Mayne, Ethel (Ethelind) Frances Colburn
Mayne, Ethel (Ethelind) Frances Colburn (1865–1941), novelist, short story writer, biographer and translator, was born on 7 January 1865 in Johnstown, Co. Kilkenny, the second of eight children of Charles Edward Bolton Mayne and Charlotte Emily Henrietta Sweetman. Her father’s family…...
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…...
McFadden, Roy
McFadden, Roy (1921–99), poet, was born 14 November 1921 in Beechfield St., Belfast, younger son of Roland Victor McFadden, bank official from Downpatrick, Co. Down, and Maud McFadden (née Steel). His paternal grandmother's family, the Quails, had been prominent tradesmen in…...
McGahern, John
McGahern, John (1934–2006), writer, was born in Dublin on 12 November 1934, eldest of seven children (two sons and five daughters) of Francis McGahern, garda sergeant and veteran of the Irish war of independence, from Gowna, Co. Cavan, and his wife Susan (née McManus), schoolteacher, a…...
Meade, L. T. (Elizabeth (‘Lillie’) Thomasina
Meade, L. T. (Elizabeth (‘Lillie’) Thomasina Toulmin Smith) (1844?–1914), novelist, was born in Bandon, Co. Cork, daughter of Richard Thomas Meade, clergyman, and Sarah Meade (née Lane). Reared in Nohaval, near Kinsale, Co. Cork, where her father was Church of Ireland rector, she was…...
Megaw, Arthur Stanley
This is a co-subject for the entry on Megaw, Basil. View the original entry....
Mercier, Vivian Herbert Samuel
Mercier, Vivian Herbert Samuel (1919–89), literary critic, was born 5 April 1919 in Clara, King's Co. (Offaly), son of William Mercier and Charlotte Olivia Mercier (née Abbot). His father, who was employed in the sales office of Goodbody's Mills in Clara, was of huguenot descent (…...
Michelburne (Michelborne, Mitchelburne), John
Michelburne (Michelborne, Mitchelburne), John (c.1648–1721), soldier, governor of Derry, playwright, was born on 2 January 1648 in Sussex, the only child of Abraham Michelburne and his wife, Penelope (née Wheeler), who died during the birth. Michelburne was baptised 8 January…...
Milliken, (Millikin) Richard Alfred
Milliken, (Millikin) Richard Alfred (1767–1815), poet, painter, and dramatist, was born 8 September 1767, the second eldest of five children of Robert Milliken, of Castlemartyr, Co. Cork, and Elizabeth Milliken (née Battaley), of Wiltshire. Of Scottish quaker ancestry (though by…...
Monck (Monk, Molesworth), Mary
Monck (Monk, Molesworth), Mary (c.1678–1715), poet and translator, was one of the seventeen children, nine of whom survived to adulthood, born to Robert Molesworth (qv), landowner, writer, and politician, later 1st Viscount…...
Moore, Dorothy (née King; other married name Dury)
Moore, Dorothy (née King; other married name Dury) (1612/13–1664), woman of letters, was born into the New English ruling class in Ireland, one of nine children of…...
Moore, Margaret Jane (‘Mrs Mason’)
Moore, Margaret Jane (‘Mrs Mason’) (1772–1835), Countess Mount Cashell and writer, was born 24 October 1772 in Dublin at the Henrietta St. residence of her parents; she was the eldest daughter of Robert King , Viscount Kingsborough (qv),…...
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…...
Nugent, Robert Craggs
Nugent, Robert Craggs (1702–88), 1st Earl Nugent , poet, and politician, was born in Carlanstown, Co. Westmeath, second son of Michael Nugent (d. 1739) of Carlanstown and his wife Mary (d. 1740), fifth and youngest daughter of Robert Barnewall, 9th Lord Trimlestown. Frequently…...
O'Brien, Thomas
O'Brien, Thomas (1914–74), poet, publisher, and Spanish civil war veteran, was born 24 April 1914 in Dublin, eldest child among two sons and two daughters of Hugh O'Brien and Mary (‘Polly’) O'Brien (née Berkeley). Having attended local Christian Brothers' schools, he left formal…...
O'Casey, Sean
O'Casey, Sean (1880–1964), writer, was born 30 March 1880 at 85 Upper Dorset Street, Dublin, to Michael Casey (c. 1837–1886), a clerk in the Irish Church mission, and Susan Casey (c. 1835–1918), who were married on 27 January 1863 at St Catherine's church, Thomas…...
O'Connor, Patricia
O'Connor, Patricia (1905–83), writer and teacher, was born Henrietta Norah O'Connor (known within her family as Norah) at Sheephaven coastguard station, Dunfanaghy, Co. Donegal on 4 December 1905, third of four children (three daughters and a son) of Patrick O'Connor, coastguard and…...
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…...
Ó hUigínn, Pól (Paul Higgins)
Ó hUigínn, Pól (Paul Higgins) (1628?–1724), Irish scholar, preacher and convert to protestantism, was probably born in Co. Sligo, the son of Pól Ó hUigínn and Cecilia Jordan. His grandfather, Tadhg Óg Ó hUigínn, was a bardic poet and a son of the famous bardic poet…...
Parnell, Thomas
Parnell, Thomas (1679–1718), anglican clergyman and poet, was born in Dublin. His grandfather was a Cheshire man who had supported Cromwell and thought it as well, following the restoration, to go to ground in Ireland where he bought a large estate. His father, also named Thomas,…...
Percy, Thomas
Percy, Thomas (1729–1811), bishop of Dromore, poet, and scholar, was born 13 April 1729 in Bridgnorth, Shropshire, England, son of Arthur Piercy or Pearcy, grocer, and his wife Jane (née Nott); there was at least one other son. Thomas was educated at the local grammar school, 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…...
Philips, Ambrose
Philips, Ambrose (1674–1749), official and writer, was born in Shropshire, England, son of Ambrose Philips, cloth manufacturer, and his wife Margaret, née Brookes. He attended Shrewsbury school and St John's College, Cambridge. He was a fellow of St John's (1699–1708), and seems…...
Philips, William
Philips, William (d. 1734?), playwright and member of the Irish parliament, the son of George Philips (qv) of Limavady, Co. Londonderry, was the last representative of a prominent plantation family. The immense volume of debt incurred…...