Biographies A-Z

Forbes, George (1760–1837), 6th earl of Granard , soldier, and politician, was born 14 June 1760 at Newtownforbes, Co. Longford, the only child of George Forbes (1740–80), 5th earl of Granard, and his first wife Dorothy, second daughter of Sir Nicholas Bayley, bart. He was educated…

Forbes, John (1750–97), MP and governor general of the Bahamas, was born possibly at Newstone, Co. Meath, youngest child of John Forbes and his wife Sophia, daughter of John Curtis of Mount Hanover, Meath. After studying with a Mr Williamson, he entered…

Forbes, Sir Arthur (1623–c.1696), 1st earl of Granard , soldier and politician, was born in Longford, son of Sir Arthur Forbes, 1st Baron Granard, of Castle Forbes, Co. Longford (originally from Aberdeenshire, Scotland), and his wife Lady Jane Lauder (née Hamilton) of the Isle…

Forbes, Sir Arthur (1656–1734), 2nd earl of Granard , soldier and Jacobite, was eldest son of Arthur Forbes (qv), later 1st earl of Granard, and his wife Catherine Stewart. He saw service in the French army prior to 1675. After…

Forbes, Stanhope Alexander (1857–1947), artist, was born 18 November 1857 in Dublin, the younger of two sons of William Forbes, a manager of the Midland Great Western Railway, and his wife Juliette de Guise of France. He was initially taught by a governess, Sophie Moran, who took…

Forde, Francis (d. 1770?), British army and East India Company officer, was son of Matthew Forde (1675–1729) of Seaforde, Co. Down, landowner and MP for Downpatrick (1703–14), and Anne Forde (née Brownlow) of Lurgan, Co. Armagh. He first appears in the Army List as a…

Forde, Samuel (1805–28), painter, was born 5 April 1805 in Cork, second son and second among three children of Samuel Forde of Cork, a tradesman who abandoned his family and fled to America when his business failed. Nothing is known of his mother. It fell to Forde's elder brother,…

Forde, William (1796?–1849/50?), musician and musical scholar, was born in Cork city, elder son of Samuel Forde, tradesman, who when his business failed went off to America, abandoning his family. Nothing is known of his mother. William, still very young, supported the others from…

Ford, John (1894–1973), film director, was born 1 February 1894 at Cape Elizabeth, Maine, USA, as John Martin Feeney, fourth son among five sons and six daughters of Seán Feeney, Roman Catholic farmer and saloon-keeper, and Barbara ‘Abby’ Feeney (née Curran); his father had emigrated to…

Ford, Patrick (1837–1913), journalist and land reformer, was born 12 April 1837 in Galway, the son of Edward Ford (1805–80) and his wife Anne (née Ford) (1815–1893). He emigrated with his parents to the US in 1845 and never revisited Ireland. Although he devoted his life to Irish…

Ford, Sir Henry (1617–84), politician, chief secretary for Ireland, was born in Devon, posthumous son of Henry Ford of Bagtor, Ilsington, Devon, and his wife Katherine Drake of Sprathayes, Exmouth, Devon. He attended Exeter College, Oxford (1634–6) but took no degree, having…

Foreman, Sir Philip Frank (1923–2013), engineer and chief executive, was born on 16 March 1923 in Exning, Suffolk, England, the only child of Frank Foreman, a farm labourer of Exning, and his wife Mary (née Chapple), the daughter of a Manchester police officer. His family soon moved to…

Forrester, Ellen (Magennis) (1828–83), nationalist and poet, was probably born in Clones, Co. Monaghan, sixth child of a local schoolmaster; her mother was a presbyterian, who in later life converted to catholicism. At the age of 17 she moved to England, and after a period working…

Forrester, James (1730–76), artist, was born in July 1730 in Dublin. Little is known of his family connections or his early life. He studied under the artist and draughtsman Robert West (qv) (d. 1770) at the Dublin Society School of Drawing…

Forristal, Desmond Timothy ('Des') (1930–2012), priest, broadcaster and writer, was born on 25 September 1930 at 70 Botanic Road, Glasnevin, Dublin, to Anthony James Forristal, civil servant, and his wife Máirín Genevieve (née McInerney), who were then living at 8 Weston Villas,…

Forster, John (1667–1720), judge and MP, was the eldest son among at least two sons and two daughters of Richard Forster, of Clonshagh, Co. Dublin, militia colonel and later MP for Swords (1692–3), and his wife Anne (née Webber). He entered …

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Forster, William Edward (1818–86), MP and chief secretary for Ireland, was born 11 July 1818 at Bradpole, near Bridport, Dorset, England, the only child of William Forster (1784–1854), a Society of Friends minister, originally from Tottenham, Middlesex, and his wife Anna (1784–1855),…

Fortescue, Chichester Samuel Parkinson- (1823–98), Baron Carlingford and 2nd Baron Clermont , chief secretary for Ireland (1865–6, 1868–71), was born 18 January 1823 at Glyde, Co. Louth, second son (among two sons and two daughters) of Chicester Fortescue (1777–1826), of Dromisken…

Fortescue, Sir Faithful (c. 1580–1666), royalist army officer and settler, was the second son of William Fortescue (d. 1604) of Buckland, Filleigh, Devon, and his second wife, Susannah Chichester, daughter of Sir John Chichester of Raleigh in Kent. About 1604–5, at a very…

Fortune, Sean (1953–99), catholic priest and paedophile, was born in Gorey, Co. Wexford, on 20 December 1953. He was educated in Gorey at the Loreto Convent and the Christian Brothers' School, and then became a member of the Christian Brothers' juniorate in Dún Laoghaire (1969–73). In…

Fossett, Edward (c.1895–1951), horseman and circus owner, was born near London, son of Sir Robert Fossett, originally of Islington, and Mary Fossett (née Francis), a bareback rider from Co. Wexford who performed as ‘Miss Mini’ in the family business, Sir Robert Fossett's…

This is a co-subject for the entry on Fossett, Edward. View the original entry.

This is a co-subject for the entry on Fossett, Edward. View the original entry.

Foster, Alexander Roulston ('Alec') (1890–1972), rugby international, schoolmaster and political activist, was born on 22 June 1890 in Derry city, the younger son among two sons and four daughters of John Foster and his wife Christina ('Chrissie') (née Roulston(e)). John Foster was…