dermot (1913–90), soccer player and manager, was born 4 June 1913 in Church St., Magherafelt, Co. Londonderry, son of William Doherty, carter, and Sarah Doherty (née Duffin). His family moved to Coleraine, Co. Londonderry, where he was educated at St Malachy's primary…...
Donahoe, Patrick
Donahoe, Patrick (1811–1901) editor, publisher, and businessman, was born 17 March 1811 in Munnery, Kilmore, Co. Cavan, the son of Terrence Donahoe and his wife Jane (née Christy). His mother died when he was an infant. In 1821 he emigrated, with his father, to Boston,…...
Donnellan, Michael (‘Mick’)
Donnellan, Michael (‘Mick’) (1900–64), politician and GAA footballer, was born in Dromore, Co. Galway, the eldest of four children (two boys and two girls) of a local farmer. After being educated at the local national school and St Jarlath's College, Tuam, Co. Galway, he worked…...
Donnelly, Dan
Donnelly, Dan (1788–1820), pugilist, was born in 1788 in Townsend Street, Dublin, eldest surviving son among seventeen children of Joseph Donnelly, carpenter, of Dublin; his mother’s surname was Gore. His life is one in which reality and mythology are not easily separated. The main…...
Donoghue, Stephen
Donoghue, Stephen (1884–1945), jockey, was born 8 November 1884 at Aikin Street, Warrington, Lancashire, the eldest of three sons and two daughters of an Irish immigrant, Patrick Donoghue, an iron puddler, and Mary, née Mitchell, also of Irish ancestry. He was educated at St Mary'…...
Doonan, William (‘Willie’; ‘Bill’)
Doonan, William (‘Willie’; ‘Bill’) (1920–76), Gaelic footballer, was born 16 April 1920 in Cavan town, one of thirteen children of John Doonan, a UDC employee from Bawnboy, Co. Cavan, and Mary Anne Doonan (née Dempsey) from Templeport, Co…...
Dougan, (Alexander) Derek
Dougan, (Alexander) Derek (1938–2007), footballer and author, was born 20 January 1938 at 41 Susan Street in the Newtownards Road district of east Belfast, the eldest of six children (three boys and three girls) of John 'Jackie' Dougan, a boilermaker at the Harland and Wolff…...
Dowdall, Paddy
Dowdall, Paddy (1920–68), boxer, was born 16 June 1920 at 23 The Coombe, Dublin city, son of Patrick Dowdall, porter, and Catherine Dowdall (née Kinsella). His mother died when he was an infant, and the children were raised by their father. He was educated locally at Francis St.…...
Dowling, Sheila (Sighle)
Dowling, Sheila (Sighle) (née Bowen ) (c.1896–1957), republican, socialist, trade unionist, and feminist, was a member of Cumann na mBan. During the war of independence she served as stenographer in dáil courts in north Dublin city, and worked for the republican solicitor…...
Downey, Edmund
Downey, Edmund (1856–1937) publisher, editor, and author, was born 24 July 1856 in Waterford, the son of William Downey, a ship owner and broker, and his wife Margaret (née Hayes). He was educated in Waterford at the Catholic University School, and St. John's College, where he excelled…...
Doyle, Edmond (Eddie Neddy)
This is a co-subject for the entry on Doyle, Richard (‘Dick’). View the original entry....
Doyle, Jack
Doyle, Jack (1913–78), boxer, actor, singer and playboy, was born Joseph Alphonsus Doyle, 31 August 1913 at 12 Queen Street, Queenstown, Co. Cork, eldest son among four sons and two daughters of Michael Doyle, sailor, of Queenstown, and Anastasia Doyle. His schooling, at St Joseph's…...
Doyle, Jimmy
Doyle, Jimmy (1939–2015), hurler, was born on 20 March 1939 at Bohernanave, Thurles, Co. Tipperary, the eldest among six children (two surviving sons and three daughters; another son died in infancy) of Gerry Doyle, a shoemaker, and Bridget Doyle (née Slattery). Gerry Doyle was also a…...
Doyle, John
Doyle, John (1930–2010), hurler, was born on 12 February 1930 in Glenbane, Holycross, Co. Tipperary, the only child of Timothy Doyle, farmer, and his wife Margaret (née Spillane). His mother died forty-six days later from blood poisoning, after which his father struggled with raising…...
Doyle, Michael (Mick)
This is a co-subject for the entry on Doyle, Richard (‘Dick’). View the original entry....
Doyle, Mick (Michael Gerard)
Doyle, Mick (Michael Gerard) (1940–2004), rugby player and coach, was born 13 October 1940 in his maternal grandparents' house at Currow, Farranfore, Co. Kerry, the elder of two sons of Michael Doyle, a general merchant, publican and poultry farmer, of Castleisland, Co. Kerry, and…...