Nevin, Donal
Nevin, Donal (1924–2012), trade unionist and historian, was born on 20 January 1924 at 8 Cornmarket Row, Limerick, the home of his parents, Thomas Nevin, a cabinet maker, and his wife Alice. He was the second youngest of eight children (three girls and five boys). Nevin won a local…...
Norton, William Joseph (‘Bill’)
Norton, William Joseph (‘Bill’) (1900–63), trade unionist and politician, was born 2 November 1900 at 21 Bath Avenue, Dublin, eldest of eight children of Patrick Norton, a tramcar conductor, and Bridget Norton (née Malone). He attended Rathmines national school, leaving aged…...
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, 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…...
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'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'Leary, Jeremiah
This is a co-subject for the entry on Ó Laoghaire, Colm. View the original entry....
O'Leary, Michael
O'Leary, Michael (1936–2006), government minister and district judge, was born 8 May 1936 in Cork, son of John O'Leary, psychiatric nurse and publican, and his wife Margaret (née McCarthy). He was educated at Presentation Brothers College, Cork, at…...
O'Sullivan, Martin
O'Sullivan, Martin (1891–1956), trade unionist and politician, was born in 1891 in Ennistymon, Co. Clare. Educated locally at the CBS, he joined the Midland & Great Western Railway Co. as a clerk and worked in Sligo and Cavan…...
Owens, Evelyn
Owens, Evelyn (1931–2010), trade unionist and women's rights advocate, was born on 22 January 1931 at 23 Vernon Gardens, Clontarf, Dublin, the fourth of six children of William Owens, a civil servant of Clontarf, originally from Co. Roscommon, and his wife Ellen (née Monaghan), from…...
Partridge, William Patrick (‘Bill’)
Partridge, William Patrick (‘Bill’) (1874–1917), trade unionist and revolutionary nationalist, was born 8 March 1874 in Sligo county hospital, fourth child and second son among three sons and two daughters of Benjamin Partridge (d. 1892), railway engine driver, of 6 Chapel Street…...
Patterson, Sarah (‘Saidie’)
Patterson, Sarah (‘Saidie’) (1904–85), trade unionist and peace activist, was born 25 November 1904 at 32 Woodvale St., Shankill Road, Belfast, eldest of three children of William Patterson (d. 1912), shipyard blacksmith, and Sarah Patterson (née Moore), both of whom were devout…...
Place, Valerie
Place, Valerie (1969–93), nurse and overseas aid worker, was born 24 March 1969 at 20 St Brendan's Crescent, Walkinstown, Dublin, one of four daughters and three sons of Patrick Place, coachbuilder, of that address, and Margaret Place (née Byrne). Educated at St Paul's secondary school…...
Quigley, Gerry (Edmund Gerard)
Quigley, Gerry (Edmund Gerard) (1928–2003), trade unionist, was born 3 November 1928 in Virginia Street, off Donegall Pass in south Belfast. He was one of seven children of John Joseph Quigley and his wife Margaret (née O’Connor). Quigley was educated at St Mary’s Christian…...
Redmond, Séamus
Redmond, Séamus (1925–96), trade unionist, was born 9 February 1925 in the Rotunda Hospital, Dublin, second son to James Redmond, company sergeant, and Mary Redmond (née McLoughlin). He was raised in the Curragh and Spike Island and later moved to Whitehall, Dublin. Educated at the…...
Roberts, Ruaidhrí Butler
Roberts, Ruaidhrí Butler (1917–86), trade unionist, was born 1 January 1917 at 40 Grosvenor Road, Rathmines, Co. Dublin, one of two sons of George Roberts (qv), publisher, of that address and of 3 Montalto, Sorrento Road, Dalkey, Co.…...
Roney, Frank
Roney, Frank (1841–1925), Fenian and trade unionist, was born 13 August 1841 in Belfast, the eldest of a family of eight. Roney inherited his nationalist and trade unionist principles from his parents. His father was a carpenter and secretary of a carpenters' union in Belfast, and…...
Russell, Angela Gertrude (née Coyne)
Russell, Angela Gertrude (née Coyne) (1893–1991), physician and social reformer, was born 15 November 1893 in Tralee, Co. Kerry, the fourth daughter and seventh child among nine children of James Aloysius Coyne, an inspector of national schools, and Kathleen Mary Coyne (née Pitt).…...
Sheehan, Daniel Desmond (‘D. D.’)
Sheehan, Daniel Desmond (‘D. D.’) (1873–1948), journalist, labour leader, MP, barrister, and soldier, was born 28 May 1873 at Dromtariffe, Kanturk, Co. Cork, the eldest of the three sons and one daughter of Daniel Sheehan, tenant farmer, and his wife, Ellen (née Fitzgerald). He…...
Smithson, Annie M(ary) P(atricia)
Smithson, Annie M(ary) P(atricia) (1873–1948), author, nurse, republican, and trade unionist, was born Margaret Anne Jane Smithson 26 September 1873 at 22 Claremont Rd, Sandymount, Dublin, daughter of Samuel Raynor Smithson, a protestant, unionist barrister, and Margaret Louisa…...
Synnott, Thomas Lambert
Synnott, Thomas Lambert (1810–97), workhouse guardian and prison governor, was born probably in Dublin, eldest son of Thomas Sinnott, vintner, of 59–61 Barrack St., Dublin. Though there is evidence his father belonged to the Church of Ireland, Synnott was brought up Roman catholic…...
Woodlock, Ellen
Woodlock, Ellen (1811–84), philanthropist and social worker, was born 27 January 1811, second daughter among seven sons and four daughters of Martin Mahony (1764–1834) of Cork, woollen manufacturer, and his second wife, Maria (née Reynolds), of Roscreg. The Rev.…...