Co. Clare

Keane, Marcus (1815–83), land agent and antiquarian, was born on 7 February 1815, probably at the family seat of Beech Park, near Ennis, Co. Clare, the sixth son of thirteen children (eight boys and five girls) of Robert Keane (1774–1839), a landlord, land agent and JP, and his…

King, Richard Ashe (1839–1932), clergyman and writer, was born 9 November 1839 in Ennis, Co. Clare, son of Dr Luke White King, an ordained protestant minister who ran the endowed Erasmus Smith College in Ennis. Richard was educated at his father's school and at…

Kinsella, Sean (1931–2013), chef, was born on 24 June 1931 in Drimna, near Kilrush, Co. Clare, the son of Myles Kinsella, a labourer of William Street, Dublin, and his wife Bridget (née McMahon). He spent the first two years of his life with his mother's family in Cooraclare, Co. Clare…

Lane, Patrick ('Paddy') (1934–2012), farm leader and politician, was born on 7 September 1934 in the family home at Parteen, Co. Clare, the only son among three children of Thomas Lane, farmer, and his wife Gertrude (née McCormack). A sports enthusiast, Paddy was a four-time Munster…

Langan, Peter Daniel (1941–88), restaurateur, was born 13 May 1941 in Co. Clare, elder son of Daniel Langan, Irish rugby international and managing director of Regent Oil (later Texaco Ireland), and Nellie Langan (née Callinan), daughter of a publican in Castleclare, Co. Clare. He…

Lenihan, Patrick James (1902–70), civil servant, company director, and TD, was born 4 September 1902 in Lickeen, Ennistimon, Co. Clare, son of Patrick Lenihan, national school teacher, and Hannah Lenihan (née McIherney). Educated at St Joseph's College, Ballinasloe, and…

Loughnane, William (‘Bill’, ‘Willie’) (1915–82), hurler, musician, doctor, and politician, was born 5 August 1915 in Feakle, Co. Clare, son of Willie Loughnane, farmer and shopkeeper, and Kate Loughnane (née McInerney), and educated at Feakle national school, St Flannan's College…

Lucas, Charles (1713–71), politician, physician, and writer, was born 16 September 1713, the younger son of Benjamin Lucas (d. c.1727) of the townland of Ballingaddy, Kilmanahan parish, Corcomroe, Co. Clare, and his wife, Mary (née Blood), also of Co. Clare. …

Lynch, Patrick Gregory (1866–1947), KC, barrister, and politician, was born 10 February 1866 in Latoon House, Co. Clare, fifth among six children of John Lynch, farmer, and Elizabeth Lynch (née Kelly) of Dromona, Dysert. He graduated from the…

Lynch, Patrick (Ó Loingsigh, Pádraig ) (1754/7–1818), schoolmaster and scholar was born 17 March in either 1754 or 1757, in Quin, Co. Clare. He attended a hedge school for his early education in Ennistymon, Co. Clare, where his teacher, Donnchadh ‘an Chairn’ Ó Mathghamhna, taught Latin…

Mac Cluain, Seoirse (1894–1949), Irish-language scholar, was born 16 February 1894 in Capparoe, Scariff, Co. Clare, son of farmer John Clune and his wife, Ellen Rohan. He received his earliest education in Scariff national school and afterwards in the Sacred Heart College in Limerick…

Mac Cruitín, Aindrias (c.1670–1738), poet and scribe, was born at Moyglass, about 8 km south of Milltown Malbay, Co. Clare. The Mac Cruitíns were one of the hereditary learned families of Gaelic society and acted as seanchaithe (antiquaries or chroniclers) to the O'…

Mac Cruitín, Aodh ‘Buí’ (MacCurtin, Hugh) (c.1680–1755), poet and antiquary, was born in the parish of Kilmacrehy, Co. Clare, close to the modern village of Liscannor. The MacCurtins belonged to the hereditary learned caste of Gaelic society and members of the family served the…

MacNeill, Máire (1904–87), folklorist, was born 7 December 1904 at Hazelbrook, Portmarnock, Co. Dublin, fifth child and second daughter of John (Eoin) MacNeill (qv) and Agnes (‘Taddie’) MacNeill (née Moore). After the family moved to 19…

Mahon, Charles James Patrick (The O'Gorman Mahon) (1803–1891), politician and adventurer, was born (or so he claimed) 17 March 1803 at Ennis, Co. Clare, eldest son among three sons and one daughter of Patrick Mahon, merchant and JP, and…

Malone, Sylvester (1822–1906), priest, ecclesiastical historian, and Irish-language enthusiast, was born in the parish of Kilmally, Co. Clare, son of Jeremiah Malone and Mary Malone (neé Slattery). A fluent Irish-speaker since his youth, he was educated at Maynooth and ordained in 1853…

Malone, Thomas (1857–1919), champion athlete, was born in Clouna, Ennistymon, Co. Clare, eldest among thirteen children of Michael Malone, farmer and publican, and Mary Malone (née Quinn). He first came to local prominence as an athlete at the Miltown Malbay steeplechase of October…

McDonald, Patrick Joseph (‘Babe’) (1878–1954), Olympic athlete, was born Patrick Joseph McDonnell 29 July 1878, in Co. Clare, son of a poor farming family; his parents' names are unknown. He emigrated to the United States in 1901; his surname was misunderstood at Ellis Island and…

McInerney, Pat (‘Fowler’) (1893–1987), hurler, was born 19 March 1893 in Garrynakilla, Ennis, Co. Clare, son of Francis McInerney, drover, and Bridget McInerney (née Gleeson). Raised in Belvoir, near Kilkishen, he played hurling for the O'Callaghan's Mills club, winning his first…

McNamara, Kevin (1926–87), catholic archbishop of Dublin, was born 10 June 1926 in Newmarket-on-Fergus, Co. Clare, the second of five children (three girls and two boys) of Patrick J. McNamara, from Coolmeen (near Kildysart), and his wife Eileen, née Breen, a native of Cooraclare. Both…

McTigue, Mike (Michael Francis) (1892–1966), boxer, was born 26 November 1892 in Lickaune, Kilnamona, Co. Clare, one of eleven sons and a daughter of Pat McTigue, farmer of Kilnamona, and Ellen McTigue (née Neylon). He emigrated to New York in 1912. While working as a beef handler, he…

Meany, Stephen Joseph (1822–88), nationalist, journalist, and poet, was born 12 September 1822 at Newhall, parish of Killone, Co. Clare, into a smallholding family. His mother was Mary (née Sheehan) Meany. His father died young and Stephen was adopted and educated by his uncle,…

Merriman, Brian (c.1749–1805), poet, was born in Ennistymon, Co. Clare. Very little is known with certainty about him. His name is more than likely a variant of the west Clare surname Marrinan. His father was a stonemason, who worked on the building of the Deer Park walls…

Moloney, Frances Isabella Sophia Mary (Sister Mary Patrick) (1873–1959), co-founder of the Missionary Sisters of St Columban, was born 18 April 1873 in London, daughter of Henry Owen Lewis , landlord and later MP for Carlow (1874–80), and Frances Owen Lewis (née Elsegood). The…

Monsell, Harriet (1811–83), founder of the Sisterhood of St John the Baptist and anglican saint, was born in Dromoland, Co. Clare, eighth child of Sir Edward O'Brien (1773–1837), landowner and MP (Ennis, 1795–1800; Co. Clare, 1802–26), and his wife, Charlotte Smith (d. 1856) of…