Biographies A-Z

Willes, Sir James Shaw (1814–72), judge, was born 13 February 1814 in Cork, eldest among six children of James Willes, physician, and his wife, Elizabeth Aldworth, daughter of John Shaw, mayor of Cork in 1792. Educated at Dr Porter's school in Cork and…

William III (1650–1702), prince of Orange and king of Great Britain and Ireland, was born in The Hague on 4/14 November 1650, only son of stadholder William II and his wife Mary Stuart, daughter of Charles I of England and sister to Charles II and…

Williams, Alexander (1846–1930), artist, naturalist and singer, was born 21 April 1846 in the Diamond, Monaghan town, eldest of three sons of William Williams, hatter, of Drogheda, Co. Louth, and was educated at Drogheda Grammar School. His father moved in May 1860 to 19 Bayview Avenue…

Williams, Charles Frederick (1838–1904), journalist and war correspondent, was born 4 May 1838 in Coleraine, Co. Londonderry. His parents' names are unknown, but he claimed to be descended paternally from Worcestershire yeomen (of Tenbury and Mamble), and maternally from Ulster Scots…

Williams, Charles Wye (1779–1866), shipping magnate and inventor, was born in Dublin, second of two sons of Thomas Williams (1748–1832), secretary of the Bank of Ireland, and Mary Ann Williams (née Quin or Quine), both of Dublin. Educated by private tutors, Charles later studied law…

Williams, Daniel (1643/4–1717), nonconformist minister and benefactor, was born in or near Wrexham, Denbighshire, north Wales. His father's name is not recorded, but his mother may have been a daughter of Hugh Davies of Wrexham, and there was at least one sister who married a…

Williams, (Daniel) Edmund (1928–2007), businessman, was born in Upper Fitzwilliam Street, Dublin, on 3 April 1928, the youngest son among three sons and two daughters of John ('Jack') Williams of Tullamore, Co. Offaly, and his wife Sheila ('Julia') (née Moorhead). The Williamses…

Williams, Griffith (c.1589–1672), Church of Ireland bishop of Ossory, was born about 1589 at Treflan in Caernarvonshire, Wales. He matriculated at Christ Church, Oxford, on 15 June 1604, but his studies were curtailed when his uncle refused to support him. Through the aid…

Williams, Jane (1771–1845), silversmith, was born 2 December 1771 in Cork, the eldest of seven daughters and two sons born to Carden Terry , silversmith, and his wife Catherine (née Webb), daughter of Stonewell Webb, also a silversmith. Carden was born 1742 to John Terry, a burgess…

Williamson, Benjamin (1827–1916), mathematician, was born 9 January 1827 at Old Dromore, near Mallow, Co. Cork, third son of Benjamin Williamson, rector of Mourne Abbey, and Abigail Williamson (née Roberts). The family claimed descent from Robert Williamson, free burgess, who held…

Williamson, John William Patrick (1922–2005), presbyterian minister in England and advocate of ecumenism, was born 24 April 1922 in the manse at Ballyroney, Co. Down, son of Ernest Hamilton Williamson (1892–1958), at that time presbyterian minister in Ballyroney, and his wife Hedwig…

Williams, Philip (fl.1570–99), government official, is of obscure origins, though his surname and political connections suggest that he was from Wales. He served as secretary to the soldier and magnate William Herbert, earl of Pembroke, until Pembroke's death in 1570, when…

Williams, Richard D'Alton (1822–62), poet, medical doctor, and nationalist, was born 8 October 1822 in Dublin, the illegitimate son of Alexandre Count D'Alton (1766–1859), an officer in the French army and land proprietor in Co. Tipperary, and Mary Williams, the daughter of a…

Williams, Richard Valentine (‘Richard Rowley ’) (1877–1947), poet, was born 2 April 1877 in Belfast, second among six children of John Williams, founder and manager of McBride & Williams Ltd, a cotton-handkerchief manufacturing firm, and Jessie Williams (née Allan). Richard was…

Williams, (Thomas) Desmond (1921–87), historian, was born 26 May 1921 in Dublin, the only child of William John Williams, later professor of education in UCD, and his wife Angela (née Murnaghan), member of a prominent legal and political…

Williams, Thomas (‘Tom’) (1923–42), republican, was born 12 May 1923 in the Beechmount area of the Falls Road, Belfast, third of four children of Thomas Williams, labourer, and his wife Mary (née Fay). The family had lived in a catholic enclave on the Shore Road in north Belfast, but…

Willibrord (657/8–739) of Ráith Melsigi, was probably of Northumbrian aristocratic family; his mother gave him his name, while his father, Wilgils, subsequently offered him to the monastery of Ripon in Northumberland, then ruled by Wilfrid (a relative?), later bishop of York (d. 709…

Willis, William (1837–94), surgeon, FRCS (1881), was born 1 May 1837 at Maguire's Bridge, Co. Fermanagh, fifth child among four sons and three daughters of George Willis, gentleman, of Moneen, Co. Fermanagh, and…

Willoughby, Charles (c.1630–1694), physician, was born in Co. Cork, son of Sir Francis Willoughby, a major-general in the army of Charles I and member of the provincial council of Munster, who was appointed governor of Galway in 1636. Charles Willoughby seems to have studied…

Wills, James (1790–1868), clergyman and author, was born 1 January 1790, younger son of Thomas Wills of Willsgrove, Co. Roscommon, and his second wife, a daughter of Capt. James Browne of Moyne, Co. Roscommon. He was educated at Dr Miller's school in Blackrock, Co. Dublin, and at…

Wills, William Gorman (1828–91), playwright and painter, was born 28 January 1828 in Kilmurry, Co. Kilkenny, third child of the writer James Wills (qv) and his wife Katherine, daughter of the Rev. W. Gorman and niece of the chief justice…

Wilmot (De Bhilmot), Séamus (1902–77), educator, theatre administrator, and writer in Irish, was born 4 May 1902 in Listowel, Co. Kerry, fourth child and only son of Edward Wilmot, blacksmith, and Mary Wilmot (née Dillon). He was educated locally at St Michael's College, Listowel, and…

Wilmot, Katherine (c.1773–1824), traveller and diarist, was eldest daughter among three sons and six daughters of Edward Wilmot (1747–1815), army captain in the 40th Regiment of Foot, stationed in Cork, and his wife Martha, daughter of the Rev. Charles Moore, rector of…

Wilmot, Martha (1775–1873), diarist and travel writer, was born at Glanmire, Co. Cork, one of six daughters and three sons of Edward Wilmot, of Derbyshire, England, a former captain of the 40th Regiment of Foot, and port surveyor of the revenue board in Drogheda and Cork, and Martha…

Wilmot, Sir Charles (1570/71–1643/4), 1st Viscount Wilmot of Athlone , English soldier and governor of Connacht, was son and heir of Edward Wilmot of Culham, Oxfordshire, England, and his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Stafford of Bradfield, Berkshire. He matriculated at…