The Atlas of Irish Mathematics: Cork 1900-1939 (Feb 2023)
At the end of 2022, we completed our initial survey of the maths people associated with each corner of Ireland, with a blog on Antrim up to the end of the 1800s. However, since there are hundreds of people associated with counties (including Dublin and Antrim) containing large population centres and/or universities, the documentation of such counties will require a series of blogs for each.
This month, we return to Cork, whose story up to 1899 was surveyed in the Dec 2019 posting accounting for about 90 people. This time, we focus on those Cork-associatees whose initial university education (or equivalent) was completed between 1900 and 1939. Future blogs will advance the story to more recent times.
While many of the people documented below were educated in Cork, or taught there, some were born in the county and educated elsewhere. As usual, in addition to mathematicians, there are some physicists and engineers of interest.
Queen's College, Cork (QCC) was opened in 1849, having been chartered in 1845 like its sister schools in Belfast and Galway. Those three colleges were conceived as the Queen's University of Ireland (QUI), which was dissolved in 1882 and replaced by Queen's University Belfast (QUB) and the new umbrella organisation the Royal University of Ireland (RUI), the latter including the former Galway and Cork Queen's Colleges, and also University College Dublin (UCD) and some smaller colleges. Queen's College Cork later became University College Cork (UCC, 1908).
From 1882 on, anybody could present themselves for examinations (and hence degrees) to the RUI, regardless of which (if any) college they attended. (On rare occasion people who had studied privately, or at one of the smaller colleges, did so.) Until 1908, this was how all undergraduate Queen's Cork degrees were earned.
The professors of mathematics (with dates of service) at Cork before 1900 were George Boole (1849-1864), Robert Romer (1865-1867), Charles Niven (1867-1880), John Malet (1880-1887), A. H. Anglin (1887-1913).
Some of the people highlighted below were born somewhere in the county of Cork, but trained elsewhere, in particular this applies to those educated before 1850. While a good many of the people considered ended up in academia, or teaching at prestigious schools, quite a few served in the civil service, or pursued careers in law or medicine, and still others became clergymen. They are presented in chronological order by birth.
From 1940 on, the number of relevant people grows a great deal. It will take additional blogs to cover all of that ground.
Comments and corrections are, as always, welcome. As are more images of people featured here.
Thanks to Olivia Bree (St Pat's, Drumcondra), Des MacHale (UCC), and many others. Last updated 18 Mar 2024.
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01. Edgar Harper (1880-1916) was born in 4 July in Mullafgadun, Dungannon, Tyrone, and was educated at first at TCD (BA 1902). Most unusually, he then earned an RUI BSc (1904, via private study), and an RUI Travelling Studentship (and MSc) in 1905. After 2 years teaching at the Royal School back in Dungannon, he secured a post at Bangor (1907-1913). During his time there he co-authored the book Aerial Locomotion (Cambridge, 1911), a very early treatment of flying. In 1912 he successfully applied for the professor of maths physics position at UCC, a job for which Eamon de Valera was also famously considered. He held that position 1913-1915, before abandoning academia to fight for King and country. Starting with a May 1915 commission in the Royal Munster Fusiliers, it was as a member of the 8th Battalion of the South Staffordshire regiment that he died in July 1916 at the Somme offensive known as the Battle of Albert. His younger siblings Margaret and Victor were also maths teachers. 1901 Census / Who's Who / War Dead / Nature / Book / MIB / AIMM |
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02. Mathematician and economist John G. Smith (1881-1968) was born 13 Oct in Dunmanway, Cork. As a pupil at Portora, in Fermanagh, he contributed to the Educational Times. He was educated at TCD (Scholar 1903, BA 1904, MA 1907) and at Birmingham (MComm). In 1905 he was appointed lecturer in maths at Cardiff. He then briefly taught econ at QUB, before joining the commerce staff at Birmingham in 1919. Having authored the book Organised Produce Markets (Longmans, 1922), in 1923 he was appointed Mitsui Prof of Finance there. In time, he served as vice principal, and in 1956 was awarded an honorary LLD. In the 1960s, a new building was named after him, which over the years has housed various departments within the faculty of commerce, including the econ dept for a while. 1901 Census / 1911 Census / Edu Times / 1923 / 1956 / Death |
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03. Alithea Dobbin (latter Barry Deane, 1882-1975) was born 27 May in Cork city, and was educated privately and at UCC, earning an RUI BA (1904, pass? maths and modern languages). She was at the London Day Training School in 1907, and taught at North London Collegiate School ( -1911- ), before being appointed headmistress at the Cork High School for Girls (1914- ). In 1922 she married Bandon solicitor John Barry Deane (who died 1931). |
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04. James Ball (1882-1957) was born 24 July in Youghal, Cork, and grew up there and in Belfast. He was educated at QUB (BA 1904, BE 1906). He first taught at Methodist College (1906-1908), then worked as an engineer, including extensive stints in India and Nigeria. 1901 Census / 1911 Census / Obit1 / Obit2
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05. John Donovan (1882- ) was born in Cork, and was educated at UCG (BSc 1906). His career was spent as a national school teacher? ... |
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06. 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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07. Inventor Percy Ludgate (1883-1922) was born 2 August in Skibbereen, Cork, trained as an accountant, and spent several years in the civil service. In his spare time, he worked on the design of his own calculating machine, which used multiplication as its base mechanism. In 1909 he published a paper describing his "Irish logarithms". He died young. Wikipedia / Irish Logs / TCD / IT / 1901 Census / 1911 Census |
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08. Mathematical physicist Alfred O'Rahilly (1884-1969) was born 1 October in Listowel, Kerry, and was educated first at UCC (BA 1907, MA 1908). He then studied at Stonyhurst College, in Lancashire, before returning to UCC (BSc 1912), later getting his doctorate from Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome (1919). He served on the staff at UCC for 40 years, including stints as registrar and president. He founded Cork University Press in 1925. His book Electromagnetics (Longman's Green and Company, 1938) was later reprinted by Dover. Wikipedia / UCC / Ricorso / Bio review |
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09. Timothy Quinlan (1884-1915) was born in 22 October in Bandon, Cork, and was educated at UCD (BA 1905, MA 1906). His very short career was spent in the civil service in India, where in 1911 he married Dubliner and UCD physics & chemistry graduate Mary Keating. 1901 Census / Link / Grave |
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10. Tadhg Daly (1887-1946) was born 11 March in Midleton, Cork, and was educated at Blackrock College (NUI BA 1909?) and UCC (MA by thesis 1914). HDip too? His dissertation was on "The Training of a Teacher". His career was spent as a teacher, both at Monasterevin and later at the Dominican College (Newbridge, Kildare, 1921-1946). |
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11. Denis Hayes (1887-1950) was born 25 June in Monard, north of Cork city. He was educated at RCScI and privately, getting an NUI physics & chemistry BSc (1910), and then a UCD MA (1913), with a thesis on "Correlation of Teaching of Science and Mathematics". He taught at Clongowes before marrying and moving to England. There he pursued a career as a research chemist. 1901 Census / 1911 Census or 1911 Census / Death |
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12. Jim Murphy (1888-1939) was born 23 August in Sion Mills, Strabane, Tyrone, and grew up there and in Belfast. He was educated at University of London (BA, 1912) and later at QUB (MSc 1924), with a thesis on "Mathematical Study of Time and Temperature in the Earth". He taught at Belfast Mercantile College (1912 on), North Mon, Cork (1912-1921) and Belfast Municipal College of Technology (1921-1939). |
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13. 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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14. Thomas Egan (1889-1915) was born 6 May in Glountanefinane, Ballydesmond, Cork, and was educated at UCD (BA, 1912). He was a Jesuit scholastic and died young of TB after pursuing religious studies in Holland and England. |
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15. Denis Raymond Harte (1891-1960) was born 9 February in Cork city, and earned a UCD BA (1926) by external examination, having attended the RCScI. His career was spent as a technical instructor in Dublin. He was widowed not long after his 1923 marriage. |
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16. Owen McKenna (aka Eóghan MacCionnaith, 1891-1967) was born 13 December in Millstreet, Cork. He was educated at UCC (BA 1912, MA 1916) and at Univ London (BSc 1919, MSc 1924). He taught in Glasgow and Belfast (1912-1920), and lectured at Belfast Municipal College of Technology (1920-1928). He then joined the staff at UCG, where he lectured on maths and maths physics in English and Irish (1928-1961). Bio / Aimn / Grave / 1901 Census / Podcast
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17. Francis Mulcahy (aka Proinsias Ó Maolchatha, 1891-?) was born 13 December in Cork city, and was educated at City Guilds (1912). His career included a stint as Leaving Cert examiner (1927-1930), and then teaching in Mallow. in 1931, he competed for the UCC Irish language maths lecturing job. |
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18. Maurice Collins (1892-1918) was born 25 April in Ballymakeeragh, Macroom, Cork, and was educated at TCD (BA 1914). He died in France, a WWI casualty. |
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19. James J. Smith (1892-1983) was born 29 June in Clonmel, Tipperary, and grew up there and in Cork city and Dublin. He was educated first at UCD (BSc 1913, MSc 1914), then earned electrical engineering degrees from Union College in Schenectady, New York (MSc 1919, PhD 1923). His thesis was on "The Solution of Differential Equations by a Method Similar to Heaviside's". Most of his career was spent with General Electric nearby, publishing maths on and off, and he also lectured from time to time at Union College. He spoke at two ICMs, the 1928 one in Bologna, and the 1932 one in Zürich. Wikipedia / ICM / 1901 Census |
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20. Frances Angela (aka Bridget Frances) Hannigan (1892-1978) was born 3 October in Altamira, Liscarroll, Cork, and grew up there and in Limerick. She was educated at UCD (pass BA 1913, HDip 1914, honours BSc 1915), being the first woman maths grad there. Her career was spent in teaching. She died in Charleville. |
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21. Charles Rowe (1893–1943) was born 5 February in Cork city, and was educated at first at UCC (BA 1913, MA 1914), where he won an NUI Travelling Studentship Prize. He moved to TCD (Scholar 1914, BA & Large Gold Medal 1917, Fellow 1920), and spent 1920-1921 in Paris, studying under Hadamard, Lebesgue, and Goursat. Upon his return to TCD he was made acting Professor of Maths; he was also Donegall Lecturer in Maths (1923-1926). He served as Erasmus Smith's Prof of Maths (1926-1943), until his untimely death. He had supervised TCD's first mathematical PhD student (1932), and he also spoke at ICM that year. |
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22. T. S. (Stan) Broderick (1893–1962) was born 22 May in Youghal, Cork, and was educated at first at UCC (BA 1913, MA 1916), where he won an NUI Travelling Studentship Prize. His moved to TCD (Scholar 1917, BA 1918). He taught for a while in Exeter, then returned to TCD as Donegall Lecturer in Maths (1926-1944). He served as Erasmus Smith's Prof of Maths (1944-1962). In 1930 he had become a Fellow, in 1958 a Senior Fellow, and in 1959 acting Vice Provost. |
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23. Herbert Tate (1894-1983) was born in Cork, and educated at TCD (scholar 1915, BA 1917, MA 1921), having started his studies at UCC. He taught at Portora (1917-1921) in Enniskillen, then moved to McGill University (1921-1964). He authored several books on financial mathematics. |
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24. Henry St Joseph Atkins (1896-1987) was born 19 March in Cork, and was educated at UCC (BSc 1915, MSc 1923). He lectured at St Patrick’s, Drumcondra (1927-1936), and then back at UCC (1936-1963), where he later served as college registrar and president. He set the Leaving Cert Honours Maths examination papers for a number of years. |
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25. Michael Nagle (1896-1967) was born 23 December in Cork city, and was educated at UCC (BComm, 1918??). His career included teaching at Rockwell College and at St Mary's College in Rathmines, Dublin. |
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26. John McHenry (1897-1976) was born 9 June in Dublin and was educated at UCD (BSc 1917, MSc 1918), his master's on "" being done under Johnny Nolan. He was awarded an NUI Travvelling Studentship and used it to study Cambridge. His career was mostly spent at UCD and then at UCC (1932-1966), where he ultimately served as president. 1901 Census / 1911 Census / 1966 / Obit |
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27. Ernest Williams (1899-1965) was born 16 August in Cork city, and was educated at TCD (BA 1922). His career was spent as a judge, first in Hong Kong and after WWII in Borneo. Wikipedia / Grave / 1901 Census / 1911 Census |
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28. Anatomist, biomechanics pioneer and academic Michael MacConaill (1902-1987) was born 27 July in Woodvale, Ballymena, Antrim. He was educated in medicine at QUB (MB, BCh & BAO 1925, MSc in anatomy 1928) and lectured at Sheffield for a dozen years before becoming Prof of Anatomy at UCC (1942-1973). From the early 1930s on, he published a lot on applying maths, physics and engineering principles to the study of human joints; he is regarded as a pioneer of biomechanics. He also applied catenary curves to dental arches, and Boolean algebra to neuronal networks. 1901 Census / Wikipedia / DIB / UCC |
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29. Edward West (1902-1983) was born 6 November in Midleton, Cork, and was educated at TCD (BA 1925, MA). His career was spent teaching in Scotland, at Carnoustie and Edinburgh. |
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30. Charles Barrett (1903-1944) as born 13 Dec in Kilkenny city, and grew up there, and in Tralee, Kerry, and in Cork. He was educated at UCD (BSc, 1926) and became a Jesuit. He taught at Mongret (Limerick) and then at Clongowes (Kildare), dying relatively young. |
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31. Statistician Donal McCarthy (1908-1980) was born 4 June in Midleton, Cork, and was educated at UCC (BSc 1928, MSc 1934, PhD 1938+). His thesis was a result of study at King's College London. He lectured at UCC (1931-1949), being chair of maths physics from 1944 on, and then joined the CSO (1949-1966), serving as its director. His career finished back in Cork, as president of UCC (1967-1978). |
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32. Liam Honohan (1908-1992) was born 13 June in Macroom, Cork, and grew up there and in Dublin. He was educated at UCD (BA 1928, MA 1929). His trained as an actuary, and later served as secretary of social welfare. |
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33. Cryptographer Hugh Alexander (1909-1974) was born 19 April in Cork city, and grew up there and in Birmingham. He was educated at Cambridge (King's, BA 1931). After spending most of the 1930s teaching in Winchester, he spent the war playing a leading role at Bletchley Park. The rest of his career was spent at GCHQ (1946-1971). |
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34. Michael Lawless (1909-1984?) was born 6 June in Fermoy, Cork, and grew up there and in Galway city. He was educated at UCG (BA 1930, MA 1931, MSc 1943??), and was awarded an NUI Travelling Studentship Prize. His career was mostly spent in the department of local government (1933-1974). The year he retired, NUI awarded him an honorary LLD. 1911 Census / Career / NUI |
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35. Freddie Holland (1909-1985) was born 4 September in Dublin, and was educated at UCD (BA 1930, HDip). His career was mostly spent teaching at Presentation College in Cork city. Later in his career he also lectured at UCC (1965?-1977?). He is best remembered as co-author of numerous secondary school level maths books. |
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36. Austin Bourke (1913-1995) was born in Dungarvan, Waterford, and was educated at first at UCC (BSc 1933, MSc 1934). He lectured there for 5 years before joining the Met Service, where he worked for 4 decades, rising to the position of director. Along the way, he did a PhD in UCD in 1965 on "The Potato, Blight, Weather, and the Irish Famine", reflecting his expertise in agrometeorology and plant biometeorology. |
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37. 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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38. Martin Paul Cronin (1913-1998) was born 26 June in Midleton, Cork, and was educated at UCC (BA 1934). No career information is known. |
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39. Reggie Blackmore (1913-1941) was born 10 September in Cork city, and was educated at TCD (Scholar 1934, BA 1936). His very short career was spent as a trainee manager in a steel works in Stockbridge, Yorkshire. He died as a WWII casualty in Libya. |
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40. Con Gillman (1914-1990) was born 9 June in Curraduff, west of Newmarket, Cork, and was educated at UCC (BSc 1934?, MSc physics 1936). After a brief period teaching, his career was spent in the Met service (1940-1979). |
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41. Rene Hobson (later Benson, 1915-2010) was born 7 May in Parsonstown, King's County, and grew up there and in Cork. She was educated at TCD (BA 1937), and spent her career teaching, first at Alexandra College and then at Portora. |
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42. Statistician Tadhg Carey (aka Tadhg Ó Ciardha, 1919-1995) was born 14 March in Kinsale, Cork, and grew up west of there in Castlehaven, Skibbereen. He was educated at UCC (BSc 1939, MSc 1942) and got his 1945 PhD on "Fertilizer Requirements of Sugar Cane" under Frank Yates via the Univ of London. This was based on data collected in Bundaberg, north of Brisbane, Australia, and analysed at Rothamsted Exp Station. After a year in the Met Service, he settled at UCC (1946-1995), in time serving as registrar and president there. |
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