Biographies A-Z

Foster, (Frederic) Gordon (1921–2010) statistician and informatics pioneer, was born on 24 February 1921 in Belfast, one of three children of Robert Foster, motor garage manager, and his wife Florence Evelynn (née Magee). The family were then living on Eglantine Avenue, Lisburn Road.…

Foster, John (1740–1828), Baron Oriel ,politician, was the elder son and heir of Anthony Foster (1705–79) of Collon, Co. Louth, MP for Dunleer, Co. Louth (1737–60), and chief baron of the Irish exchequer (1766–77), and his first wife, Elizabeth (d. 1744), daughter of William Burgh…

Foster, Lydia Mary (1867–1943), writer and schoolteacher, was born in Newmills, Co. Tyrone in 1867, fourth of six children (three sons and three daughters) of James Foster, presbyterian minister of Newmills congregation 1850–90, and his wife Lydia (née Harkness), from a presbyterian…

Foster, Vere Henry Louis (1819–1900), philanthropist and first president of the INTO, was born 26 April 1819 in Copenhagen, Denmark, third son of Augustus Foster (d. 1847), diplomat and non-resident Irish landowner, and…

Fothad na Canóine (d. 819), bishop of Othain (Fahan Mura, Co. Donegal), was author of a metrical rule of Christian life. The rule, which is divided into nine sections, regulates life for all believers, including bishops, priests, kings and laity. It also regulates monastic life.…

Fouéré, Yann (1910–2011), Breton nationalist and businessman, was born Jean-Adolphe Four in Aignan, Gers département (Gascony), France, on 26 July 1910, the elder child of a boy and girl born to Jean Fouéré, civil servant, and his wife Marie (née Liegard). The Fouéré family had…

Fournier d'Albe, Edmund Edward (1868–1933), physicist, inventor, and Celtic enthusiast, was born 25 October 1868 at 46 Hunter Street, Bloomsbury, London, son of Edward Hermann Fournier, student and later engineer, and his wife Ellen Maria (née Beauchamp), who was wealthy and was…

Fowke, Francis (1823–65), captain in the Royal Engineers, architect, and engineer, was born 7 July 1823 at Ballysillan, Belfast, Co. Antrim, elder of two sons of John Fowke (1794–1851), lieutenant of the 68th Regiment of Foot, and his first wife, Jane (née Ferguson; d. 1828). He was…

Fowler, Bryan John (‘the Brig’) (1898–1987), Olympic silver medallist in polo, amateur jockey, and racehorse owner, breeder, and trainer, was born 18 August 1898 at Rahinston, Co. Meath, second son among two sons and a daughter of George Hurst Fowler of Eureka Wells, Co. Meath, and…

Fowler, Robert (1725–1801), Church of Ireland archbishop of Dublin, was baptised 3 March 1725 in Skendleby, Lincolnshire, England, third and apparently youngest son of George Fowler, grazier, and Mary Fowler (née Hurst), of Skendleby Thorpe, who had at least one other child, a…

Fox, Charlotte Olivia (née Milligan) (1864–1916), ethnomusicologist, was born 17 March 1864 in Omagh, Co. Tyrone, the eldest child among five daughters and six sons (two of whom did not reach adulthood) of Seaton Forrest Milligan (1836–1916) of Glencar, Omagh, businessman,…

Fox (Foxe), Patrick (c.1380–1421), alias Raggett, bishop of Cork and later of Ossory, appears to have been an Anglo-Irishman from Kilkenny, possibly educated at either Oxford or Cambridge. All that is known for certain is that by 1407, when he appears in the household of…

Foxhals (Foxhalls, Foxholes), John (c.1415–1474), archbishop of Armagh, was an English Franciscan provided to Armagh after the death of Archbishop John Bole (qv), and before his provision had no connection with Ireland. He was…

Fox, Kathleen (1880–1963), painter, enamellist, and stained-glass artist, was born 12 September 1880 at Glenageary, Co. Dublin, daughter of Capt. Henry Charles Fox of the King's Dragoon Guards. She received her artistic training at the Dublin Metropolitan School of Art, where she…

Fox, Luke (1757–1819), politician and chief justice of the common pleas, was the fifth son of Michael Fox of Tully, Co. Leitrim, and Margaret Fox (née Coane). Educated privately by Dr Armstrong, and at a grammar school in Cavan, he entered TCD…

Fox, Richard Kyle (1846–1922), publisher and patron of sports, was born on Albertbridge Road, Belfast, on 12 August 1846. Fox's father James was a carpenter and mason, and his mother Mary (née Kyle) was the daughter of Henry Kyle, a Belfast presbyterian minister. As a teenager Fox…

Fox, Richard Michael ('R. M. ') (1891–1969), writer and trade unionist, was born on 13 November 1891 in Leeds, Yorkshire, the second of four sons of Richard Fox and his wife Elizabeth (née Rathmell). Richard senior worked as a gymnasium instructor in Leeds, and later as a skilled…

Fox, William (‘Billy’) (1939–74), farmer and politician, was born in January 1939 in Cortubber, Castleblayney, Co. Monaghan, the only son of William Fox and his wife, Helen. He was educated at the local national school and Victor Weymount grammar school, Carrickmacross, and then worked…

Foy, Nathaniel (1646–1707), Church of Ireland bishop, was baptised in All Saints Pavement in York, England, on 20 October 1646. His surname is also found as de Foix, and the family may have been of huguenot origin. Nothing is known of his mother, but he had at least two sisters.…

Francis, John (c.1661–1724), Church of Ireland clergyman, was born in Chester, son of John Francis, a citizen of the town. He was admitted to Magdalene College, Cambridge, in 1678, taking his BA in 1681 and…

This is a co-subject for the entry on Francis, John. View the original entry.

This is a co-subject for the entry on Francis, John. View the original entry.

Franckton (Francke), John (d. 1620), printer and bookseller, was probably born into a Dublin family and became apprentice to the queen's printer in Ireland, William Kearney. Upon Kearney's death in 1598 or 1599, Franckton succeeded him informally as royal printer, and he appears…

Frankau, Julia (‘Frank Danby’) (1859–1916), art historian and novelist, was born 30 July 1859 in Dublin, into an English Jewish family, seventh among nine children of Hyman Davis (d. 1871), dentist and later artist/photographer, and his wife Isabella. Her parents arrived in Dublin in…

Franks, (Gertrude) Lucy (1878–1964), president of the Irish Countrywomen's Association, was born 27 February 1878 in Westfield, Queen's Co. (Laois), daughter of Matthew Henry Franks, landowner, JP and DL…