The Atlas of Irish Mathematics 29: Kildare before 1970 (Feb 2022)
Our 29th bi-monthly regional Irish focused blog highlights mathematical people associated with Kildare, following on Donegal, Wexford, Armagh, Limerick, Westmeath, Mayo, Belfast, Wicklow, Kerry, Galway, Monaghan, Tipperary, Sligo, Carlow, Down, Cork, Cavan, Laois, Londonderry, Meath, Leitrim, Dublin, Clare, Offaly, Tyrone, Kilkenny and Belfast again. Five counties have not been treated yet, and most of the ones including university cities will need additional installments to catch up to the present day.
Kildare is arguably Ireland's oldest "college town" for Catholic men, on account of the founding of St Patrick's College in the town of Maynooth at the end of the 1700s. While there was a lay component for the first 2 decades, from 1817 until 1966 it served exclusively as a seminary: students were presumed to be training for the priesthood in addition to pursuing arts, science, or divinity degrees. The religious qualifications were awarded by the Pontifical University.
The majority of St Patrick's graduates were also awarded BD degrees and were ordained (though not necessarily at Maynooth) early in their careers, and most spent at least part of their working lives engaged in pastoral care. Many also taught soon after graduation or ordination, mostly at secondary schools which in turn fed pupils back to Maynooth, e.g., at St Columb's (Derry), St Nathy's in Ballaghaderreen, St Colman's (Derry), St Eunan's, St Kieran's (Kilkenny), and St Peter's (Wexford), several rising to leadership positions at those colleges. Some graduates excelled in academia---at Maynooth, elsewhere in Ireland, or overseas---and obtained scientific doctortates and/or published research. A few worked in industry.
In 1876, St Patrick's College joined forces with the Catholic Univ of Ireland, hence later becoming part of the Royal University (RUI), and from 1909 on, the National University of Ireland (NUI). Much later, in 1997, St Patrick's College became the National University of Ireland, Maynooth, and in 2014, the name Maynooth University was adopted.
From the very start, physics (aka natural and experimental philosophy) was taught at Maynooth, the men holding that professorship also teaching all maths classes. From 1909 on, degrees in various combinations of physics, maths physics and maths were offered. Most of the relevant instruction up to WWI was done by these men: Pierre Delort (1795-1801), André Darré (1801-1813), Cornelius Denvir (1813-1825), Nicholas Callan (prof of physics, 1826-1864), Francis Lennon (prof of physics, 1864-1911). [The years listed reflect the total span they taught at Maynooth--sometimes their appointments started a little earlier. Also, the titles are the highest ones they achieved, even if they started with different ones.]
Curiously, while a professorship in maths had been approved from the founding of the college, it was not filled until the 1950s. In 1902, Patrick Dowling and James Gibney were appointed as lecturers of maths, the later dying within months. UCD's Arthur Conway was drafted to cover the gap, while maintaining his main duties in Dublin, and ended up teaching at Maynooth for 7 years. Eamon de Valera taught maths there (1912-1914), as well as in Dublin, before his attention turned to politics. Then Pádraig de Brún (1914-1945) held the fort as prof of maths and maths physics.
Post WWII, Jim McConnell was appointed prof of maths and maths physics (1945-1968). His excellent 1991 article "Maynooth Revisited" contains a wealth of fascinating detail about the history of mathsy matters at Maynooth, also detailing the extensive connections with DIAS starting in the 1940s.
Finally, James McMahon (whose training and research was in maths physics) served as the first prof of maths (1954-1974). Joe Spelman followed McConnell as prof of maths physics (1969-1992). In experimental physics, the succession was James Donaghey (1912-1921), PJ Nolan (1921-1928), Patrick McLaughlin (1928-1957), and Gerry McGreevy (1957-1982). Later still, came James Slevin & Anthony Murphy.
[Image from the 2020 book We Remember Maynooth: A College across Four Centuries]
A common pattern for graduates for many decades was to teach for a while, then switch to parish work. Quite a few of these men ended up as parish priests, and some became bishops. The numbers of maths and maths physics graduates was modest until the late 1960s.
Women students were admitted starting in 1966, and in the autumn of 1967 the first of these graduated with HDips. The first female maths grads (and staff) came later.
Lay staff were not far off. Of those who ended up staying for decades, permanent lecturer and UCC grad Dave Walsh (1965) was hired in maths in 1971, as was Tigran Tchrakian from London in maths physics. Maynooth grad Richard Watson (1964) joined maths in 1973. In 1975, Tony O'Farrell, a UCD grad with a PhD from Brown, was appointed prof of maths to replace Joe Spelman. Soon the pace picked up, and the numbers of mathematical graduates increased significantly. Over the past few decades, the college gradually morphed into what we now know as Maynooth University.
If we were to account all mathsy Maynooth graduates, we'd have to list hundreds of men and women. We highlight the surprisingly modest number of people born in Kildare, as well all mathsy Maynooth grads, and also anyone who has taught and/or done research there (say, for at least 3 years). This would include the handful who did PhDs there up to 2000, and the 50 who have done so since then.
However, for this first installment, we are restricting ourselves to the 100+ relevant people who got their first degrees up to the end of the 1960s. For about 30 of those, little is known. We will continue the story, from 1970 on in future blogs. Our table below ends with some people who graduated (elsewhere) in the 1960s but didn't impact maths at Maynooth until later; our date cut-off isn't perfect.
As an indication of how much Maynooth dominates this blog, removing it leaves only 9 names, of people born or raised in Kildare: Henry Greer, William Bergin, Edward O’Toole, Stephen O’Brien, Mary Glennon, John Gallivan, Charlie Rogers, John Hickey, Anthony Byrne
As usual, there are probably Irish maths (or maths ed or stats or actuarial or theoretical physics) people missing from this blog because while we know about them, we don't yet know of their Kildare (or Maynooth) association. And sometimes a record of a Kildare birth is unclear on whether in was in the town of that name or in the county generally.
Comments, additions and corrections are, as always, welcome. As are more photographs. We sometimes include links to newspaper clippings which may list details that do not line up perfectly with our claims. For instance, a published death notice or obituary may list an incorrect graduation, ordination, or appointment date, while contemporaneous records confirm the true year.
Thanks to Tony O'Farrell (Maynooth), Ciarán Mac an Bhaird (Maynooth), Olivia Bree (SPD) and David Malone (Maynooth) for valuable input. Last updated 29 March 2022.
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01. André Darré (1750-1833) was born 5 February in Montaut, Auch, near Toulouse, France. A priest, Abbé Darré was appointed first professor of logic at the then-new St. Patrick's College, Maynooth. He was there from 1801 to 1813, as the second professor of natural and experimental philosophy. He is best remembered for his text Elements of Geometry with Both Plane and Spherical Trigonometry (1813), which continued to be used (in revised form) for over 60 years. A great deal more about this man's life can be found in Rod Gow's excellent IMS article. |
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02. Pierre Delort (1758-1835) was born in December in Bordeaux, France, and was educated at Guienne College (1778). He taught there and in England before being appointed as the first professor of natural and experimental philosophy at Maynooth in 1795, but in 1801 he took leave from which he never returned, moving back to Bordeaux. He is listed as AM LLD in the The Traveller's Director Through Ireland (1801). |
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03. Cornelius Denvir (1791-1866) was born 13 August in Ballywalter, Down, and was educated at Maynooth (BA 1814). In 1813, while still a student, he secured a short term appointment to teach. Upon graduation, he formally succeeded Abbé Darré as prof, staying until 1825. He then switched to parish work in Belfast, and taught classics and maths at St Malachy's (1833-1835), the New Down and Connor Diocesan College in Belfast, which he headed up. He became Bishop of Down and Connor in 1835. |
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04. Physicist Nicholas Callan (1799-1864) was born 22 December in Darver, Louth, andwas educated at Maynooth (BA 1813), and at La Sapienza in Rome (1926). He lectured at Maynooth for 4 decades (1926-1864). Electricity and magnetism were his specialities, and his is most well known for his invention of the induction coil. |
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05. James MacGauley (1806?-1867) was born in Dublin and was educated at Maynooth (BA 1826?). After parish work in Dublin, he served as prof of natural philosophy for the Board of Nat Edu in Marlborough St (1836-1856). Like his teacher Callan, he conducted research in electrical interrupters. One of these played a key role in Callan's induction coil, and another became a standard in electric bells. During this period he also published the books Lectures on Natural Philosophy (1840), and (on behalf of the Commisioners of National Education) A Treatise on Arithmetic (1852), and A Treatise on Algebra (1854). He then left the priesthood, and stared a new life in Canada. He resurfaced in London by 1865 as an active officer of the Inventors' Institute, including serving as editor of their Scientific Review. |
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| 06. Patrick O'Donnell was a maths examiner for the Intermediate Board of Education in the mid 1880s, and is believed to have taught at Maynooth before that. | ||
| 07. Thomas O'Dea was also a maths examiner for the Intermediate Board of Education in the mid 1880s, and is believed to have taught at Maynooth before that. | ||
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08. Henry Greer (1832?-1870) was born in Kildare, and was educated at TCD (scholar 1865, BA 1587+, MA 186x). He taught at the Royal Military College in Sandhurst (1858-1870). He drowned while bathing at Craigivad, near Holywood, Down.
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09. Physicist and mathematician Francis Lennon (1838-1920) was born in November in Tyholland, Monaghan, near the Armagh border, and was educated at Clogher. He was ordained in 1862 and appointed professor at the diocesan seminary St Macartan's. Following the death of Nicholas Callan in 1864, he became professor of natural philosophy in Maynooth, a position he held until 1911. He served terms as chair of the Dublin Scientific Club and examiner for mathematics for the Intermediate Education Board. He has 2 books to his name: the revised and improved 1872 edition of André Darré's Elements of Geometry with Both Plane and Spherical Trigonometry, and The Elements of Plane and Spherical Geometry (1875). Grave / Prize / 1911 census |
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| 10. Patrick O'Doherty (1849?-1924) was born in Cardonagh, Donegal. A clergyman, he was an examiner of maths for the Intermediate Education Board. | ||
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11. Patrick A. Dowling (1858-1922) was born 26 October in Carlow. He was educated at UCD (BA 1892), and taught elementary maths there at least 1887-1901. He also taught at Maynooth and Carysfort, and later served as registrar of the Royal College of Science for Ireland, while for a while also being head of maths at the Dublin Technical Schools (and teaching at Kevin St). His first wife was John Casey's daughter Catherine (who died in 1905), and he edited or revised some 1890s editions of the geometer's books. Fund / 1901 Census / 1911 Census / 1902 / Obit |
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12. William Bergin (1864-1942) was born 9 February in Kildare town, and was educated at TCD (BA 1886, MA 1889). He was prof of natural philosophy at Queen's Cork (1895-1931). Obit / Who's Who / 1901 Census / 1911 Census
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13. James Gibney (1868-1902) was born 26 July in Dublin and was educated at UCD (BA 1890, MA 1893). He was a Fellow of RUI, and prof of maths there. He was appointed lecturer of maths at Maynooth in 1902, but died of TB at the end of that November. |
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14. Edward Cody (1873?- ) was born in Kilkenny and was ordained in Maynooth in 1897 for the diocese of Ossory. He was prof of maths at St Kieran's there (1898-1902). |
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15. Arthur Conway (1875-1950) was born 2 October in Wexford town, and was educated at UCD (BA 1896, MA 1897). He won an RUI Travelling Studentship in 1898 and the following year went to Oxford where he studied under AEH Love. He spent 1901-1947 on the staff at UCD, rising to the rank of president. He had a great passion for quaternions, authored one of the very first books on relativity, and co-edited two volumes of the collected papers of Hamilton. In 1908, NUI awarded him an honorary DSc. In 1903, he was also appointed to teach Maynooth following the death of James Gibney. He served as external lecturer of higher mathematics there until 1910. He bequeathed his mathematical library to Maynooth. 1901 Census / 1903 / 1911 Census / MacTutor / Wikipedia / UCD / Research / Library |
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16. Edward O'Toole (1876-1949) was born in Athy (?), Kildare, and and was educated at UCD (BA 1897). His career was first in the civil service, and then in law. |
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17. James O'Toole (1878-1905) was born 12 September in Dublin, and was educated at UCD (BA 1899, MA 1901). He taught at both UCD / Maynooth before dying very young of TB. In 1903 he was awarded an RUI Studentship.
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18. Éamon de Valera (1882-1975) was born 14 October in New York city, and grew up in Bruree, Limerick. He was educated at UCD (BA 1904). He taught maths at Rockwell College (1903-1905), Clonliffe College (1905) and Carysfort College in Dublin (1906-1916) , and also at Maynooth 1912-1914. Having turned to nationalist activities, he ultimately entering a long career in politics. In 1940, as Taoiseach, he initiated the foundation of the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies. 1901 Census / 1911 Census / Wikipedia / MacTutor / UCD / UCC |
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19. Physicist John Donaghey (Donaghy) (1878-1949) was born 3 December in Kilmovee, Mayo (near the Roscommon border). He was educated at RUI (BA 1904) and at Bonn (MA 1905), earning his PhD at Munich on "The Spectrum of Nitrogen at Low Temperatures" with Röntgen (1907+). He taught at St Eunan's College (Letterkenny, 1908-1912), Maynooth (1912-1921) and Munich (921-1924), before moving to the USA. He then taught at Marquette University (Wisconsin, 1924-1929) and finally at Incarnate Word College (Texas, 1929-1949). 1901 Census / 1911 Census / Marquette / Obit / Grave |
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19A. James Hughes-Dowling (1882-1929) was born 2 April in Fermoy, Cork, and was educated at Maynooth (BA 1909). He was an inspector of schools. |
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20. Thomas Roche (aka Tomás de Róiste, 1888-1943) was born 1 November in Castletownroche, near Fermoy, Cork, and was educated at Maynooth (BA, 1909, MA 1912). He taught at St Colman's (Fermoy) and later did parish work. 1901 Census / 1911 Census / 1913 / RIA / Paper / Death |
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21. Pádraig de Brún (aka Paddy Browne, 1889-1960) was born 13 October in Grangemockler, Tipperary, near the county borders with Kilkenny and Waterford. He was educated first at UCD (BSc 1909, MSc 1910) as it transitioned from an RUI to an NUI constituent college. He earned the first NUI Travelling Scholarship in mathematical science and used it to go to the Sorbonne, where in 1913 he earned his doctorate on "Sur un probleÌme d'inversion poseì par Abel, et sur ses geìneìralisations" under Émile Picard. After a year at Göttingen, he spent 3 decades at St. Patrick's College, Maynooth (1914-1945), before becoming president of UCG. A priest and a classics and Irish scholar, as well as a mathematician, he wrote the poem "Tháinig Long ó Valparaiso" which was well known to several generations of Irish schoolchildren. Wikipedia / Aimn / Family / 1901 Census |
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22. Thomas Curneen (1894-1955) was born 22 December in Kilmacteigue, Sligo, and was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1916). He taught at St Nathy's (-1949-1949-), rising to the rank of president, and ended his career doing parish work in Foxford, Mayo. |
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23. Michael Holloway (1896-1962) was born 13 January in Glenavaddy, Fethard, Tipperary. and was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1917). He taught at St Patrick's (Thurles, 1922-1944), then did parish work in Caheroonlish and later in Mullinahone. 1901 Census / 1911 Census / Death
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24. Michael Cunningham (1894-1958) was born in Doonowney, Sligo, north of Rosses Point, and was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1918). Upon ordination in 1920, he served in various parishes before becoming PP at Knockcroghery in Roscommon. |
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25. Hugh O'Byrne (1895-??) was born 18 November in Wexford town, and was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1918). His career included teaching at St Peter's (Wexford) in the late 1940s. |
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26. Physicist Patrick McLaughlin (1899-1973) was born 28 February in Scotland, and grew up mostly in Ballyshannon, Donegal. He was educated first at Maynooth (BA 1919), and following his ordination he taught at the Irish College in Paris. He did his doctorate (on ionisation of Parisian air) under Charles Morain at the Univ of Paris (1928). He spent 3 decades at professor of physics back at Maynooth, also serving as Vice President, and boosting thescience holdings at the museum there. He authored the book The Church and Modern Science (1957). Museum / Obit / Book / NUI / 1911 Census |
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27. Francis Lalor (1899-1938) was born 4 March in Kilkenny city. and was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1919, BA, HDip). He was ordained in 1929, and taught at St Kieran's (Kilkenny), dying young. |
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28. Thomas Gahan (1899-1976) was born 19 May in Oldgrange, Thomastown, Kilkenny, and was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1919). He did parish work in Baltinglass (1952-1974). |
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29. Physicist Joseph Bannon (1900-1959) was born 16 September in Portarlington, Laois, and was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1921). He spent 3 decades (1928-1958) at the University of Sydney, who awarded him DSc in 1948. 1901 Census / 1911 Census / Trove / EOAS / Paper |
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30. John Wallace was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1921). | |
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31. Joseph MacEvoy was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1922) | |
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32. John Gilroy (1908-1997) was born 27 May in Ballycastle in north Mayo, and was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1927). He taught at St Muredeach's College in Ballina (1939-1944) and later served as parish priest of Belmullet. |
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33. Michael Kelly was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1927) | |
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34 Robert J. McCabe (1908-??) was born 11 February in Belfast, and was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1927) | |
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35. George Hickson (1908-1967) was born 30 September in Killibury, Londonderry, and was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1929). His career was spent as a clergyman in Liverpool. 1911 Census / Bio / Death |
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36. Thomas Grennan (1910-1991) was born 4 May in Navan, Meath, and was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1930). His career was spent as a schools inspector, rising to the rank of deputy chief inspector in the vocational branch. | |
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37. Daniel Dwyer () was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1932?) | |
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38. Joseph Smith was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1932?)
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39. Daniel Cunnea (1913-1990) was born 14 August in Inver, half way between Killybegs and Donegal town, and grew up nearby in Croagh. He was educated in physics and maths physics at Maynooth (BSc 1934), and at Dunboyne (PhD in education 1940). He later taught at and in due course served as president of St Eunan's in Letterkenny, before spending a quarter of a century as a parish priest. |
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40. Michael Day (1914-2011) was born in Strokestown, Roscommon, and grew up in Castlefin, Donegal, just west of Strabane. He was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1934). He moved to San Diego in 1938 for parish work and remained there his entire career. |
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41. Patrick Lennon (1914-1990) was born 22 June in Borris, Carlow, and was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1934, DD 1940). He taught divinity at St Patrick's (Carlow, 1940-1966), also serving as its president, and then spent 2 decades as bishop of Kildare & Leighlin. |
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42. John B. Murphy was born in Kerry and was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1934) | |
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43. James O'Meara was born in Tipperary. and was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1934) | |
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44. Jeremiah O'Sullivan (1912-1994) was born in Cork city and was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1934, DSc? 1940). He taught at St Finbarr's (Farranferris, 1940-1959), then served as dean of residency at UCC until switching to parish and pastoral work from 1967 on. |
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45. Noel Sandvoss (1912-1956) was born 22 December in Kilkenny city, and was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1934). He was ordained in 1938, and then spent time in Nigeria and in chaplain and parish work in Ireland. After another stint in Nigeria, he was prof of maths at St Kieran's (Kilkenny, 1947-1956) until his untimely death. His father Charles had taught maths there for 40 years. |
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46. Patrick Prendergast was born in Tuam, Galway, and was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1935). BD 1937; ordained 1939 | |
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47. John McWilliams was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1935) | |
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48. Albert McGovern (1915-1989) was born 5 February in Newry, Down, and was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1935). He taught at St Colman's (1941-1946), and then switched to parish work. |
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49. Theoretical physicist Jim McConnell (1915-1999) was born 25 February in Dublin, and was educated at UCD and in Rome, where he was ordained as a priest and also earned his Laurea ("The Lorenz formula - The Lorenz for the refraction index") from La Sapienza University (in 1941). His career started at the newly founded Dublin Institute of Advanced Studies, but was mostly spent at St Patrick's College, Maynooth, where he also served as registrar. | |
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50. Manus Doherty (1916-1960) was born 23 January in Buncrana, Donegal, and was educated in maths and exp physics at Maynooth (BSc 1937). He taught at St Columb's (Derry, 1941-1948) and at the Cistercian Abbey (Roscrea, 1948-1959), before moving to Monterey & Fresno in California for parish work. Sadly, he died within a year in a car accident. |
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51. Patrick O'Keefe (1916-1986) was born in Wexford and was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1938, HDip 1943). He taught at St Peter's (Wexford, 1943-1973), serving as president in his final year. He then did parish work in Kilrush, Wexford. |
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52. Physicist Jim O'Reilly (1916-1978) was born 11 November in Galway city, and grew up in Ballymote, Sligo. He was educated first at Maynooth (BSc 1938), and in due course did his Caltech PhD in 1949, his thesis on "A Study of the Physical and Chemical Composition of Homogenous and Inhomogenous Models of the Sun" being done under Robert Christy. He taught maths and theology at Mount St Mary's College in Los Angeles (1949-1968), and then theology at St John's (Camarillo, 1968-1978). |
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53. Michael Quinn was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1939) | |
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54. John Reilly was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1939) | |
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55. Stephen O'Brien (1918-1992) was born 5 February in Nurney, Kildare, and was educated at UCD (BA 1939, MA 1940). His career was spent teaching at UCD (1940-1987). He was also at DIAS (1951-1957). |
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56. Neil McCarron (1918-2003) was born 27 July in Redcastle, southwest of Moville, Inishowen, Donegal. He was educated in maths physics at Maynooth (BSc 1940), and taught for over 3 decades at St Columb's in Derry before spending another quarter of a century as a parish priest. |
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57. Eamonn Tierney (1918-2004) was born 16 April in Derry city and was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1940) and UCD (MSc 1945). He then taught at St Columb's back i n Derry (1945-1976), before spending the rest of his life in parish work. |
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58. Francis Brooks (1914-2010) was born 24 January in Rathfriland, Down, and was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1945) and Rome (DD 1952). He taught at St Coleman's (Newry, 1953-1975), also serving as president, before being appointed as bishop of Dromond (1976-1999). |
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59. James J. McMahon (1924-1981) was born in Woodford, Galway, and was educated at first at Maynooth (BSc 1946, MSc 1948), earning the first Maynooth masters in maths science. He was ordained in 1950, and in 1952 earned his PhD at DIAS, the first maths science doctorate awarded by the NUI, for a thesis on "Lower Bounds for the Electrostatic Capacity of a Cube" done under Jack Synge. After 2 years at Stanford, he returned to Maynooth (1954-1974) as the first prof of maths. He presentedg on "Invariant Volume Element in C^n" at the Stockholm ICM in 1962. Having left the priesthood, he then taught at Benin (Nigeria, 1976-1979) and finally at Thomond (1979-1981). |
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60. Physicist and philosopher Ernan McMullin (1924-2011) was born 13 October in Ballybofey, Donygal. He was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1945) and at Louvain (PhD in philosophy 1954). His career included a year at DIAS (1949-1950) and 4 decades at Notre Dame, where he served as head of the department of philosophy and authored several books. Wikipedia / Notre Dame / NCSE |
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61. Quantum chemist George G. Hall (1925-2018) was born 5 March in Belfast, and was educated at QUB (BSc 1946) and Cambridge (PhD 1950), his thesis being done under John Lennard-Jones. His career was spent at Cambridge (1950-1955), Imperial (1955-1962), Nottingham (1962-1981), and Kyoto (1983-1988), following which he returned to Nottingham. He was awarded an honorary degree by Maynooth (2004). Cambridge, and Kyoto. He had over a dozen PhD students and authored the books Matrices and Tensors (1963),Applied Group Theory (1965), and Molecular Solid State Physics (1991). |
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62. Peter A. McMahon was born in Woodford, Galway, and was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1948). He taught at St Eunan's in Letterkenny (1953-1981), rising to the rank of president. He then did parish work. |
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64. Fergus McGovern (1929-2014) was born in Belturbet, Cavan, and was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1950). He joined the Radio Eireann part of P&T in 1953, and later switched to telecommunication, eventually serving as CEO of Telecom Eireann. |
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65. Pat McHugh (1929-1962) was born in Kilnagross, Carrick-on-Shannon, Leitrim. He was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1950?, MSc 1951, HDip), winning an NUI Travelling Studentship Prize, and taught there until 1955. After 2 years at DIAS, he taught at St Saran's in Ferbane, Offaly. He died young following a motor accident. |
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66. Alexander H. Barrass was born in Stockton, Durham, England, and was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1953, MSc 1954). He taught at Ushaw College, ourside Durham (1954-1973), before switching to parish work, whila also serving as a diocesan treasurer (1973-1992) . |
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67. John Clerkin was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1953). | |
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68. Joe Spelman (1932-2016) was born 2 September in Ballaghaderreen, Roscommon, and was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1954, MSc 1955), his master's thesis on "Production and Loss of 'Negative Protons' in the Atmosphere" being done under Jim McConnell. In the early 1960s, ne spent a year at DIAS, then a yeat Stanford. He taught at St Nathy's (1965-1969) and then back at Maynooth (1969-1992). The rest of his career was spent in parish work in Sligo. |
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69. Mary Glennon (1934- ) was born in or near Naas, Kildare, and was educated at first at UCG (BA 1954, HDip 1956). Years later, she did an MA at Maynooth (1975) on "The Reform of Mathematical Education".
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70. Maurice Donley was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1955). |
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71. Thomas McCann was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1955). |
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72. James Morrison was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1955). |
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73. Mathematical physicist Ciaran Ryan (1934-1973) was born in Athlone, Westmeath, and was brought up mostly in Longford. He was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1955, MSc 1957) and the Dublin Institute of Advanced Studies, earning his 1962 PhD there on "A Doublet scheme for the Leptons and On a Generalised Commutation Relation" under Lochlainn O'Raifeartaigh. A priest too, he taught at the University of Rochester and then at UCD, and co-authored the book Theory of Weak Interactions in Particle Physics (Wiley, 1969). He died young in a mountaineering accident near Geneva, soon after supervising the PhD of Sean Brown (1945?-1981). |
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74. Columba Burke was born in Oughterard, Galway, and was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1956). He taught at St Patrick's (Ballyhaunis). |
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75. Joseph Delaney was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1956). |
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76. Edward Middleton was born in Newcastle-on-Tyne, England, and was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1956). |
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77. Michael Ryan was born in Athlone, Westmeath, and was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1957). | |
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78. Henry James was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1956). |
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79. John O'Brien was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1956). |
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80. Donald Collins was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1958). He taught at St Peters (Wexford, 1963-1991), retiring as principal. |
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81. Dermot Moloney was born in Mayo and was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1958). He taught at St Jarleth's (1962-1994) before turning to parish work in Crossboyne, Mayo (1994-2013). |
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82. John Kirby was born 29 October in Baylough, on yje Roscommon side of Athlone, and was educated at Maynooth (BA 1959). He taught at Garbally, near Ballinasloe, Galway, and later served as its president. He was Bishop of Clonfert (1988-2019). |
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83. Thomas Corbett () was born in Scariff, Clare, and was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1960), Paris, and Louvaine (DD 197x). Most of his career was spent on the divinity staff at Maynooth. |
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84. Edward Kelly was born in Nenagh, Tipperary, and was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1960).
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85. James McCool was born in Letterkenny, Donegal, and was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1960) and UCD (HDip 1962). |
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86. Christy O'Byrne (1939-2019) was born in Ballinasloe, Galway, and was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1960). He taught at St Joseph's in Ballinasloe and later in Garbally. |
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87. Quantum chemist Martin Quinn was born in Belfast and was educated at QUB (BSc 1960, PhD), his thesis being on "The Use of Kinetic and Surface Potential Measurements in the Elucidation of the Mechanism of Gas Metal Reactions". Oxforod (MPhil 1965), Birmingham (DSc 1977). Maynooth. Book Computational Quantum Chemistry (2002). |
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88. James Flanagan (1940-2012) was born in Ardconnell, Ballymote, Sligo, and was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1961) and UCD (HDip). He taught at St Nathy's College in Balloymote. |
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89. Edmond Goold was born in Kilnamartyr, near Macroom, Cork, and was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1961). |
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90. Patrick Hughes was born in Dungannon, Tyrone, and was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1961). |
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91. Frederick Kane was born in Sligo town and was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1961). |
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92. Edward McGirr was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1961). |
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93. John Gallivan was born in Dublin and grew up there and in Kildare. He was educated at first at UCD (BSc 1961, MSc 1962), and was awarded an NUI Travelling Studentship. His 1970+ PhD on "Test of the Delta-S=Delta-Q rule and CP-invariance in Kaon-E3 Decay" was done at Caltech under Charlie Peck. He was at Imperial College (1970-1974) then MPI Munich (1975-1979). The bulk of his career has been spent as a petroleum engineer in the UK and Russia. |
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94. Charlie Rogers was born in Dublin and grew up in Naas, Kildare. He was educated at UCD (BSc 1961, MSc 1963?) where he was awarded an NUI Travelling Scholarship. After working at Rothamsted, he taught stats at Coleraine (1972?-1985?). Later he moved to the USA. |
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95. Statistician Denis Conniffe (1942-2011) was born in Dublin, and was educated at Aberdeen and at UCD (BSc 1962, MSc 1963), and later at TCD (PhD 1974). His thesis on "The Design and Analysis of Grazing Experiments" was done under Gordon Foster. His career was at the Agricultural Research Institute (1964-1980), and the ESRI (1980-2004), following which he lectured in economics at Maynooth (2004-2008) and UCD (2008-2011). |
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96. John Hickey was born in Naas, Kildare, and educated at first at UCD (BSc 1962, MSc 1963), where he earned an NUI Travelling Studentship. His 1970 Glasgow PhD on "Bisimple Inverse Semigroups and Uniform Semilattices" was done under Walter Munn. Most of his career was spent at Glasgow. |
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97. Maths physicist Tigran Tchrakian was born in London, and was educated at Imperial (BSc 1963) and Edinburgh (PhD 1967). His thesis on "Applications of Covariant Scattering Theory" was done under Nicholas Kemmer & David Candlin, 1967). His career started at Westfield College (1967-1970) and Sussex (1970-1971), then he settled at Maynooth (1971-2008). He has also had a long association with DIAS, and has supervised 4 PhDs. |
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98. Kieran A. Murphy was born 9 August in Newtownbutler, Fermanagh, and was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1963, MSc 1964), following which he was awarded an NUI Travelling Studentship. He studied at Berkeley, then worked for the city and state of San Francisco, as well as in real estate. | |
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100. Theoretical physicist Michael Murtagh (1943-2001)was born 27 Jul yin Lurgan, Armagh. He was educated at first at Maynooth (BSc 1965) and UCD (MSc 1966), earning an NUI Travelling Studentship. His 1974 Harvard PhD on "TSP Hadron angular distributions in in-elastic muon proton scattering" was done under Richard Wilson. It was completed while he worked at Brookhaven National Labs, where he spent his whole career. |
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101. Michael N. Brennan was born in Kilkenny city and was educated at first at UCC (BSc 1965, HDip). He taught secondary school, including at Our Lady's Bower in Athlone (1978-1982), getting an MSc (1982) from Maynooth along the way. He then lectured at RTC Waterford (later WIT, 1985-2009), where he was instrumental in setting up the maths support centre. He later did a PhD (2012) in art history at Bangor in Wales, and is now an art-science research fellow at TCD. He is working on the book Observations on Interlace in Art: its Structure and Varieties. |
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102. Dave Walsh was born 9 September in Ballylongford, Kerry, and was educated at first at UCC (BA 1965, MA 1966), earning an NUI Travelling Studentship. His 1971 PhD on Hankel Operators and H^2 Functions" was done at Swansea under Finbarr Holland & Robin Harte. His career was spent at Maynooth (1971-2008), where his work in analysis included the study of approximation problems in several complex variables and integral inequalities. |
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103. Anthony Byrne was born in Sallins, Kildare, and was educated at UCD (BA 1965, MA 1967). He taught at Kevin St 1970??-2010?. | |
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104. Liam O'Reilly was born in Newbridge, Kildare, and was educated at UCD (BComm 1966?) and much later at TCD (PhD 1983). His thesis on "The Analysis of Irish Economic Time Series" was done under Gordon Foster. His career has included stints with Dublin Corporation, the Central Bank, and IFSRA. | |
| 105. William Rooke was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1967). | ||
| 106. Thomas O'Gara was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1967). | ||
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107. Tony O'Farrell was born 28 May in Dublin, grew up there and in Templemore, Tipperary. He was educated first at UCD (BSc 1967, MSc 1969), where he earned an NUI Travelling Scholarship. and then at Brown (PhD 1973). His doctorate on "Capacities in Uniform Approximation" was done under Brian Cole. After a 2 year postdoc at UCLA, he was appointed the first lay prof of maths at Maynooth, from which he officially retired in 2012. During his time there he helped to set up the department of computer science, supervised 5 PhD students, and autored several books. His publishing house, Logic Press, reflects his diverse mathematical interests. On 16 Oct 1990, he organised the first Hamilton Walk to Broom Bridge, in Dublin. Maynooth / Logic House / Hamilton Walk |
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108. Michael J. Walsh was born 21 March in Dublin. He worked in the chemical idustry before attending UCD (BSc 1967). He taught secondry school for 3 decades before joining the staff at Maynooth (1998-2012). He did an MA at UCD (2005) under Alex Montwill & Fiacre O Cairbre. In time, this led to the book The Great Calendar Reform: An Historical and Mathematical Examination (Logic Press 2018). |
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109. Niall Foley was born in Dublin and was educated at Maynooth (BSc 1968). For many years he taught at St Joseph's, Garbally, Galway, later serving as vice president. He got an MA in education at Maynooth in 1997, for a thesis on "The Rhetoric and Reality of Transition from Primary to Post-primary Schooling" done under Maeve Martin. He is also active in parish work. |
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110. Paul McGill was born in Omagh, Tyrone, and was educated at QUB (BSc 1969, PhD 1973), his thesis on "Some Extensions of the Theory of Henstock Integration" being done under James McGrotty. His career included stints at UCG (1973-1976), Coleraine (1976?-1984), Maynooth (1984-1987), UC Irvine (1987-1992?) and Univ Claude Bernard (Lyons). |
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111. Jerry Kelleher was born in Cork and educated at Maynooth (BSc 1969, MSc 1972), his master's thesis on "The Automophisms of the Linear Groups over any Integral Domain" being done under James McMahon. He also got a TCD MSc in CS (1972). He taught for a year at Maynooth, them settled at RTC Cork (later CIT, 1973-2007). |
