Co. Down

Loughlin, John (1817–91), first catholic bishop of Brooklyn, New York, was born 20 December 1817 in Clonduff, Co. Down, son of John Loughlin, tenant farmer, and Mary Loughlin (née McNulty). Emigrating to the United States with his parents in 1829 or 1830, young Loughlin received…

Lowry, Robert Lynd Erskine (1919–99), Baron Lowry , lord chief justice of Northern Ireland, was born 30 January 1919, only son of William Lowry (qv), judge of the Northern Ireland high court, and his wife Catherine Hughes, daughter of…

Lynn, Robert John (1873–1945), unionist politician and journalist, was born near Bushmills, Co. Antrim, the son of a small farmer. Following his education at a local national school and further private tuition, in 1893 he began his journalistic career, first working in Derry and…

Lynn, William Henry (1829–1915), architect and landscape painter, was born 27 December 1829 at St John's Point, Co. Down, elder of two sons of Lt Henry Lynn, RN, of the Irish Coast Guard Service, and Margaretta Lynn (née Ferres). He was educated at a…

Lyttle, Richard (1866–1905), land campaigner, nationalist, and non-subscribing presbyterian minister, was born 6 March 1866 at Barnhill, a farm near Dromore, Co. Down, owned by his father, Richard Lyttle, a merchant in Dromore whose family had been gentlemen farmers near…

Lyttle, Thomas (‘Tucker’) (1939–95), loyalist paramilitary leader, was born in the Shankill area of Belfast and lived in Sydney Street (off the Shankill Road). He was a machinist at Mackie's foundry at the time when he became a founding member of the…

Macafee, Charles Horner Greer (1898–1978), physician, was born on 23 July 1898 at the Manse, Dergmoney, Omagh, the only son and elder child of the Reverend Andrew Macafee, presbyterian minister, and his wife Annie Horner Macafee (née Crowe), MBE (Member of the Order of the British…

MacArthur, Sir William Porter (1884–1964), army medical officer, Irish-language scholar, and historian, was born 11 March 1884 at Belmont, east Belfast, Co. Down, the only son of John Porter MacArthur (d. 1930), tea merchant, and his wife Margaret Rainey (d. 1936), daughter of William…

Mac Cathmhaoil (Mac Aingil), Aodh (MacCaghwell, Hugh; Cavellus, Hugo) (1571–1626), Franciscan scholar and catholic archbishop of Armagh, was born in Downpatrick, Co. Down, a member of a Gaelic learned family that was originally located in Clogher, Co. Tyrone. Given his proficiency as a…

MacDonald (McDonald), James Alexander (1853–1928), rugby international and rugby and medical administrator, was born in Newtownards, Co. Down, on 1 July 1853 (some sources suggest 1848/9), one of at least four brothers, two of whom (Robert and Malcolm) were connected with banking.…

MacKnight (McKnight), James (1801–76), journalist and agrarian reformer, was born 27 February 1801 near Grallagh House, Rathfriland, Co. Down, son of an Irish-speaking presbyterian smallholder; other details of his parents are unknown. As a youth he aspired to the presbyterian…

Magee, John ('Jack') (1914–93), historian and teacher, was born 11 December 1914 in Belfast, son of Francis Magee, a fireman and later an engine driver on the Great Northern Railway, and his wife Mary; he had at least one brother and a sister. His father was transferred to Clones, Co.…

Magennis, William (1867–1946), academic, politician, and proponent of censorship, was born 18 May 1867 in Kilmore, Co. Down, the second son of Hugh Magennis, painter, and his wife Catherine Magill. Educated at CBS Belfast and…

Maginess, (William) Brian (1901–67), politician and judge, was born 10 July 1901 in Hillsborough, Co. Down, son of William George Maginess, a Lisburn solicitor, and Mary Sarah Maginess (née Boyd). Brian (as he was always known) was educated at the Downshire School, Hillsborough; Lisburn…

Malcolm, Andrew George (1818–56), physician and social reformer, was born 17 December 1818 in Newry, Co. Down, sixth child and fourth son among five sons and two daughters of the Rev. Andrew George Malcom (1782–1823), presbyterian minister, and Eleanor Malcom (née Hunter). Andrew…

This is a co-subject for the entry on Malcolm, Andrew George. View the original entry.

Malleson (Annesley), Lady Constance Mary (‘Colette O'Niel’) (1895–1975), actress and writer, was born 24 October 1895 at Castlewellan, Co. Down, the second daughter of the marriage of Hugh, fifth earl of Annesley (qv) and Priscilla…

Martin, Henry Newell (1848–96), physiologist, was born 1 July 1848 at Newry, Co. Down, the eldest of twelve children of a congregational minister who later became a schoolmaster. Educated at University College, London, in 1870 he won a scholarship to Christ's College, Cambridge,…

Martin, John (1812–75), nationalist journalist and politician, was born 8 September 1812 at Loughorne, near Newry, Co. Down, second son of Samuel Martin (d. 1831), a presbyterian farmer and co-owner of a linen manufactory, and Jane Martin (née Harshaw; d. 1847) of Ringbane. His…

Martin, Sir James (1893–1981), aeronautical engineer, was born 11 September 1893 at Killinchy Woods, Crossgar, Co. Down, son of Thomas Martin, farmer and inventor, and Sarah Martin (née Coulter). He had one sister. Their mother was widowed when James was two, and he was privately…

Mason (Derrig), Sinéad (‘Jenny’) (1899–1991), civil servant, was born 2 March 1899 in Craigaroddan, Ards, Co. Down, eldest of eight children of Thomas Mason and Catherine Mason (née Merron). Educated at Ballyphilip national school, Ards, she moved to Dublin to live with her aunt…

Maxwell, William Hamilton (1792–1850), novelist, historian, and clergyman, was born 30 June 1792 in Market St., Newry, Co. Down, son of James Maxwell, merchant, and his wife, a daughter of William Hamilton. He witnessed the hanging of two United Irishmen in the town in 1798.…

Mayne, Robert Blair (‘Paddy’) (1915–55), sportsman and soldier, was born 11 January 1915 at Mount Pleasant, Newtownards, Co. Down, third son of William Mayne, businessman, and Margaret Mayne (née Blair). Initially educated at Brown's school in Newtownards, he then attended the…

McAlery, John Mecredy (c.1850–1925), soccer player and official, was born in Rathfriland, Co. Down, son of Hugh McAlery, farmer, and his wife Eliza Jane (née McCready). He is generally credited with being the driving force behind the introduction of association football to…

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…