Byrne, Patricia M.

Ganly, Patrick (1809–99), geologist, was born in Dublin. His family came from the Longford-Roscommon area, where his father Patrick may have worked for William Edgeworth and Richard Griffith (qv) during their survey of Co.…

Gill, William Daniel (1916–92), geologist, was born 29 June 1916 at Hillam, Yorks., second child among three sons and three daughters of Richard Wells Gill, farmer, and Eva Gill (née Hesselgrave). He was educated at Castleford Grammar School and Leeds University, where he had a…

Grattan, John (1800–71), apothecary and naturalist, was born in Dublin. Little is known of his family or early schooling. He obtained his diploma at the Apothecaries’ Hall, Dublin (c.1823), where a seven years’ apprenticeship was required before final examination. Looking…

Graves, Charles (1812–99), clergyman, mathematician, and antiquarian, was born 6 November 1812 at 12 Fitzwilliam Square, Dublin, youngest child among four sons and one daughter of John Crosbie Graves, chief police magistrate of Dublin, and his wife Helena, daughter of the Rev. Charles…

Graves, John Thomas (1806–70), jurist and mathematician, was born 4 December 1806 at 12 Fitzwilliam Square, Dublin, eldest son of four boys and one girl of John Crosbie Graves, chief police magistrate of Dublin, and his wife Helena, daughter of the Rev. Charles Perceval, rector of…

Hallissy, Timothy (1869–1958), geologist, was born 8 November 1869 in Garrycloyne, Blarney, Co. Cork, eldest among three sons and two daughters of John Hallissy, tenant farmer, and his first wife Mary Hallissy (née O'Shea). His father had tenancy (1855) of 186 acres, of which he got…

Heaton, Richard (1601–66), cleric and botanist, was born 14 February 1601 at Moorehouse, Hooton Pagnall, Yorkshire, third of nine children of Francis Heaton, landowner, and his wife Ursulay. Only three children survived, but there is no further mention of the eldest son or…

Heitler, Walter (1904–81), theoretical physicist and philosopher, was born 2 January 1904 in Karlsruhe, Baden, Germany, son of Adolf Heitler, a Jewish engineering professor, and Ottilie Heitler (née Rudolf ). His largely classical early education left him with a lifelong interest…

Higgins, William (c.1762/3–1825), chemist, was born in Collooney, Co. Sligo, younger of two sons of Thomas Higgins (c.1739–1790), and grandson of Bryan Higgins (d. 1777), both medical doctors. His uncle Bryan Higgins (qv…

Holt, Ernest William Lyons (1864–1922), naturalist and antiquary, was born 17 October 1864 in London. He was educated at Eton, where he won the Biological Prize, and entering the army through Sandhurst, he joined the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry. He served through the Nile…

Jackson, John Semple (1920–91), geologist and environmentalist, was born 21 February 1920 in Dublin, fifth child among four sons and two daughters of Francis Robert Jackson, managing director of several businesses in Athy, Co. Kildare, and his wife Annie Elizabeth, youngest…

Johnson, William Frederick (1852–1934), clergyman, teacher, and entomologist, was born 20 April 1852 at Cochin, Travancore, India, son of Edward J. Johnson, a member of the Church Missionary Society; his mother's name is not known. For the most part he was privately educated, although…

Joly, Charles Jasper (1864–1906), mathematician and astronomer, was born 27 June 1864 at St Catherine's rectory, Tullamore, King's Co. (Offaly), eldest among three sons and two daughters of John Swift Joly, rector, and Elizabeth Joly (née Slator). His great-grandfather Jean Jasper…

Kane, Katherine Sophia (1811–86), botanist and horticulturist, was born 11 March 1811, the only child of Henry Baily , who came from Berkshire, England, to Limerick as a distiller, and Bridget Baily (née O'Kelly). Katherine's uncle Francis Baily was an eminent astronomer and vice-…

Keefe, (Thomas) Dennis (1930–90), physicist, was born 28 February 1930 at 6 Belgrave Square, Rathmines, Dublin, only son among three children of Joseph Keefe, civil servant, and Eileen Keefe (née Riordan). Known as ‘Dennis’, he was educated at the…

King, Kathleen (1893–1978), botanist and bryologist, was born Anastasia Lelia Catherine 5 July 1893 in Dublin, daughter of Lawrence Murphy , of a farming family from Ballycarnew, Co. Wexford, and Bridget Murphy (née Monaghan) from Co. Longford. The family lived in Upper Merrion St…

Lánczos, Cornelius (Kornél) (1893–1974), theoretical physicist, was born 2 February 1893 in Székesfehérvár, Hungary, eldest of five children of Carolus Löwy, lawyer, and Adél Hahn. During the early 1900s the family changed their name to Lánczos, a Hungarian form of the Jewish name Löwy…

Larmor, Joseph (1857–1942), mathematical physicist, was born 11 July 1857 at Ballycarrickmaddy, Magheragall, Co. Antrim, eldest among five sons and two daughters of Hugh Larmor, well-to-do farmer turned grocer, and his wife Hannah, eldest daughter of Joseph Wright of Stoneyford, Co.…

Leahy, Patrick Joseph (1917–98), general practitioner and medical campaigner, was born 13 March 1917 at the Mall, Thurles, Co. Tipperary, the son of William Leahy, a self-made man and architect cum engineer, and Margaret Leahy (née Doyle). One of eight children, he was born into a…

Lindsay, Eric Mervyn (1907–74), astronomer, was born 26 January 1907 at Grange, near Portadown, Co. Armagh, youngest among seven sons and six daughters of Richard Lindsay, school principal, and Susan Lindsay (née Best), teacher, of Hannavale House, Portadown. He was educated at King…

Longfield, Cynthia Evelyn (1896–1991), entomologist and traveller, was born 16 August 1896 at 20 Pont St., Belgravia, London, youngest of three daughters of Lt-col. Mountifort John Courtenay Longfield and his wife Alice Elizabeth (née Mason) of Castle Mary, Cloyne, Co. Cork, the…

MacBride, Ernest William (1866–1940), zoologist, was born 17 November 1866 in Belfast, eldest among five children of Samuel MacBride, linen manufacturer, of Edgehill, Belfast, and Mary Jane (‘Minnie’) MacBride (née Brown), daughter of a presbyterian minister in Donegal. Many of his…

MacMahon, Bernard (c.1736–1816), priest, scientist, and translator, was born at Castlering, Co. Louth, one of two brothers. He was educated locally and studied for the secular priesthood at Antwerp, presumably at the Irish College there. His name appears on the 1771 list…

Mallet, Robert (1810–81), engineer and seismologist, was born 3 June 1810 in Ryder's Row, Dublin, eldest child and only son among three children of John Mallet (1780–1868), plumber, hydraulic-engine maker, and iron founder, and his wife and first cousin Thomasina Mallet (d. 1861).…

Massy, Annie Letitia (1868–1931), marine biologist and ornithologist, was born on 29 January 1868 in Netley, Hampshire, England, third among two sons and two daughters of Hugh Deane Massy, a British army surgeon of Stagdale, Co. Limerick, and his wife Annie. The Massy family claimed…