Roger McHugh on LHS of Photo
McHugh family of Glenart of Grove Avenue
Roger McHugh married Alicia Kennedy
born circa 1844 20 Apr 1874 born circa 1857
Co Sligo Dublin
died 15 Mar 1929 died 12 Jan 1878
Dublin Navan
Roger McHugh born circa 1844 in Co Sligo son of Conor McHugh, a farmer and his wife Maria.
He was living at 33 Wicklow Street and married Alicia Kennedy on 20 Apr 1874 at St Andrew’s
Westland Row. Alice was living at Navan and was the daughter of Philip and Catherine
Kennedy. Roger/Roderick was the proprietor of a hotel on Academy Street (formerly known
as Moran's Hotel). He was also a spirit and tea merchant. Alice died on 12 Jan 1878 and was
buried at Athlummey in Navan. Roger was unable to negotiate the renewal of his lease and
left Navan in 1881.
1 Son Mc Hugh (twin) born 4 Feb 1875 .
2 Cornelius Joseph McHugh born 4 Feb 1875 at Ludlow Street, Navan Co Meath
was a tea taster and buyer living at Leinster Square in 1901. He married Eveleen Rosa
Burke on 1 Oct 1906 at Balrothery Chapel. Eveleen was living at Sunnyside, Sutton and
was the daughter of Edmond Joseph Burke, a painter/merchant and Anna Duffy.
Cornelius was a tea taster for most of the Poor Law Institutions in Ireland. As only son
Cornelius died 5 Jul 1910 at Sir Patrick Dun’s Hospital late of Sutton Cottage, Sutton.
Eveleen, a pianist died in 1947 at Portrane Mental Hospital.
1 Roger Joseph McHugh born 24 Jul 1908 at Sunnyside, Sutton, Co Dublin. His father
died when he was two. He was the great grandson of James Duffy (1809-1871)
Irish author and publisher, and Roger and the family lived with his maternal
family. He was educated at Synge Street CBS, Dublin and at University College
Dublin. In 1937 he published a biography of Henry Grattan in ‘Ireland Today’, a
literary magazine. He was a lecturer at UCD living at 26 Leinster Square and
married Patricia Kelly on 5 Oct 1942 at the Church of the Immaculate Lady of
Refuge, Rathmines. Patricia was living at 14 Leinster Square and was the daughter
of Patrick Kelly, a cooper. Roger was a writer, academic, editor and republican.
He wrote two plays ‘Trial at Green Street courthouse’ and ‘Rossa’, both were
produced at the Abbey theatre. He was returned as an NUI member to Seanad
Éireann in 1954. Over the years he was visiting professor at universities in the USA
(including Pasadena, Indiana, and Wisconsin), England (Oxford), Scandinavia,
Iceland, Japan, and the USSR. He co-authored a paper on Roger Casement with
Albert Noyes which was adapted for a production at the Gaiety Theatre in 1958.
He reviewed the Casement diaries in 1959 coming to the conclusion that Casement
was being watched so closely in 1911 that none of the trysts he was supposedly
involved in could have happened. He was considered an authority on native ballads
and also a fine ballad singer. He was a trustee of the Belfast Lyric Theatre in 1964.
He was appointed Professor of Anglo-Irish literature and drama in 1967. They lived
at Glenart, Grove Road from 1958 to 1978. He was survived by his wife and five
children. *
2 James Noel McHugh born 19 Dec 1909 at Sunnyside, Sutton. He graduated in both
science and engineering and played rugby for University College Dublin. He left
Ireland in the early 1930s to work in England and played rugby for Hornsea. He was
appointed Assistant Engineer, Malayan Public Works Service in 1936. He returned
to Ireland and married Nora Bradley on 1 Jun 1940 at St Andrew’s, Westland Row.
Nora was living at Mount Street and was the daughter of Thomas Bradley, a dentist.
He arrived in Malaya in January 1936 where he founded a chess club and played
rugby with the National Malaya team. He was onboard the British naval vessel HMS
Kuala on 14 Feb 1942 which it was sunk by Japanese aircraft while evacuating Allied
personnel from Singapore. He survived the sinking and typhus and landed in
Western Freemantle in May 1942. He returned to Malaya after the war. He was
appointed to the position of Acting Director of Public Relations Department in April
1947 and resigned this role in December 1952 and in 1953 was awarded the OBE.
He published Hantu Hantu: An Account of Ghost Belief in Modern Malaya in 1955.
By 1959 he was Director in Charge of Mining Development for the newly registered,
Rompin Mining Company which was to develop the largest mine in Malaya at Bukit
Ibam, for iron ore exports to Japan. By 1963 he was conferred with the title Data
Kurnia Klas and had become managing director of Eastern Mining and Metals, which
was the parent company of Rompin. They returned to Dublin and lived at Waltham
Terrace, Blackrock and James became a trustee of the Chester Beatty Library. When
he died he was survived by his wife and four daughters.
3 Mary Kate Alice McHugh born circa 1877 in Co Meath married George Lynch, an agent on
17 Sep 1896 at St Paul’s Arran Quay. George was living at Rathdown Terrace and was the
son of Edward Lynch, a solicitor of Tralee. George died 26 Sep 1902 at 26 Leinster Square,
the residence of his father in law. Mary was a mezzo soprano and carried on entering and
winning competitions, like the Feis Ceoil after her husband’s death. She was living at
Leinster Square in 1929.
1 Mary Alice Lynch born circa 1898 in Dublin.
Roger resident at Connaught Street, Dublin secondly married Elizabeth Keating on 24 Feb 1884 at
the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Rowe Street, Wexford. Lizzie born 26 Oct 1850 in
Wexford was the youngest daughter of the late William Keating, a confectioner and his wife Johanna
Robinson. She was also the grand daughter of the late David Robinson. By 1895 Elizabeth had left
the family home and was supposed to be living in Manchester. Roger was a commercial traveller
in tea by 1901 and was living at 26 Leinster Square in 1911. He died on 15 Mar 1929 at Leinster
Square; his daughter Mary the informant.
* A bibliography of his work can be found here.
© June Bow & Karen Poff - November 2025
Return to Glenart page
Roger McHugh married Alicia Kennedy
born circa 1844 20 Apr 1874 born circa 1857
Co Sligo Dublin
died 15 Mar 1929 died 12 Jan 1878
Dublin Navan
Roger McHugh born circa 1844 in Co Sligo son of Conor McHugh, a farmer and his wife Maria.
He was living at 33 Wicklow Street and married Alicia Kennedy on 20 Apr 1874 at St Andrew’s
Westland Row. Alice was living at Navan and was the daughter of Philip and Catherine
Kennedy. Roger/Roderick was the proprietor of a hotel on Academy Street (formerly known
as Moran's Hotel). He was also a spirit and tea merchant. Alice died on 12 Jan 1878 and was
buried at Athlummey in Navan. Roger was unable to negotiate the renewal of his lease and
left Navan in 1881.
1 Son Mc Hugh (twin) born 4 Feb 1875 .
2 Cornelius Joseph McHugh born 4 Feb 1875 at Ludlow Street, Navan Co Meath
was a tea taster and buyer living at Leinster Square in 1901. He married Eveleen Rosa
Burke on 1 Oct 1906 at Balrothery Chapel. Eveleen was living at Sunnyside, Sutton and
was the daughter of Edmond Joseph Burke, a painter/merchant and Anna Duffy.
Cornelius was a tea taster for most of the Poor Law Institutions in Ireland. As only son
Cornelius died 5 Jul 1910 at Sir Patrick Dun’s Hospital late of Sutton Cottage, Sutton.
Eveleen, a pianist died in 1947 at Portrane Mental Hospital.
1 Roger Joseph McHugh born 24 Jul 1908 at Sunnyside, Sutton, Co Dublin. His father
died when he was two. He was the great grandson of James Duffy (1809-1871)
Irish author and publisher, and Roger and the family lived with his maternal
family. He was educated at Synge Street CBS, Dublin and at University College
Dublin. In 1937 he published a biography of Henry Grattan in ‘Ireland Today’, a
literary magazine. He was a lecturer at UCD living at 26 Leinster Square and
married Patricia Kelly on 5 Oct 1942 at the Church of the Immaculate Lady of
Refuge, Rathmines. Patricia was living at 14 Leinster Square and was the daughter
of Patrick Kelly, a cooper. Roger was a writer, academic, editor and republican.
He wrote two plays ‘Trial at Green Street courthouse’ and ‘Rossa’, both were
produced at the Abbey theatre. He was returned as an NUI member to Seanad
Éireann in 1954. Over the years he was visiting professor at universities in the USA
(including Pasadena, Indiana, and Wisconsin), England (Oxford), Scandinavia,
Iceland, Japan, and the USSR. He co-authored a paper on Roger Casement with
Albert Noyes which was adapted for a production at the Gaiety Theatre in 1958.
He reviewed the Casement diaries in 1959 coming to the conclusion that Casement
was being watched so closely in 1911 that none of the trysts he was supposedly
involved in could have happened. He was considered an authority on native ballads
and also a fine ballad singer. He was a trustee of the Belfast Lyric Theatre in 1964.
He was appointed Professor of Anglo-Irish literature and drama in 1967. They lived
at Glenart, Grove Road from 1958 to 1978. He was survived by his wife and five
children. *
2 James Noel McHugh born 19 Dec 1909 at Sunnyside, Sutton. He graduated in both
science and engineering and played rugby for University College Dublin. He left
Ireland in the early 1930s to work in England and played rugby for Hornsea. He was
appointed Assistant Engineer, Malayan Public Works Service in 1936. He returned
to Ireland and married Nora Bradley on 1 Jun 1940 at St Andrew’s, Westland Row.
Nora was living at Mount Street and was the daughter of Thomas Bradley, a dentist.
He arrived in Malaya in January 1936 where he founded a chess club and played
rugby with the National Malaya team. He was onboard the British naval vessel HMS
Kuala on 14 Feb 1942 which it was sunk by Japanese aircraft while evacuating Allied
personnel from Singapore. He survived the sinking and typhus and landed in
Western Freemantle in May 1942. He returned to Malaya after the war. He was
appointed to the position of Acting Director of Public Relations Department in April
1947 and resigned this role in December 1952 and in 1953 was awarded the OBE.
He published Hantu Hantu: An Account of Ghost Belief in Modern Malaya in 1955.
By 1959 he was Director in Charge of Mining Development for the newly registered,
Rompin Mining Company which was to develop the largest mine in Malaya at Bukit
Ibam, for iron ore exports to Japan. By 1963 he was conferred with the title Data
Kurnia Klas and had become managing director of Eastern Mining and Metals, which
was the parent company of Rompin. They returned to Dublin and lived at Waltham
Terrace, Blackrock and James became a trustee of the Chester Beatty Library. When
he died he was survived by his wife and four daughters.
3 Mary Kate Alice McHugh born circa 1877 in Co Meath married George Lynch, an agent on
17 Sep 1896 at St Paul’s Arran Quay. George was living at Rathdown Terrace and was the
son of Edward Lynch, a solicitor of Tralee. George died 26 Sep 1902 at 26 Leinster Square,
the residence of his father in law. Mary was a mezzo soprano and carried on entering and
winning competitions, like the Feis Ceoil after her husband’s death. She was living at
Leinster Square in 1929.
1 Mary Alice Lynch born circa 1898 in Dublin.
Roger resident at Connaught Street, Dublin secondly married Elizabeth Keating on 24 Feb 1884 at
the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Rowe Street, Wexford. Lizzie born 26 Oct 1850 in
Wexford was the youngest daughter of the late William Keating, a confectioner and his wife Johanna
Robinson. She was also the grand daughter of the late David Robinson. By 1895 Elizabeth had left
the family home and was supposed to be living in Manchester. Roger was a commercial traveller
in tea by 1901 and was living at 26 Leinster Square in 1911. He died on 15 Mar 1929 at Leinster
Square; his daughter Mary the informant.
* A bibliography of his work can be found here.
© June Bow & Karen Poff - November 2025
Return to Glenart page