Gibb (Gibson), Rosemary Elizabeth Jane (‘Rosy’)
Gibb (Gibson), Rosemary Elizabeth Jane (‘Rosy’) (1942–97), social worker, clown, and magician, was born 8 November 1942 in Dublin, the only child of Jack Gibson, a well-known surgeon and hypnotist, and Elizabeth Maude Gibson (née James). She passed her early childhood in Guernsey, where…...
Gilbert, Eliza Rosana (‘Lola Montez’)
Gilbert, Eliza Rosana (‘Lola Montez’) (1820–61), dancer and adventuress, was born in spring 1820 in Co. Limerick, daughter of Edward Gilbert, a British soldier serving in Co. Cork, and Eliza Oliver, illegitimate daughter of Charles Silver Oliver, MP; her parents married around the…...
Gill, Earl William
Gill, Earl William (1932–2014), musician and showband leader, was born on 14 October 1932 in East Wall, Dublin, one of two children of William (‘Billy’) Gill, a pianist and accordionist at the Queen’s Theatre, Dublin, and Mary Gill (née Hunter), a cellist. According to Earl, his unusual…...
Gilmore, Patrick Sarsfield
Gilmore, Patrick Sarsfield (1829–92), musician and bandmaster, was born 25 December 1829 at Ballygar, Co. Galway, son of Patrick J. Gilmore, stonemason, and Mary Gilmore (née Sharkey). Initially destined for the priesthood, he was sent to work in a shop in Athlone, Co. Westmeath,…...
Giordani, Tommaso
Giordani, Tommaso (c.1733–1806), composer, was born at Naples, Italy, elder son among two sons and two daughters of Giuseppe Giordani, singer and librettist, and Antonia Giordani. When his father formed a small opera company he toured around Europe in the 1740s, where he…...
Glover, James Mackey (‘Jimmy’)
Glover, James Mackey (‘Jimmy’) (1861–1931), music director and composer, was born 18 June 1861 at Kingstown (Dún Laoghaire), Co. Dublin, son of James Mackey, town commissioner, and Mary Jane Mackey (née Glover). His father was a Fenian who lost his official position after 1868.…...
Glover, John William
Glover, John William (1815–99), conductor, organist, composer, and educator, was born 19 June 1815 in Dublin. He was the last of the circle of Irish musicians that included his friends Michael Balfe (qv),…...
Goodman, James (Séamus Gudman)
Goodman, James (Séamus Gudman) (1828–96), clergyman, Irish-language scholar, and music collector, was born 22 September 1828 at Ballyameen near Dingle, Co. Kerry, second son among five sons and four daughters of Thomas Chute Goodman, clergyman, and Mary Goodman (née Gorham). Brought up…...
Greene, Harry Plunket
Greene, Harry Plunket (1865–1936), singer, teacher, and author, was born 24 June 1865 at his parents’ home, 49 St Stephen's Green, Dublin, son of Richard Jonas Greene, barrister, and Louisa Lillias (neé Plunket), writer of children's stories and fourth daughter of John, 3rd Baron…...
Greevy, Bernadette Josephine
Greevy, Bernadette Josephine (1937–2008), classical singer, was born 3 July 1937 at 28 Vernon Avenue, Clontarf, Dublin, sixth among seven children of Patrick Joseph Greevy, an insurance official, and his wife Josephine Frances (née Miller); the family resided at 33 Vernon Gardens,…...
Guernsey, Wellington
Guernsey, Wellington (1817–85), musician and songwriter, was born in Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, son of an army officer who named him after the victor of Waterloo; nothing more is known of his family. He was a delicate child and his schooling was limited, but he read widely and was…...
Hammond, David Andrew ('Davy')
Hammond, David Andrew ('Davy') (1928–2008), singer, folklorist, television producer and documentary maker, was born on 5 December 1928 in Miss Kells's nursing home on the Castlereagh Road in Belfast, the son of Leslie Hammond, a tram driver, and his wife Annie (née Lamont). His parents…...
Handel, George Frederick
Handel, George Frederick (1685–1759), composer, was born 23 February 1685 in Halle, the son of Georg Händel (1622–97), a barber-surgeon to the court of the duke of Saxe-Weissenfels. From c.1692–3 the young Georg Friederich received a thorough musical education (keyboard…...
Hanna, Geordie
This is a co-subject for the entry on O'Neill (née Hanna), Sarah Ann. View the original entry....
Hardebeck, Carl Gilbert
Hardebeck, Carl Gilbert (1869–1945), collector and arranger of traditional songs, teacher of music, and composer, was born 10 December 1869 in Clerkenwell, London, son of Carl Joseph Hardebeck, an expatriate German and a successful jeweller, and Catherine Hardebeck (née Jones), who was…...
Harnett, Philip
Harnett, Philip (1943–96), Jesuit priest, was born 6 January 1943 in Dublin, the third child of Patrick Harnett and Ursula Treacy. He had two brothers, John and Patrick, and three sisters, Anne, Catherine, and Mary. Following an education at Pembroke School, Ballsbridge, and…...
Harrison, Frank Llewelyn
Harrison, Frank Llewelyn (1905–87), musicologist, organist, and composer, was born 29 September 1905 in Dublin, the second son of Alfred Francis and Florence May Harrison. He became a chorister at St Patrick's cathedral in 1912, occasionally playing the organ for cathedral…...
Harte, Francis ('Frank')
Harte, Francis ('Frank') (1933–2005), architect, lecturer, singer, and collector of traditional songs, was born 14 May 1933 in Dublin. His father, Peter Harte (d. 1977), was originally from a farm in Co. Sligo, but moved to Dublin and bought a pub, The Tap, in Chapelizod, then still…...
Harty, Sir (Herbert) Hamilton
Harty, Sir (Herbert) Hamilton (1879–1941), pianist, accompanist, composer, arranger, and conductor, was born 4 December 1879 in Hillsborough, Co. Down. His father, William Michael Harty (b. Limerick, 1852; d. Hillsborough, Co. Down, 1 November 1918), became a chorister and organ…...
Hay, Edward Norman
Hay, Edward Norman (1889–1943), composer, organist and critic, was born 19 April 1889 in Faversham, Kent, the only child of parents from Coleraine, Co. Londonderry, his father a customs and excise officer on a temporary posting. When his mother died some six weeks after the birth,…...
Hayes, Catherine
Hayes, Catherine (1818–61), soprano, was born 25 October 1818 at 4 Patrick St., Limerick, younger of two daughters of Arthur W. Hayes, a bandmaster with the local militia, and Mary Hayes (née Carroll) who worked in the household of the earl of Limerick. The Rev. Edmund Knox, the…...
Hayward, (Harold) Richard
Hayward, (Harold) Richard (1892–1964), author and singer, was born 25 October 1892, one among five sons and a daughter of Walter Scott Hayward and Louise Ivy Hayward. The family was English, but settled in Larne, Co. Antrim, and Richard attended Larne grammar school. After his marriage…...
Heeney, Patrick
This is a co-subject for the entry on Kearney, Peadar. View the original entry....
Hempson (O'Hempsy), Denis
Hempson (O'Hempsy), Denis (1695?–1807), harpist, was born at Braigmore, near Garvagh in the parish of Aghadowey, Co. Londonderry, one of three children born to Brian ‘Darrogher’ (‘Livid’) O'Hempsy, a substantial farmer; his mother was from the townland of Woodtown nearby. An attack…...
Hennessy, Christie
Hennessy, Christie (1945–2007), singer and songwriter, was born Edward Christopher Ross on 19 November 1945, in Tralee, Co. Kerry, the youngest of nine children (four boys and five girls) of James Ross, an electrician, and his wife Julia (née Griffin). They lived in a two-bedroom house…...