CAMPION, John Thomas: Writing, Medicine: b. Kilkenny 1814; practised
as doctor in city, where he also became interested in journalism,
contributing articles to political reviews including The Nation, The
United Irishman, and The Irish Felon. Wrote a number of historical
works, including The Last Struggles of the Irish Sea Smugglers,
published in Glasgow in 1869. D. 1890.
CANDLER, Daniel: Ancestry: b. Callan, about 1720 to a family descended
from a Colonel William Candler of Northampton, granted lands in
Dunamaggin and Mullinavat in 1649; his son Thomas, a captain in the
Williamite wars, established himself first at Kilbline Castle, near
Bennettsbridge, then at Callan Castle (in West Street), about 1698.
His son Daniel, forced to emigrate with his Catholic wife Hannah, to
America in 1735, when they settled near Lynchburg, Virginia. There
they acquired 400 acres near a hill still known as 'Candler's
Mounmtain' and became Quakers. Daniel died in 1765; Hanna lived to be
105, and died in 1800. Their son, Colonel William (1736-1784), was
highly regarded for his role in the War of Independence. His
great-grandson Asa Candler (1851-1929), originally a pharmacist in
Cartersville, Georgia, established in 1892 the enterprise that was to
become the giant Atlanta-based Coca Cola corporation (the original
formula was devised by John Pemberton in 1886, and Asa had taken an
interest in the project from 1888; he revised the formula in 1891). In
1916 Candler handed the very successful company over to his son and
became Mayor of Atlnata. In 1919 the company was sold and ten years
later Asa Candler died, having financed Emory University and a
teaching hospital in Atlanta. His home, named Callan Castle, is now a
museum.
CANE, Robert: Public Life, Scholarship: b. Kilkenny 1807; ed. ?;
became enthusiastic Young Irelander and civic leader; Mayor 1844;
imprisoned for his political views; founded Celtic Union; wrote
History of the Williamite and Jacobite Wars, published after his death
in 1848.
CANTWELL ('The Long Man of Kilfane'): Military: A thirteenth-century
head of the Cantwell clan, who owned extensive lands in Co. Kilkenny
in the early Middle Ages, he is immortalised in an effigy carved on a
tomb in the ruined church of Kilfane in the parish of Tullaherin
(Bennettsbridge). Also known as 'Tall Cantwell', he is represented in
warrior dress with the Cantwell coat of arms on his shield.
CANTWELL, Oliver: Religion: b. about 1450, this native Kilkennyman?
became a Dominican priest and was appointed Bishop of Ossory in 11487,
although he did not take up duty until 1496. He was to spend over
thirty years as bishop and is credited with building two 'castles' at
Aghoure and Freneystown, and with repairing the bridge at Irishtown
after it had fallen in a flood. He maintained the habit and lifestyle
of a Dominican until his death in 1527 and is burried in the Black
Abbey in Kilkenny City.
CARRIGAN, William: Religion, Scholarship: b. 1860, Ruthstown,
Ballyfoyle, the youngest of thirteen children, of whom two others were
also to become priests; ed. St. Kieran's College and Maynooth, where
he graduated in Arts and from where he was ordained for the diocese of
Ossory in 1884. Taught English and Classics at St. Kieran's from 1884
to 1886, and served as curate in four locations before appointment to
Durrow, Co. Laois in 1897. Here he was to spend the remaining 27 years
of his life as curate and (from 1909) as parish priest. From an early
stage he had been gathering data on the antiquities and history of the
parishes of Ossory, which he had entered in voluminous notebooks. In
1897, with the blessing of Bishop Brownrigg, he began the writing of
his four-volume History and Antiquities of the Diocese of Ossory,
which covered the ecclesiastical history and antiquities of every
parish as well as the early secular history and rulers of the Ossory
territories, some secular antiquities and accounts of prominent
familes, an account of each of the ?? bishops of Ossory to that time,
and more than 150 photographs and illustrations. The work was
published with the aid of subscriptions in 1906, and sold passably
well, but the plates and remaining copies were destroyed in a fire at
the printers and the volumes were virtually unobtainable until their
republication in 1981. Carrigan was awarded an honorary doctorate by
the Pope, and created Canon. He continued to work on historical
research, being published widely in journals and reviews on a wide
variety of topics. He died in 1923.
CLARKE, Thomas: Military, Ancestry: b. Aharney, Lisdowney .... joined
Irish Brigade, France; father (1765) of Henry James William Clarke,
later Marshal of France, who was Minister of War to Napoleon and who
died as Duc de Feltre in 1818 .... IR
CLIVE, Kitty: Entertainment: b. Kilkenny 1711; emigrated to London
where she became famous in theatrical circles, acting with Colly
Cibber at Drury Lane and also in David Garrick's company. D. 1785,
buried at Twickenham; Horace Walpole erected a memorial over her grave with the inscription
Ye smiles and jests, still hover round
This much-consecrated ground
Here lies the laughter-loving dame
A matchless actress, Clive her name
The comic muse with her retired
And shed a tear when she expired
CLYN, John: Religion, Scholarship: origins unknown, but joined the
Franciscan order about 1300 and became first custodian of the friary
at Carrick-on-Suir; came to Kilkenny friary where he wrote his famous
Annals of life in the city and the country, including accounts of the
effects of the plague which raged from ......His work was republished
in 1849 by the newly-formed Kilkenny Archaeological Society on the
500th. anniversary of his death.
COLE, Joseph Edgar: Education, Public Life: b. Belfast ??? (son born
there 1903) : Kilkenny 19??; established Kilkenny School of Shorthand,
which taught subjects such as Business Practice, Typing and
Telegraphy, at Green Street; was a member of Kilkenny Corporation for
a number of years; father of Francis Edward Cole, banker and managing
director, Trident Finance (10 Duke St.)
COLLES, Abraham: Medicine: b. 1773 Millmount; ed. Trinity College,
Dublin; Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh and London. Returned to
Ireland 1797 and established himself as a surgeon in Dublin at Dr.
Steeven's Hospital, where he was to continue in practice until 1841;
elected President of the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland in 1802
at the age of 29 (President again in 1830); Professor of Anatomy,
Royal College of Surgeons, from 1804 to 1826); highly regarded for his
learning and ability in both Ireland and Britain and is said to have
declined a baronetcy before his death at the age of 70; buried in
Donnybrook.
COLLIER, Patrick: Religion: b. Camross, Co. Laois 1880; ed. St.
Kieran's College, Maynooth; ordained 1907; curate in Shrewsbury
diocese, England (at St. Alban's Church, Wallasey) 1907-1911;
Professor, St. Kieran's 1911-1921; pastoral appointment 1921-28
(Cullohill; St. Patrick's Kilkenny 1923); President, St. Kieran'd
College 1925-28; Co-adjutor (1925) and Bishop (1928-1964) of Ossory,
one of only four in the 20th. century. Firmly of the 'old school', but
with a kindly heart, he was a bishop and leader for his times.
COMERFORD, Christopher: Research, Industry: b. Windgap; ed. St.
Kieran's, UCD; graduated in Agriculture 1956?; joined teaching staff
of St. Kieran's College, 1957; became researcher and Head of Research,
Agricultural Institute; joined Irish Sugar Company as senior member of
research and advisory team, ultimately becoming deputy chief executive
and assisting in transformation into diversifed public company as
Greencore, with interests in milling ..... as well as sugar
manufacture. Became Chief Executive of Greencore Group, but forced to
resign as a result of financial issue; became consultant and adviser
to Fyffes Group, joining their senior executive staff as head of Geest
fruit importing and distribution business headquartered in
Southampton, England.
COMERFORD, John: Art; b. Kilkenny 1762; began career as an artist by
copying pictures in Kilkenny Castle gallery; exhibited in Royal
Academy and was noted for his miniature portraits of male subjects; d.
1832. .....IR
COMERFORD, Brigid (Sr. Teresa): Religion, Education: b. Coolgreaney,
Thomastown? 1821; ed. Mrs. Doyle's Academy, Brigidine Convent School,
Tullow; entered Presentation order, Kilkeny and was professed in 1844;
in 1852 was given an unexpected (and long-sought) opportunity to join
a small group opf Presentation sisters travelling from Midleton, Co.
Cork to a mission in California; difficult travel and local conditions
on arrival in San Francisco led others to return to Ireland, leaving
Sr. Teresa and one other to maintain a presence; converted a building
at Powell St. to convent and school, 1854; joined by her sister, Sr.
Bernard, and others and also assisted by her brothers Fr. Pierce, a
missionary in Mauritius, and Dr. Edmund, a Kilkenny-based general
practitioner; opened new convent and school building at Taylor & Ellis
Streets and established new foundation at Berkeley 1878; returned to
Ireland same year to plan novitiate at Kilcock, Co. Kildare, where she
spent two years but also contracted a serious illness; returned to
U.S. where she died in 1880. Her San Francisco foundations were the
bases for further foundations in California, Washington and New Mexico
states.
CONDON, Richard: Writing: Famed U.S.-born author of books such as The
Manchurian Candidate, Prizzi's Honour etc. who lived at Kilmurray
House, near Thomastown for some years during the 1970s and 1980s.
CONGREVE, William: Drama: b. Leeds 1670; came to Ireland 1674 with his
father, an army officer; educated at Kilkenny College and Trinity
College, Dublin where Jonathan Swift was a contemporary and became a
life-long friend; studied law initially but changed to literature; had
early success in London with comedy dramas including The Old Bachelor
(1693), The Double Dealer (1694), Love for Love (1695), The Mourning
Bride, The way of the World (1700). Other plays were less successful
and he retired from active involvement in the literary scene to live
on sinecures until his death in 1729.
COOGAN, Eamonn: Public Life: b. Castlecomer; ed. ? (B.Sc., B. Comm.,
B.L.); Principal, Limerick School of Commerce; Inspector, Department
of Local Government. Aged 26, appointed Assistant Commissioner of the
Civic Guard (Garda Siochana) following their formation in 1922 and
deputised for the Commissioner (Eoin O'Duffy) in the controversial
early years of the new Irish state. Coogan continued in office after
the removal of O'Duffy by a new Fianna Fail government in 1933, but
Coogan's own dismissal from his position was to follow in 1936 and he
returned to the rank of Chief Superintendent until his retirement in
1941 at the age of 45. He became a member of Dun Laoire Borough
Council and a T. D. for Carlow Kilkenny after the 1944 elections; he
was nominated for the constituency again in 1948 but died before the
election took place. Married to Beatrice Coogan, the author, he was
father of hournalist and writer Tim Pat Coogan, former editor of the
Irish Press.
CORBETT-WILSON, Denys: Aviation: Member of a prominent English family, he took up residence with his mother at Jenkinstown in 1909, where they installed a full house and grounds staff; became involved in many
local field sports, qualified as a pilot; became the first person to
fly from England to Ireland (a journey that took 100 minutes) on 22nd.
May 1912; after crash landing in Wexford later took off for North
Kilkenny, where he encountered further aerial adventures; left
Kilkenny 1913; commissioned into Royal Flying Corps 1914; killed in
action 1915.
CROKER, John: Public Life: b. c. 1360; Soverign of Kilkenny during a
time of great agitation by native Irish princes in Leinster; raised an
army in Kilkenny which defeated the O'Carrolls of Ely
(Tipperary/Offaly area) and slew 800 of their followers in 1407.
Croker's Cross was erected in Kilkenny city by its grateful
inhabitants as a mark of respect and gratitude.... IR?
CROTTY, Kieran: Business, Public Life: b. Kilkenny 1930, son of
Patrick Crotty (q.v.); educated St. Kieran's College, where he was a
member of the team which won the All-Ireland Colleges Hurling
Championship in 1948; followed father into bakery trade and public
life, becoming a member of Kilkenny Corporation (1967) and Fine Gael
T. D. for Carlow-Kilkenny 1969. Mayor of Kilkenny 1971-2,1972-3,
1989-90. Chairman, Fine Gael Parliamentary Party from 19?? until
retirement from national politics in 1991?. Retired from local
politics in 1999.
CROTTY, Patrick J.: Business, Public Life: b. Kilkenny; ed. ?; entered
family bakery and confectionery business, and later became involved in
civic life as member of Kilkenny Corporation and Kilkenny County
Council; also involved in other local initiatives including
establishment of Kilkenny Engineering Products to create employment;
nominated as Fine Gael candidate in general election of 1948 in the
new 5-seater Carlow-Kilkenny constituency and returned with James
Hughes as party entered first Coalition Government; re-elected 1951,
1954, 1958, 1961 (when the two Fine Gael candidates headed the poll)
and 1965; succeeded by his son Kieran (q.v.) 1969 ..... IR
CROTTY, Raymond: Scholarship, Public Life: b. Kilkenny 1926 into
prominent city baking family; ed. St. Kieran's College 1939-44;
subsequentlyinvolved in farming at Dunbell, where he gained an
understanding of the basic economic forces affecting agriculture;
continued studies at University of London, obtaining B.Sc. (Econ);
moved family to Britain 1961, undertaking further studies for Master's
degree and working as lecturer in Economics at University College,
Wales. Became author and consultant on development policies and
practices, working on assignments in Asia, Africa and America, and
publishing Irish Agricultural Production (1966); Cattle, Economics and
Development (1980), and Ireland in Crisis: A Study in Capital
Colonialist Underdevelopment (1986). A Radical's Response (1989)
detailed his arguments against the Single European Act, about the
constitutionality of which he took a law case in the Irish courts in
1992. A thorough researcher, a radical thinker and an articulate
writer and speaker, he was on the staff of Trinity College, as
Research Associate in the Systems Development Department, when he died
in 1994.