Cooke, Robert Francis
Cooke, Robert Francis (1821–82), catholic priest and author, was born 14 February 1821 in Dungarvan, Co. Waterford, son of a businessman; no other details of his family are known. He was educated locally and subsequently studied medicine in Dublin, before becoming an assistant…...
Coppinger, William
Coppinger, William (1753–1831), catholic bishop of Cloyne and Ross, was born 20 May 1753 in St Finbar's parish, Co. Cork, son of Stephen William Coppinger and Joanna Coppinger, a cousin. He was educated in France, where he briefly considered a military career and even applied for…...
Corcoran, Timothy
Corcoran, Timothy (1872–1943), priest and educationist, was born 17 January 1872 at Honeymount, Dunkerrin, Co. Tipperary, eldest son of Thomas Corcoran, a large farmer, and Alice Corcoran (née Gleeson). His father was locally prominent in the Land League and Gaelic Athletic Association…...
Corish, Patrick Joseph
Corish, Patrick Joseph (1921–2013), priest and historian, was born on 17 March 1921 in Ballytarsna near Ballycullane, Co. Wexford, the son of Peter William Corish, a schoolteacher, and his wife Brigid (née O’Shaughnessy). Patrick had five brothers and one sister, and remained close to…...
Cosgrave, Mary Anne (Patrick)
Cosgrave, Mary Anne (Patrick) (1863–1900), pioneer nurse in Rhodesia, educationist, and Dominican prioress, was born 22 May 1863 in Summerhill, Co. Meath, one of four children of a member of the Irish Constabulary, who came from Ballysilla, near Oulart Hill, Co. Wexford. Her…...
Cotter, Brigid Mary
Cotter, Brigid Mary (1921–78), chemist and barrister, was born 3 January 1921 in Roscommon, the eldest daughter in the family of twelve children of Nicholas Patrick Cotter, the chief agricultural officer for Roscommon, and his wife, Bridie, née O'Brien. Brigid was educated at the…...
Courtney, Michael Aidan
Courtney, Michael Aidan (1945–2003), catholic archbishop and Vatican diplomat, was born 5 February 1945 in Nenagh general hospital, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary, youngest child among four sons and three daughters of Aloysius Daniel 'Louis' Courtney (see below), medical doctor, of 23 Summerhill…...
Cowley, Jane (Sister Mary Teresa)
Cowley, Jane (Sister Mary Teresa) (1857–1914), Sister of Mercy, Boer war nurse, and educator, was born in Dunshaughlin, Co. Meath, daughter of John Cowley and Margaret Cowley (née Loughran). She entered the Convent of Mercy, Strabane, Co. Tyrone, on 2 February 1877, taking the…...
Coyle, Anthony
Coyle, Anthony (1728–1801), catholic bishop of Raphoe, poet, and antiquarian, was born in Listack, near Letterkenny, Co. Donegal, son of a farmer. Educated at the Irish college in Paris, he was expelled in his fourth year for various mischiefs, including writing a pamphlet…...
Coyne, Edward Joseph
Coyne, Edward Joseph (1896–1958), Jesuit priest, was born 20 June 1896 in Dublin, eldest of five children of William P. Coyne (qv), head of the statistical section of the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction, and…...
Creagh, John
Creagh, John (1870–1947), Redemptorist priest, was born 19 August 1870 in Thomondgate, Limerick, son of John Creagh, clerk, and Mary Creagh (née Tyrsonnon). Initially educated by the Christian Brothers, he joined the Redemptorist order at 14. In 1887 he was sent to Liverpool, where he…...
Creagh, Peter (‘Piers Crevens’)
Creagh, Peter (‘Piers Crevens’) (c.1640–1705), catholic archbishop of Dublin, was born into a highly reputable Limerick family. He was the great-nephew of Richard Creagh (qv), archbishop of Armagh, and the nephew of Dr John…...
Creagh, Richard
Creagh, Richard (c.1523–c.1588), catholic archbishop of Armagh, was born in Limerick, one of at least three children of Nicholas Creagh, merchant, and his wife, Joan White, both of Limerick. Having been apprenticed to a merchant there, he traded in his own right until…...
Crean, Thomas Joseph
Crean, Thomas Joseph (1873–1923), rugby player, military doctor, and VC holder, was born 19 April 1873 in Morrison's Hotel, Dawson Street, Dublin, the second son and fifth of the eight children of Michael Theobald Crean, barrister of the Irish land commission, and his wife, Emma,…...
Cregan, Donal Francis
Cregan, Donal Francis (1911–95), priest, educationist, and historian, was born 16 May 1911 in Newcastlewest, Co. Limerick, only son among three children of John D. Cregan, shopkeeper, and Elizabeth Cregan (née Foley). He attended (1924–9) Castleknock College, Dublin, after which…...
Crelly, Patrick
Crelly, Patrick (fl. 1640s–1650s), Cistercian abbot of Newry, rose to prominence during the 1640s as agent for and advisor to Randal MacDonnell, 2nd earl of Antrim (qv). In the spring of 1648 Crelly accompanied Antrim,…...
Croker, Richard Welsted (‘Boss’)
Croker, Richard Welsted (‘Boss’) (1841–1922), politician, was born 23 November 1841 at Clonakilty, Co. Cork, third son among three sons and two daughters of Eyre Coote Croker (d. 1883), army officer and veterinary surgeon, and Florence Croker, daughter of John Welsted of Ballywalter, Co…...
Croke, Thomas William
Croke, Thomas William (1823–1902), catholic archbishop of Cashel, was born on 19 May 1823 at Dromin, Castlecor, near Kanturk, Co. Cork, the third of eight children (six boys and two girls) of William Croke, land agent there to Joseph Deane-Freeman, and of his wife Isabella, daughter of…...
Crolly, George
Crolly, George (1813–78), catholic priest and theologian, was born 11 February 1813 in the townland of Ballyrolly, in the parish of Downpatrick, Co. Down. A son of John Crolly, who farmed at Ballyrolly, and a nephew of William Crolly (…...
Crolly, William
Crolly, William (1780–1849), catholic archbishop of Armagh (1835–49), was born 8 June 1780 at Ballykilbeg (about four miles from Downpatrick, Co. Down), son of John and Mary Crolly. The Swordes family (Crolly was the Gaelic version of the name), of Anglo-Norman origin, held…...
Crommelin, Andrew Claude de la Cherois
Crommelin, Andrew Claude de la Cherois (1865–1939), astronomer, was born 6 February 1865 at Cushendun, Co. Antrim, grandson of Nicholas Crommelin (qv), and third son among twelve children of Nicholas…...
Crotty, Bartholomew
Crotty, Bartholomew (1769–1846), college head and catholic bishop of Cloyne, was born 1 September 1769 at Clonakilty, Co. Cork, son of a prosperous weaver; nothing else is known of his family. He was educated locally and at a classical school at Glanworth, Co. Cork, from which,…...
Crotty, Michael
Crotty, Michael (1794/5–1862), catholic priest and Church of England clergyman, was born at Broadford, Co. Clare, son of James Crotty, a farmer, and his wife, Catherine (née Drew). At the age of nineteen he entered St Patrick's College, Maynooth, to train for the priesthood (September…...
Crotty, Peter ('Pete')
Crotty, Peter ('Pete') (1925–2003), boxer, called the 'Iron Man of Dungarvan ', was born 4 September 1925 at Shandon, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford, the son of Peter Crotty, a labourer, and Ellen Crotty (née Dennehy; late Riordan). One of at least three brothers and a sister (as listed at…...
Crotty, William
Crotty, William (1808–56), catholic priest and presbyterian minister, was born at Broadford, Co. Clare, son of Patrick Crotty and his wife Sarah (née Vaughan), and educated at the Irish college, Paris, being ordained priest there on 12 January 1832. He was appointed curate in…...