Nowlan, James
Nowlan, James (1854?–1924), sports official, nationalist, and politician, was born in Kilkenny city; he was probably the James Nowlan baptised 14 July 1854 in St Canice's church, son of Michael Nowlan and Catherine Nowlan (née Tully), of Green's Hill, Kilkenny. A cooper by trade,…...
O'Brien, Charlotte Grace
O'Brien, Charlotte Grace (1845–1909), social reformer and writer, was born 23 November 1845 at Cahirmoyle, Co. Limerick, younger daughter of the Young Ireland leader, William Smith O’Brien (qv), and his wife Lucy Caroline, daughter of…...
O'Brien, Dermot
O'Brien, Dermot (1932–2007), musician and Gaelic footballer, was born 23 October 1932 in Ardee, Co. Louth, the son of Paddy O'Brien, labourer and bandmaster of the Ardee Brass and Reed Band, of Dolan Terrace, Ardee, and his wife Nancy (née Dowdall). He attended Ardee's De La Salle…...
O'Brien, Desmond Joseph ('Des')
O'Brien, Desmond Joseph ('Des') (1919–2005), rugby player and business executive, was born 22 May 1919 in Dublin, the son of Tim O'Brien and his wife Mary (née Molloy). Educated at Belvedere College (1930–36), he joined Old Belvedere RFC in 1938, playing as flanker on the first two (…...
O'Brien, John Thomond
O'Brien, John Thomond (1786–1861), bullfighter and military officer in Argentina, was born 24 June 1786 at Baltinglass, Co. Wicklow, son of Martin O'Brien, a wealthy farmer, and Honoria O'Brien (née O'Connor). In 1811 he emigrated to South America, settling first in Brazil. His…...
O'Brien, (Michael) Vincent ('M. V. ')
O'Brien, (Michael) Vincent ('M. V. ') (1917–2009), racehorse trainer, was born 9 April 1917 at Clashganiff House near Churchtown, Co. Cork. His father, Dan O'Brien, a fox-hunting farmer who trained a few horses under a permit, lost his first wife, Helena, in childbirth while she was…...
O'Brien, Sir Timothy Carew
O'Brien, Sir Timothy Carew (1861–1948), 3rd baronet, international cricketer for England and Ireland, was born 5 November 1861 in Dublin, eldest son among three sons and a daughter of Timothy O'Brien and Mary O'Brien (née Carew O'Dwyer) of Dublin. His grandfather, Sir Timothy O'…...
O'Brien, William
O'Brien, William (1881–1968), labour leader and trade union official, was born 23 January 1881 at Ballygurteen, Clonakilty, Co. Cork, third son and youngest among four children of Daniel O'Brien of Co. Tipperary, member of the RIC, and…...
O'Callaghan, Michael
O'Callaghan, Michael (1887–1962), trade unionist, revolutionary nationalist, and civil servant, was born 25 January 1887 in Henry Street, Tipperary town, son of Denis Callahan, draper, of farming stock from Ballyhone, Emly, Co. Tipperary, and Bridget Callahan (née Hayes), of…...
Ó Caoimh, Pádraig (Paddy O'Keeffe)
Ó Caoimh, Pádraig (Paddy O'Keeffe) (1897–1964), revolutionary and sports administrator, was born 9 December 1897 in Bellanagare, Co. Roscommon, son of Michael O'Keeffe, RIC sergeant, and Mary O'Keeffe (née O'Malley). Raised in East View…...
O'Carroll, Michael William ffrench-
O'Carroll, Michael William ffrench- (1919–2007), politician, doctor, and social campaigner, was born 15 September 1919 at 89 Lower Baggot Street, Dublin, the eldest of two sons and a daughter of Arthur Stephens ffrench-O'Carroll (1896–1952), medical doctor then in military service,…...
O Ceallacháin, Seán Óg
O Ceallacháin, Seán Óg (1923–2013), sports broadcaster and hurler, was born on 12 May 1923 in Newcastle West, Co. Limerick, one of four children (three sons and a daughter) of John O’Callaghan (Seán O Ceallacháin), a commercial traveller of Newcastle West, originally from near…...
O'Connell, Thomas Joseph (‘T. J.’)
O'Connell, Thomas Joseph (‘T. J.’) (1882–1969), teacher, trade unionist, and politician, was born 28 November 1882 at Spotfield, Bekan, Co. Mayo, second son of Thomas Connell, farmer, and Maria Connell (née Biesty). Educated at Bekan national school, where from July 1895 he served…...
O'Connor, Mary
O'Connor, Mary (Sister Mary Agnes ) (1815–59), Sister of Mercy, foundress, and social worker, was born 6 January 1815 in Kilkenny city, youngest among ten children of Patrick O'Connor and Mary O'Connor. Like other charitable women of her time she visited the sick poor and made…...
O'Connor, Thomas (‘Gega’)
O'Connor, Thomas (‘Gega’) (1918–97), Gaelic footballer, was born 3 November 1918 in Upper Main St. (or ‘Goat St.’), Dingle, Co. Kerry, one of a large family of James (‘Jimmy’) O'Connor, a publican and farmer known as ‘Tom Dick’, from Dingle, and Mary O'Connor (née McCarthy).…...
O'Donnell, John ('Kerry')
O'Donnell, John ('Kerry') (1899–1994), businessman and GAA administrator, was born on 15 November 1899 in Gleann na nGealt, Castlegregory, near Camp, Co. Kerry, the eldest child of Michael O'Donnell, a local farmer, and his wife Johanna (née O'Connor). At age 19 he emigrated to…...
O'Donnell, Nicholas (‘Nick’)
O'Donnell, Nicholas (‘Nick’) (1925–88), hurler, was born 4 September 1925 in Killeen, Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny, son of Nicholas O'Donnell, farmer, and Anne O'Donnell (née White). A member of the Éire Óg hurling club in Kilkenny city, he was a non-playing member of the Kilkenny…...
O'Dowd, Ignatius (‘Nace’)
O'Dowd, Ignatius (‘Nace’) (1931–87), Gaelic footballer and hotelier, was born 1 August 1931 in Rinbane, Ballinacarrow, Co. Sligo, where he attended the Carrowrile national school before progressing to Tubbercurry vocational school. He was one of five boys and three girls in his…...
O'Dwyer, John Gerard (‘Ged’)
O'Dwyer, John Gerard (‘Ged’) (1899–1996), Irish Volunteer, army officer, and showjumper, was born 12 April 1899 at Rahen, near Grange, Bruff, Co. Limerick, the second son of John O'Dwyer, farmer, and his wife Bridget, eldest daughter of John Hayes of Co. Limerick. Educated at…...
O'Ferrall, Roderic Charles Francis (‘Roddy’) More
O'Ferrall, Roderic Charles Francis (‘Roddy’) More (1903–90), horse breeder, trainer, and arboriculturist, was born in Kingstown (Dún Laoghaire), Co. Dublin, on 25 July 1903, eldest among three sons and a daughter of Dominic More O'Ferrall of Kildangan, Co. Kildare, landowner and…...
O'Flanagan, Kevin Patrick
O'Flanagan, Kevin Patrick (1919–2006), athlete, rugby and soccer international, Olympics administrator and medical doctor, was born on 10 June 1919 in Dublin, son of Timothy O'Flanagan, tobacconist, and his wife Teresa (née McLaughlin). Raised in Terenure, he attended the Christian…...
O'Gorman, James
O'Gorman, James (1765–1855), landowner and angler, and his brother Nicholas Purcell O'Gorman (1777/8–1857), barrister and secretary to the Catholic Association, were the first and second of the three sons of James O'Gorman (1717–87) of Ennis, Co. Clare, and his wife, Susanna (née…...
O'Hehir, Michael
O'Hehir, Michael (1920–96), sports commentator and journalist, was born Michael James Hehir on 2 June 1920 in Glasnevin, Dublin, son of James Hehir, civil servant, from Co. Clare, and his wife Esther (née Sheehan) from Tullamore, Co. Offaly. He was educated at St Patrick's…...
O'Herlihy, Bill
O’Herlihy, Bill (1938–2015), broadcaster, journalist and public relations consultant, was born 26 September 1938 in South Terrace, Cork, the eldest of four sons and two daughters of David O’Herlihy, a clerical officer in St Finbarr’s Hospital, Cork, who later headed the administration…...
O'Keeffe, Daniel Joseph (‘Danno Keeffe’)
O'Keeffe, Daniel Joseph (‘Danno Keeffe’) (1907–67), Gaelic footballer, was born 14 February 1907 in Fermoy, Co. Cork, one of two sons and two daughters of Daniel O'Keeffe and Mary O'Keeffe (née Tobin) of Fermoy. The family moved to Tralee, Co. Kerry, when he was nine, and he was…...