Biographies A-Z

Byrne, Ralph Henry (1877–1946), architect, was born 25 April 1877 in Dublin, third among five sons and one daughter of William Henry Byrne (1844–1917), architect, and May Anna Gertrude Byrne (née Dillon). W. H. Byrne worked in partnership with John O'Neill of Belfast from about 1869…

Byrne, Richard (1862–1942), politician and publican, was the third son of John Byrne (1830–86), a farmer of Taughlumny, near Lurgan, Co. Armagh, and Isabella Byrne (1826–1919). While little is known of Byrne's education, he served his apprenticeship to the licensed trade with…

Byrne, Robert (‘Bobby’) (1889–1919), trade unionist and republican, was born 28 November 1889 at 5 Upper Oriel St., Dublin, one of three sons of Robert Byrne, fitter, of North Strand, Dublin, and Annie Byrne (née Hurley) of Limerick. He was a cousin of…

Byrne, Séamus (1904–68), playwright and lawyer, was born in Dublin on 27 December 1904. Educated at Blackrock College, he graduated LLB from UCD and qualified as a solicitor in 1927. He worked as…

Byrne, Seán (1955–2003), soccer player, was born 5 February 1955 in Dublin, son of Thomas 'Dessie' Byrne, a labourer and League of Ireland footballer, of St Teresa's Gardens, Dolphin's Barn, Dublin, and his wife Annie (née Fields). Playing initially with the hugely successful…

Byrne, Sir Joseph Aloysius (1874–1942), soldier and administrator, was born 2 October 1874 in Co. Londonderry, son of Dr Joseph Byrne, DL, a catholic physician of Londonderry, and Emily Byrne (née Egan). He was educated at St George's College…

Byrne, Sir William Patrick (1859–1935), under secretary for Ireland (1916–18), was born 12 February 1859 at Beech House, Withington, Lancashire, the fourth son of John Byrne. After attending at St Cuthbert's College, Ushaw, and St Bede's College, Manchester, he studied law at the…

Byrne, Thomas Joseph (1876–1939), architect, was born 15 November 1876 in Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, son of Richard Byrne (d. c.1876), who served with the Royal Irish Fusiliers, and Harriet Byrne (née Knight). He was articled (1892) to Edward Carter,…

Byrne, Vincent (‘Vinnie’) (1900–92), revolutionary and soldier, was born 23 November 1900 in the national maternity hospital, Holles Street, Dublin, the elder among one son and one daughter of Vincent Byrne, carpenter, of 33 Denzille Street (latterly Fenian Street), and his wife…

Byrne, William (c.1775–1799), United Irishman, was youngest son of Garret Byrne of Ballymanus, Co. Wicklow. In late 1797 he joined the Wicklow town yeoman cavalry, from which he was ejected (February 1798) for refusing to swear a test oath requiring him to abjure allegiance…

Byrne, William (Aloysius) (1872–1933), poet (‘William Dara ’) and professor of English, was born 30 January 1872 in Rathangan, Co. Kildare. His father, Joseph, who became the principal teacher in the local national school, married Marcella Murray (October 1870) and William was the…

Byrne, William Michael (1775–98), United Irishman, was son of Colclough Byrne of Drumquin and a Miss Galway of Cork, a descendant of the 1st duke of Ormond (qv). One of Wicklow's small catholic elite, he lived at Park Hill in the Glen of…

Bysse (Bisse), John (c.1602–1680), lawyer and judge, was the eldest son of Christopher Bysse of Dublin (d. 1614), second remembrancer of the exchequer, and his wife, Margaret (d. 1640), daughter of Alderman John Foster of Dublin. He attended…