Biographies A-Z

Potts, James (c.1733–1796), printer and newspaper proprietor, was the son of John Potts (d. 1738), an Athlone merchant, and his wife, Jane. James was apprenticed to the printer George Faulkner (qv) on 1 December 1747, and in…

Potts, Thomas (‘Tommy’) (1912–88), musician, was born 24 October 1912 at 6 Walker's Buildings, the Coombe, Dublin, son of John Potts, dray man and musician, and Honora Potts (née McGuirk). His father and his brother, Eddie, were talented pipers and the Potts home was popular with…

Pounder, Cuthbert Coulson (1891–1982), marine engineer, was born 12 May 1891 in Hartlepool, Co. Durham, youngest son of a family of six. His father was a blacksmith owning his own business. When he was 6 his mother died, and he was brought up by his stepmother, a Lowland Scot. On…

Pounder, Rafton John (1933–91), politician, was born 13 May 1933 in Belfast, son of Cuthbert C. Pounder (qv), marine engineer, of Shaw's Bridge, Belfast, and Winifred Pounder (née McCauley). He was educated at Charterhouse…

Powell, Humphrey (fl.1551–66), first ‘king's printer’ in Ireland, was a charter member of the London Stationers' Company, and had already printed seven or eight books in his premises in Holborn, London, when on 18 July 1550 the English privy council issued a warrant…

Power, Albert George (1881–1945), sculptor, was born 16 November 1881 at Barrack Street (now Benburb Street), Dublin, second of two sons and one younger daughter of Henry Power, watchmaker, and Mary Power (née Atkins), embroideress. He was educated at the Christian Brothers national…

Power, Ann (‘Nancy’) Wyse (1889–1963), Celticist, member of Cumann na nBan, and civil servant, was born 16 November 1889 in Dublin, one of the children of John Wyse Power (qv), civil servant, journalist, and founding member of the…

Power, Arthur Richard (1891–1984), artist, critic, and author, was born 22 July 1891 on Guernsey, eldest among two sons and one daughter of Alfred Power, major in the Yorkshire Light Infantry, and Agnes Power (neé Farrell). Alfred's postings took them to Southsea (England), Mullingar,…

Power, Frank le Poer (1858–84), war correspondent, was born in Dublin, one of two sons and four daughters of F. J. Power, a bank manager. His surnames suggest a connection with the Powers (originally Le Poers) of Waterford and he was also connected to…

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This is a co-subject for the entry on Dunning, Gertrude Frances. View the…

Power, Jennie Wyse (1858–1941), nationalist and suffragist, was born Jane O'Toole in May 1858 in Baltinglass, Co. Wicklow, youngest among four sons and three daughters of Edward O'Toole (d. 1876), shopkeeper and small farmer, and Mary O'Toole (neé Norton; d. 1877). The O'Tooles were…

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Power, John (‘Jackie’) (1916–94), hurler, was born 30 May 1916 in Annacotty, Co. Limerick, one of two children of David Power, gardener, from Kilbreedy, Kildimo, Co. Limerick, and his second wife Ellen Power (née Fitzgerald) of Annacotty. He had two half-brothers and one half-sister…

Power, John O'Connor (1846–1919), politician, was born near Ballinasloe, Co. Galway. In later life, on enrolling to study law, he claimed to be the third son of a gentleman farmer named Patrick Power, but other evidence suggests that he was the illegitimate son of a policeman named…

Power, John Wyse (1859–1926), nationalist and journalist, was born at Knock House near Waterford city, eldest son of James Power, a prosperous farmer, and Catherine Power (née Wyse). Educated locally and at Blackrock College, Co. Dublin, he joined the civil service in 1878 but…

Power, Marguerite Agnes (1815?–1867), writer and traveller, was born in Ireland, daughter of a Col. Power. Her aunt was Marguerite Gardiner (née Power) (qv), countess of Blessington, and she later lived with her aunt at…

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Power, Nicholas Mahon (1787–1873), landowner and politician, was born at Waterford on 4 February 1787, the younger son of Nicholas Power (1725–94) and his wife Catherine (1754?–1831), daughter of Bartholomew Rivers (qv), a…

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Power, Patrick (1862–1951), priest, historian, toponymist, and archaeologist, was born 8 March 1862 at Callaghane, Ballygunner, Co. Waterford, several kilometres from Waterford city. Educated at Ballygunner national school and the Catholic University School, Waterford city, he studied…

Power, Richard (c.1630–1690), 1st earl of Tyrone , soldier and politician, was the eldest son (there was also a daughter) of John Power (c.1597–1666), 5th Baron Le Power and Coroghmore, of Curraghmore, Co. Waterford, and his wife, Ruth Power (née Pypho), daughter and…

Power, Richard (c.1732–1794), lawyer and third baron of the exchequer, was second among three sons of John Power of Barretstown, Co. Tipperary, and Elizabeth Power (née Congreve). Deciding on a career in the law, he entered the Middle Temple (1752) and was called to the…

Power, Richard (Dick) (de Paor, Risteard) (1928–70), civil servant and writer, was born 24 February 1928 in a private nursing home at 17 Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin, the eldest of five sons of Patrick Joseph Power, a bank official, originally of Kilrossanty, Co. Waterford, and…