FARRELLY, Peter: Public Life, Arts: b. Dundalk 1918?; ed. Dundalk
C.B.S., St. Patrick's Teacher Training College, Dundalk School of
Commerce; entered public service, serving in Dundalk and Tullamore;
became Town Clerk in Kilkenny in 1952 and for almost thirty years was
to be involved in every important civic and artictic endeavour in the
city; already a prize-winning producer of plays in Dundalk and
Tullamore (where he founded the Runners Drama Group), he was an
enthusiastic member of St. Mary's Choral Society, taking part in many
musicals, straight dramas and pantomines; he was a founder member of
the Kilkenny Beer Festival Committee with responsibility for its
cultural content, which included folk dancing, singing and art;
Committee member and Secretary of Kilkenny Arts Week; retired from
public service 1980; author of 600 Years of Theatre in Kilkenny
1366-1966, published 1996.
FENNELLY, James Joseph: Medicine: b. Callan 1931, ed. Callan CBS,
Clongowes Wood, University College Dublin (graduated 1957, MD 1964; on
staff of Medical Research Council 1958-60; Seton Hall 1960-63; Sloan
Kettering Institute, New York 1963-69; Consultant Physician, St.
Vincent's Hospital, Dublin 1969-. Miscellaneous publications in
British Medical Journal, International Journal of Medical Science,
Journal of the Irish Medical Association.
FIACRE, St.: Religion: b. North Connacht of noble (perhaps royal)
ancestry c. 590; came to Kilkenny as hermit 610-615, where he
established himself at Kilfera; set off on pilgrimage to France via
Iona; welcomed in Meaux area (on route taken earlier by St. Columban)
by the local bishop, St. Faro and his sister, St. Fara; became a
hermit in the Forest of Brevil in the Brie region (the monastic
community which grew up around his hermitage was later to become the
Abbey of Brevil); developed a large garden there, which resulted in
his becoming the patron saint of gardenerrs; his sister Syra (q.v.)
followed him to Meaux, where she entered a convent and later became
Abbess of the Convent of Troyes. St. Fiacre d. 670 and his shrine at
Brie soon became a place of pilgrimage for the next eight hundred
years until his body was removed for safety to the Cathedral at Meaux
on the outbreak of the Heugeneot Wars in 1568. He was venerated by
King Louis XIV, who had a shrine to him built at St. Germain-en-Laye,
which remains as a centre of devotion to him until the present day,
with a gardeners' procession and fair held there in July (the shrine
at Brie was destroyed during the French Revolution). In Kilkenny he
is associated with Ullard, near Graignamanagh, and with Kilfera, where
a festival was held in his honour until the 1930s.
FITZGERALD, Andrew O.P.: Religion: b. 1763, Kilkenny City, ed.
Kilkenny College; entered Dominican order c. 1781 and studied at
Louvain and Lisbon; ordained 1788; lectured at Lisbon until 1791, when
he returned to his native city, residing at the Black Abbey and
becoming involved in pastoral duties and teaching at the Academy, the
forerunner of St. Kieran's College, which had been established by
Bishop Troy ten years earlier; helped launch seminary course at the
college 1792; moved to Carlow College (established 1793) in 1800,
where he taught Classics, Philosophy, Theology and Scripture; his
pupils included Bishop John England, the Cork-born first bishop of
Charleston, South Carolina, John Thierry , pioneer of Australia, Peter
Kenny S.J., founder of Clongowes College; was involved in the
establishment of the convent of the Sisters of the Presentation from
Kilkenny in Carlow in 1811; moved in 1813 to the Dominican College,
Booterstown, Dublin but returned to Carlow following a protest by the
students at his departure; declined further advancement, including
appointment to the Chair of Scripture at Maynooth; became Dominican
Provincial for Ireland 1828, but continued to operate from Carlow;
became a firm friend and ardent supporter of Mother Catherine McAuley,
founder of the Mercy order; d. 1843 in Carlow, aged 80.
FITZGERALD, Milo: Religion: An Oxford-educated Augustinian priest from
a distinguished Kilkenny family background (the Brownsford
Fitzgeralds, also known as Barons), born about 1470, he was appointed
Prior of the order's abbey at Inistioge about 1500. He was nominated
Bishop of Ossory in 1527, keeping by special dispensation his position
and income at Inistioge. After the suppression of the monsasteries by
Henry VIII in 1540, he contin ued as bishop during the late 1540s,
when Edward VI came to power and the full effects of the Reformation
began to be felt. He died in 1550 and was buried in the tomb of his
forefathers at Inistioge.
FITZGIBBON, John: Public Life: b. 1847 ... ed. St. Kieran's College
... settled in Castlerea as businessman and became involved in local
and national politics, supporting Parnell and Home Rule and being
imprisoned on six occasions; Chriaman, Roscommon Co. Vouncil from its
establishment in 1899 until 1918; married Henrietta, daughter of
Kilkenny businessman Richard Duggan (of Monster House fame) in 1900
and was a regular visitor to Kilkenny; M.P. for East Mayo 1908 for
Redmond's National Party; d. 1919.
FITZGERALD, Richard: Religion: b. 1881, Midleton, Co. Cork; ed. St.
Colman's, Fermoy and Maynooth; ordained 1905; on staff, Maynooth
1905-07; pastoral appointments in Scotland 1907-09; staff, St.
Kieran's College 1919-12; Vice-rector, Irish College, Salamanca
1912-25; C.C. Macroom 1925-27; Bishop of Gibraltar 1927-56; d. 1956.
FITZJOHN, William: Religion: b. cc 1260 to an English family, he was a
Canon of St. Canice's Cathedral when he was elected Bishop of Ossory
in 1303; also held the important position of Chancellor of Ireland
during that time; appointed Bishop of Cashel in 1317 and Deputy
Governor of Ireland in the following year. He died in 1326.
FITZPATRICK, Edmund: Art: b. Freshford c. 1845?; to Dublin c. 1870,
where he became an illustrator for the Dublin Illustrated Journal; his
sketches were widely published both in Ireland and overseas and he was
also highly regarded as a painter ...
FLOOD, Frederick: Public Life: b. Co. Kilkenny 1741; became politician
and M.P. for Wexford; prominent in Volunteer movement; opposed the Act
of Union 1800; became a baronet in 1780; d. 1824.
FLOOD, Henry: Public Life: b. Kilkenny 1732; thought to be
illegitimate son of Warden Flood, Chief Justice of the King's Bench;
raised at the Flood family seat at Farmley, near ? ed. Trinity
College Dublin; Christchurch, Oxford and Inner Temple, London;
returned to Ireland 1759; became M.P. for Kilkenny in the Irish House
of Commons, later representing Callan Borough; appointed Leader of the
Opposition, a position he used to advocate an independent parliament;
appointed Vice-Treasurer of Ireland in 1775, a position then worth
£3500 a year; forced to stand down from this position in 1781, when
his popularity had in any case begun to wane and his leadership had
been challenged by Henry Grattan; purchased a seat as Member for
Winchester in the British House of Commons in 1783; failed to be
returned in 1790, when he returned once again to Kilkenny, where he
died in the following year, aged just 59.
FOGARTY, Thomas CSSp; Religion, Education: b. 1856 in Ballyouskill,
parish of Ballyragget; ed. local school and Blackrock College from
where he entered the Holy Ghost scholasticate to study for the
priesthood; ordained 1882; appointed Director of Scholasticate at
Rockwell College; went to Bechuanaland in 1887, where he was briefly
Vice-Prefect Apostolic of Cimbebasia; returned to Ireland where he was
soon appointed first President of St. Mary's College, Rathmines
(1890); later joined small mission-giving group established by the
order until appointed President of Blackrock College in 1907;
compelled by ill-health to resign in 1910 and died later the same
year, aged 54.
FOWLER, Luke: Religion: b. son of Archbishop Fowler of Dublin;
became Rector of St. Anne's; appointed Rector of Urney and Archdeacon
of Dublin but barred by the Lord Lietenant from taking up an offer of
the Deanery of St. Patrick's; a seasoned traveller, he visited France,
Switzerland and Poland before becoming Protestant Bishop of Ossory in
1813; d. ???; his son, also called Luke, became Rector of Freshford
in 1824, a position he was to hold for 52 years (he was one of only
two rectors to serve there in the 100 years between 1824 and 1924; the
other was Canon McCheane, q.v.); also involved in founding of Kilkenny
Archaeological Society; d. ???.
FURNISS, Richard: Communications: b. Kilkenny 1926?, member of a
long-established local family of craftsmen from Upper Patrick St.;
ed. St. Kieran's 1939-43 after a brief career in banking in Ireland,
West Indies and Australia, he worked as a journalist, founding and
editing The Gaelic Link in Melbourne and later becoming Publications
Officer of Mount Isa Mines (Queensland), where he worked on an
award-winning house journal; PR Manager, Alcoa Aluminum Group,
Australia, 1963; returned to Europe shortly afterwards, where he took
up an executive position with a public relations consultancy in
London.
GRAVES, James: Religion, Scholarship: b. Kilkenny, son of a minister
at St. Canice's Cathedral possibly of Thomastown commercial family
connection (also connected with steel business in New Ross and with
the poet Robert Graves); ed. Trinity (B.A. 1839); ordained 1840;
curate at Skeirke, near Borris in Ossory, St. Patrick's, Dublin and
St. Canice's, Kilkenny, where he began his involvement in archaeology
and history by excavating the round tower in the cathedral grounds in
1847. His friendship with the Marwuis of Ormonde allowed him access to
papers in Kilkenny Castle. Married Maria Nicholls in 1855 and took up
residence at Abbeyview, Thomastown, moving eight years later to
Ennisnag Glebe, where he was to live until his death in 1886. A
talented sketcher of buildings, he assembled artefacts for the museum
of the Kilkenny Archaeological Society, which he was instrumental in
founding. He wrote scholarly articles for learned journals, ultimately
contributing more than 40 pieces and acting as Honorary Editor of the
Journal of the Kilkenny Archaeological Society. He was also involved
in the restoration of several distinguished sites and buildings,
including Monasterboice, Glendalough, St. Francis Abbey, Kilfane,
Jerpoint and Rothe House, and had a special interest in Clonmacnoise,
where he led the restoration effort for the door and chancel arch of
The Nun's Chapel. His friendship with the Kilkenny-born antiquities
scholar John O'Donovan led him to support actively the restoration of
the Irish language. He arranged a meeting of the British Association
in Kilkenny in 1878 but could not attend due to illness. The Kilkenny
Archaeological Society ultimately became the Royal Society of
Antiquaries of Ireland, but the Kilkenny connection was maintained
through an annual visit by the Society to the city until 1900 (the
Kilkenny Archaeological Society was revived in 1949). James Graves
died in 1886 at Ennisnag and is buried ....
GRAY, Sir John: Public Life: b. Claremorris, Co. Mayo 1816; ed.
Glasgow, graduating in medicine in 1839; practised as doctor and
journalist, Dublin; became joint proprietor and political editor of
the Freeman's Journal 1841 (sole proprietor from 1850); supported
Daniel O'Connell' efforts to repeal the Penal Laws and was imprisoned
for conspiracy; member Dublin City Council 1852 and knighted following
year in recognition of his role in the commissioning of the Vartry
Water Scheme; M.P. Kilkenny 1865-75, supporting dis-establishment of
the Church of Ireland (through the Freemans Journal he institutes a
Commission on the subject which reported in 1868), reform of land
laws, free education. Died Bath 1875.
GRIERSON, Constantia: Scholarship, Writing: b. Kilkenny 1706; married
George Grierso, King's Printer, Dublin; became a friend of Dean
Jonathan Swift and was herself noted as 'a mistress of Greek, Hebrew,
Latin and French; understood Mathematics well and wrote elegantly in
verse and prose.' Died 1733, aged 27.
GRUBB, Thomas: Engineering: b. Kilkenny 1800; opened an engineering
shop in Dublin and successfully developed a machine for the engraving
of banknotes; diversified into manufacture of optical equipment for
observatories and supplied optics for Lord Rosse's famous telescope at
Birr and another installed at Melbourne, Australia, which was
described by the Royal Society as 'a masterpirce of engineering'.
Elected to membership of the Royal Irish Academy in 1839, he became a
Fellow of the Royal Society 1864 and the Royal Astronomical Society in
1870. He died in Dublin in 1878.
HACKET, David: Religion: b. about 1410, he became Prior of the
Augustinian monastery of Athassel, near Cashel, and was appointed
Bishop of Ossory in 1460. During an eighteen-year episcopate he
applied his architectural skills to a number of projects, including a
castle residence, the arch of the bell tower at St. Canice's
Cathedral, and a hall and kitchen at Clonmore. He died in 1478 and is
buried in St. Canice's Cathedral.
HACKETT, Francis: Writing: b. Kilkenny 1883 into a prominent family
which also produced a Jesuit priest ......? Went to New York in 1901,
where he embarked on a journalistic career, becoming editor of the
review Horizons in 1918 and of New Republic from 1920 to 1923. His
first fictional work Invisible Censor was published in 1921 and in
1927 he returned to Ireland, having married Signe Toksvig, a Dane. In
1934 he produced a historical work Francis the First and in the
following year his novel The Green Lion was published and promptly
banned in his native country. He moved to Denmark and lived there for
four years until the outbreak of World War II in 1939, when he went to
New York. He continued to produce works of history and fiction, among
them Queen Anne Boleyn (1939), and The Senator's Last Night (1943) .
He returned to Denmark in 1946 and produced The Personal History of
Henry the Eighth three years later. He died in Denmark in 1962.
HALTIGAN, James: Journalism: b. Kilkenny 1848, son of the 'Heroic
Fenian' John Haltigan(q.v.); ed. St. Kieran's College c. 1859-1864;
joined staff of Kilkeny Journal for a brief period until its
suppression in 1865; left for the United States, where he worked an
the New York Evening Globe and the Daily News and was also active in
the Printers' Union; established Celtic Monthly to promote Irish
literary heritage and Irish freedom, and was instrumental in
publishing the work of the Callan-born poet John Locke (q.v.); joined
by his father on the later's release from prison in Ireland; despite
the failure of the magazine because of lack of funds, he went on to
write a history of the Irish in the American Revolution and to become
a respected journalist on the staff of the New York World, from which
he retired in 1905. He died in 1905 leaving a widow, a daughter and
four sons. Most of his immediate family were also in the United States
by this time, including two brothers who were union officials in New
York, and a brother who was a Reading Clerk in the House of
Representatives in Washington. He died in 1910.
HALTIGAN, John: Publishing: printer foreman on the rebel journal The
Irish People, imprisoned for his part in revolutionary activities;
went to the United States on his release in 1873 and was joined by
most of his family; worked with his son James (q.v.) on the magazine
Celtic World ....
HEALY, Robert: Religion: b. Cruttenclough, parish of Muckalee 1925;
ed. St. Kieran's Colege (secondary 1938-43; seminary 1943-49);
ordained 1949 for service in the Australian diocese of Perth;
miscellaneous appointments as assistant pastor, including parishes in
the Kalgoorlie goldfields; pastor Wilagee 1965; diocesan consultor
1969; pastor, Cottesloe 1971; episcopal vicar for clergy 1973;
auxilary bishop of Perth and titular bishop of Mayo 1975.
HEGARTY, Austin: Public Service: b. 1920 Johnswell, where his parents
were both teachers; ed. St.Kieran's College 1933-41, including some
years in the seminary; miscelleanous administrative positions in the
state administration 1942 onwards, including civil service, Bord na
Mona, Irish Land Commission and Dail Eireann; Assistant to Clerk of
the Dail, a position that involved contact with parliamentarians in
Ireland and in other coutntries; m. Anne, d. 1977; retired to
Kilkenny, where he became involved in social services and
broadcasting; died1993.
HEGARTY, Maureen: History and Heritage: b. Johnswell (sister to
Austin); ed. UCC?; appointed to teaching staff of Presentation Sisters
Secondary School, Kilkenny, later becoming staff member and Vice
Principal of Loreto Secondary School; involved in Kilkenny
Archaeological Society as organiser, lecturer, contributor to
publications, Honorary Secretary and President; author of Isabella and
Catherine, a history of the Presentation Order in Kilkenny.
HELSHAM, Richard: Medicine: b. Kilkenny 1682 into one of the principal
families of the city, he became a notable physician and was appointed
Regius Professor at Trinity College Dublin in 1633; frind and doctor
to Jonathan Swift, he was the subject of a kindly verse by the famous
satirist.
HENDRICKEN, Thomas Francis: Religion: b. Kilkenny city 1827 into a
family believed to have been of German origin and to have come to
Ireland in the 17th. century; educated St. Kieran's College and
Maynooth, where he studied Humanities and demonstrated an ability in
English language and literature; in 1853 agreed to request by Bishop
O'Reilly of Providence (USA), then visiting Ireland, to join his
diocese; ordained by the bishop before setting out for America,
ministering to those struck by pestilence on the sea journey; short
appointments at Hartford Cathedral and Rhode Island parishes were
followed by pastorship at Waterbury, Conn., where he completed school,
church, presbytery, convent and cemetery developments; received
Doctorate in Divinity 1868; on creation of the Diocese of Hartford in
1872, he was appointed its first bishop and during the next fourteen
years, despite an asthmatic complaint, maintained an active ministry,
removing the existing cathedral debt, building an episcopal residence,
and drawing up plans for a new cathedral for which the foundation
stone was laid in 1878. He died in 186 before it was completed,
leaving his episopal ring and cross to the diocese of Ossory.
HEWITSON, Christopher: Arts: b. Kilkenny, son of a college master and
a mother who was a member of the Rothe family; became a noted
sculptor, based mainly in Rome, where he established a reputation
among art conoisseurs .....
HOBAN, James: Design: b. 1762, Callan; studied architecture under
Thomas Ivory at Dyblin Society's Architectural School; worked as
tradesman, probably a carpenter, on a number of Dublin buildings,
including the Custom House; emigrated to the United States in 1785,
living in Philadelphia and then in South Carolina, where he developed
his skills and reputation as an architect and won a competition to
design the State Capiutol building at Columbia in 1791. In 1792, at
the age of 30, he won a second design competition, this time for the
official residence of the President of the United States in
Washington; he was also retained, at a fee of £315, to supervise the
construction of the building that was to become known as The White
House.
He was responsible for the rebuilding of the presidential residence
after a disastrous fire in 1814, and also designed and built other
Washington landmarks, including The Great Hotel and The Little Hotel
(1795), and the State and War offices (1815). When the Federal
capital was incorporated as a city in 1802, Hoban was elected to the
first City Council, a position he was to retain for almost thirty
years (he had been a captain in the Washington Artillery since 1799).
He died a respected citizen of his adopted country in 1831 at the age
of 69, leaving an estate of £60000 – a millionaire by today's
standards.
HOLOHAN, Leo: Arts, Public Service: b. 1924, Ballylynch, Thomastown;
ed. Stoneyford N.S. and St. Kieran's College (1937-42); entered Civil
Service in 1942, serving in the Department of Social Welfare, where he
was to spend his etire career, becoming Principal Officer; produced a
number of articles and plays in Irish and English, and became an
authority on Irish writers of the late 19th. century, including George
Moore and Canon Sheehan; broadcast on a number of subjects, including
the arts and his favourit sporting interests, which included cricket,
greyhound racing, horse racing and hurling; long-time companion and
critic of the poet Patrick Kavanagh, whose obituary he wrote for the
Irish Times; d. Dublin 1979.