Table of Contents

Lists of: editors, advisors, contributors; Acknowledgements; Introduction; Guide to entries; List of abbreviations; A-Z entries.

Promotional Information

Over 9,000 entries outline the lives and careers of prominent Irish men and women, including writers, scientists, politicians and musicians.

About the Author

James McGuire is an early modern historian, who taught Irish history at University College Cork and afterwards at University College Dublin. Joint editor of Irish Historical Studies (1987–92), he was appointed Chairman of the Irish Manuscripts Commission in 2003, and in 2007 he was elected a member of the Royal Irish Academy. James Quinn's specialist interest is in the writing of Irish history in the nineteenth century. He is the author of two biographies, Soul on Fire: a Life of Thomas Russell (2002) and John Mitchel (2008).

Reviews

'In its range, its seriousness, its clarity, its comprehensive nature, it will change the face of Irish scholarship. It is an indispensable resource, a piece of sterling public service and it is a real reason to feel proud to be Irish this year.' Colm Tóibin

'It is a milestone in the history of scholarship in Ireland.' Taoiseach Brian Cowen

'It is an indispensable reference work, as well as reflecting a wide definition of what constitutes an historically significant character.' Diarmaid Ferriter

'A leisurely browse reveals this to be a magnificent reference work that will prove to be of lasting value for generations of Irish scholars.' Sunday Business Post

'The Royal Irish Academy's monumental Dictionary of Irish Biography, all 7,000 pages of it, has just been published to the sound of dropping jaws, purring appreciation and universal acclaim.' Sunday Tribune

'With its ongoing additions and new insights to Irish identity, the DIB promises to be as important in its evolution as it has been during its inception.' Irish America

'It is, without doubt, the biggest thing in books in Ireland for years … The DIB will be a very valuable resource for students, writers and anyone doing research. It will put the lives of all notable Irish people into every major university and library in the world for the first time.' Irish Independent

'The production by the Royal Irish Academy of this magnificent nine-volume dictionary of Irish biography from the earliest times to the year 2002, outlining the careers of prominent Irishmen and Irishwomen, is a milestone in Irish historical scholarship.' Charles Lysaght, Sunday Independent

'It is safe to say that it will transform the world of Irish scholarship. … The obvious comparison is with the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, published five years ago, and this Cambridge project can stand the test. … the authoritativeness, balance and eye for a telling detail are of the same order. … the Dictionary of Irish Biography represents, overall, a triumph of imaginative scholarship as well as painstaking generalship on the part of the editors, whose commitment is above praise.' Roy Foster, The Times Literary Supplement

'Twelve years in the making, the innovative and imaginative comprehensive Dictionary of Irish Biography is a wonderful work of scholarship.' Irish Times

'Let us first salute this great publishing endeavour and the initiative of the Royal Irish Academy in undertaking, with Cambridge University Press, the long overdue publication of a Dictionary of Irish Biography. The complete series is an outstanding accomplishment and a work of national importance …' Irish Arts Review

'Dr Johnson proclaimed the Irish an honest race because they seldom spoke well of one another. Perhaps this explains why it has taken so long for this all-embracing, elegant and erudite - but most of all, fair-minded - account of the people of Ireland. … If it is possible to answer the question 'what does it mean to be Irish?', it must surely be found in these pages.' Mark McGinness, Sydney Morning Herald

'Described as the largest humanities research project undertaken in Ireland and a milestone in the history of the country's scholarship, the DIB is a considerable achievement. It is not surprising that it won the prestigious 2009 American Publishers' Award for Professional and Scholarly Excellence for Best Multivolume Reference Work in the Humanities and Social Sciences.' National Centre of Biography, Australia