Ireland

Domnall Midi (‘of Meath’) (d. 763), son of Murchad and king of Tara, belonged to the Clann Cholmáin dynasty of Uí Néill. Domnall's reign saw further consolidation of his dynasty's position in the midlands, and the forging of close links between the Southern Uí Néill (which by…

Domnall Remur (d. 1041), son of Donnchad, a prominent Leinster dynast, belonged to the ruling lineage of Uí Chennselaig. Domnall, dubbed Remur (‘the fat’), was a brother of Diarmait (qv) son of Máel na mBó…

Donnán (d. 615) of Eigg, missionary and martyr in Scotland, was born (according to tradition) in north-eastern Ireland; he trained under Finnian (qv) of Movilla, and came as a missionary to Scotland sometime before 590. He…

Donnchad (d. 1039), son of Gilla-Pátraic, king of Osraige and overking of Leinster, belonged to the dynasty of Dál mBirn, which was traced to a proto-historic ancestor, Lóegaire Bern Buadach. Donnchad's father, Gilla-Pátraic son of Donnchad, died in 996 as king of Osraige. While the…

Donnchad (d. 1064), son of Brian, was a son of Brian Bórama (qv) and his wife Gormlaith (qv) (d. 1030), daughter of Murchad son of Finn of the Uí Fháeláin; she had previously been married to…

Donnchad Máel Na Mbó (d. 1006), son of Diarmait and king of Uí Chennselaig, belonged to the lineage of Síl nOnchon. He played an important part in retaining the Uí Chennselaig kingship for that segment of Síl nOnchon that later emerged as the family line of Mac Murchada. He was…

Donnchad Midi (‘of Meath’) (d. 797), son of Domnall Midi and king of Tara, belonged to the Clann Cholmáin dynasty of the Southern Uí Néill. Arguably the most powerful Irish king of his day, Donnchad suppressed resistance within his own province of Meath, acted as kingmaker in…

Donnelly (O'Donnelly), Patrick (Pádraig Ó Donnghaile) (1649–1716), catholic bishop of Dromore, born at Desertcreat, near Cookstown, Co. Tyrone, was possibly the son of the Patrick O'Donnelly who was deemed to be a person ‘excepted from pardon of life or estate’ under legislation of the…

Douglas, Caroline Margaret (1821–1904), marchioness of Queensberry , nationalist benefactor, was born in Ireland, younger daughter of Sir William Clayton , former army general and MP for Marlow, Buckinghamshire, England, and Alice Clayton (née O'Donel), an heiress originally…

Doyle, James Michael (1906–97), musician, soldier, and administrator, was born 24 August 1906, the eldest son and second of seven children of James Michael Doyle (1864–1946), chief clerk to ships’ chandlers McCann Verdon, and his wife Lucy Josephine née Brady (1881–1965), of 13 Iona…

Dromgoole, Thomas (c.1750–c.1826), doctor and controversialist, was born in Ireland. Little is known about his early career. Educated at Edinburgh University, he graduated as a medical doctor before moving to Dublin, where he established a practice at Dawson St.…

Du Bédat, Francis Edward (1851–1919), stockbroker, was the third son in the family of four sons and three daughters of William George Du Bédat (1815–89), a stockbroker in College Green, Dublin, and his wife Anne Letitia, daughter of Thomas Copperthwaite of Dublin. The Du Bédats were…

Ducart, Davis (fl. c.1760–85), engineer and architect, was probably born in Savoy. Contemporary variations of his name include Daviso de Arcort and Davis Duckart. His family background is obscure; one possibility is that he grew up in Piedmont and later served as a military…

Duffy, Patrick (d. 1675), Franciscan friar and catholic bishop of Clogher, was born in the early decades of the seventeenth century in the parish of Aghnamullan, Co. Monaghan. He was a member of a leading family of the old O'Duffy sept of Ballyduffy, Co. Monaghan, and nephew of…

Dungan (Dongan), Thomas (1590?–1663), lawyer and judge, was fourth son of John Dungan of Castletown, Co. Kildare, second remembrancer of the exchequer and an important figure in the Irish administration, and his wife Margaret, daughter of Walter Forster. Thomas's parents died…

Embury, Philip (1728–73), methodist preacher, was one of at least four sons and one daughter of tenant farmer Andreas Imberger, a German Palatine immigrant of 1709. Embury was baptised (29 September 1728) a member of the Church of Ireland in Ballingrane, Co. Limerick. With his cousin…

Éogan Bél (d. 543), son of Cellach and overking of Connacht, probably belonged to the dynasty of Uí Fhiachrach. While an account in the Book of Leinster represents him as a son of the Uí Briúin dynast Duí Galach (alias Duí Tenga Uma?), the tradition that names his father as…

Éogan Mainistrech (‘of the monastery') (d. 834), abbot of Armagh, Clonard, and Monasterboice, was probably of midlands origin. His father had the rare personal name of Ainbthech, which is attested among the Delbna. Éogan himself may well have commenced his career as fer…

Erard (Iorard, Urard) (d. 990), son of Cos, was celebrated as an important poet and as one of the principal learned men of pre-Norman Ireland. He seems to have spent his earlier career at Armagh: Geoffrey Keating (qv…

Eustace, James (1530–85), of Harristown, 3rd Viscount Baltinglass , was eldest son and heir of Sir Roland Eustace, 2nd Viscount Baltinglass, and his wife Joan, daughter of James Butler, Lord Dunboyne. The family was firmly catholic and James had as his tutor a priest and relative…

Eustace, Sir Maurice (1595?–1665), lord chancellor of Ireland, was eldest son of John Fitzwilliam Eustace of Harristown, Co. Kildare, and his wife Catherine. The Eustaces were a powerful Old English family, and while Maurice's branch had converted to protestantism, many of his…

Eustace, Sir Thomas (1480–1549), of Harristown, Co. Kildare, 1st Viscount Baltinglass , was the only son of Richard Eustace, son of Sir Edward FitzEustace of Castlemartin, lord deputy (1452–4), and his wife Anne, daughter of Robert Eustace of Ballyloughrane. He succeeded to the…

Everard, Sir Richard (c.1590–1660?), 1st baronet and Confederate, was born in Fethard, Co. Tipperary, second among three sons of Sir John Everard (qv), knight, of Fethard, lawyer, second justice of the king's bench, and his…

Fáelán (d. c.645), son of Colmán Már and king of northern Leinster, was an early representative of Uí Dúnlainge and is viewed by many historians as the founder of that dynasty's fortunes. According to the genealogies, his father was Colmán son of Cairpre, and his mother was…

Fáilbe (d. 679), 8th abbot of Iona and predecessor of Adomnán (qv), was a third cousin of Cumméne Find (qv), 7th abbot, and therefore a distant kinsman of…