Biographies A-Z

Walsh, Thomas (1580–1654), catholic archbishop of Cashel, was born at Waterford, the son of Robert Walsh, merchant, and his wife Anastasia Strong, sister of Thomas Strong, bishop of Ossory. The Walshes were one of the most powerful merchant families in Waterford and were also…

Walsh, Thomas (1901–56), politician and farmer, was born 8 December 1901 in Garryduff, Gowran, Co. Kilkenny, one of two sons and one daughter of James Walsh, farmer, and Catherine Walsh (née Byrne). After early education at Patrician Brothers' College, Mountrath, Queen's Co. (…

Walsh, Thomas (1914–88), scientist and agricultural administrator, was born in Piercestown, Co. Wexford, fourth son of modest farmers. Walsh was educated at Piercestown national school and Wexford CBS before attending…

Walsh, Thomas Joseph (1911–88), physician, founder and artistic director of the Wexford Opera Festival, and writer, was born on 20 November 1911 at 6 Upper George St., Wexford, eldest son of John Joseph Walsh, commercial traveller, and Margaret Walsh (née Hayden) of…

Walsh, William (c.1513–1577), catholic bishop of Meath, was born in or before 1513 in the diocese of Meath, probably at Dunboyne. He joined the Cistercian order and appears to have lived first at the abbey at Bective, Co. Meath, but he was not there at its dissolution in…

Walsh, William (1804–58), catholic archbishop in Canada, was born 7 November 1804 at Waterford city, eldest of fourteen children of Joseph Walsh, a catholic farmer. Educated at St John's College, Waterford, he decided to enter the priesthood and studied at the catholic seminary at…

Walsh, William Henry (‘Bill’) (1915–99), general manager of Córas Trachtala Teo and founding chief executive of Kilkenny Design Workshops, was born 15 February 1915 in Nenagh, Co. Tipperary, only son among four children of Richard Walsh and Rebecca Walsh (née Thompson). Educated at…

Walsh, William Joseph (1841–1921), catholic archbishop of Dublin, was born 30 January 1841 at 11 Essex Quay, Dublin, the only child of Ralph Walsh, watchmaker and jeweller, and Mary Walsh (née Perce). Mary Walsh is reputed to have been a native of Galway, and her husband to have been…

Walsh, William Pakenham (1820–1902), Church of Ireland bishop of Ossory and writer, was born 4 May 1820 at Moorpark, Co. Roscommon, eldest son of Thomas Walsh, gentleman, of St Helena Lodge, Co. Roscommon, and his wife Mary, daughter of Robert Pakenham of Athlone, Co. Westmeath.…

Walter (Butler), Theobald (a.1150–1206?), magnate and chief butler of Ireland, was eldest son of Hervey Walter and Maud, daughter of Theobald de Valoignes. Little or nothing is known for certain about his family background, but he clearly came from what later centuries…

Walton, Ernest Thomas Sinton (1903–95), scientist, educator, and Nobel prize laureate, was born 6 October 1903 in Abbeyside, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford, elder of two children of the Rev. John Arthur Walton and Anna Elizabeth Walton (née Sinton). His father, a methodist minister, was born…

Walton, John (c.1415–c.1490), archbishop of Dublin, was an Augustinian canon at Osney, near Oxford, England, by 1433, and was educated at Oxford, where he applied to receive his DD in 1451, the year before he was elected…

Walton, Martin (1901–81), musician, musical entrepreneur, and republican, was born 27 February 1901 in Kilkenny city, only child of Patrick Walton, linotype operator, and his wife Mary (née Bolger), a native of Castlecomer, Co. Kilkenny. His grandfather, John Walton, had been an…

Walton, Simon Francis (‘Sim’) (1880–1966), hurler, was born 4 September 1880 in Reimeen, Tullaroan, Co. Kilkenny, one of four children (three girls and a boy) of John Walton, farmer, and Johanna Walton (née Bannon) of Reimeen. His father had been a pioneer of hurling in Kilkenny in the…

Wandesforde, Christopher (1592–1640), lord deputy of Ireland, was born 24 September 1592 near Beverley in Yorkshire, the eldest son of Sir George Wandesforde of Kirklington, Yorkshire, and of Catherine, daughter of Ralph Hensby. He began his education at the free school of Well…

Warbeck, Perkin (1474–99), pretender, was son of John Osbeck, controller of the town of Tournai, Flanders, and was the focus of the second – and potentially more serious – Yorkist plot to dethrone Henry VII. He was trained by John Taylor, a Yorkist agent (again at the instigation of…

Warburton, Bartholomew Elliott George (‘Eliot Warburton’) (1810–52), author, landowner, and traveller, was born near Tullamore, King's Co. (Offaly), eldest son of George Warburton, of Aughrim, Co. Galway, a former inspector-general of the constabulary in Ireland, and Anna Warburton (née…

This is a co-subject for the entry on WARBURTON, Bartholomew Elliott George (‘Eliot Warburton’). View the original entry.

Ward, Andrew (1925–99), civil servant, was born 11 August 1925 in Tourard, near Kanturk, Co. Cork, the fourth of the five surviving children (one girl and four boys) of Eugene Ward, county council employee of Tourard, and his wife, Mary, née Doherty, of Co. Tipperary. He was educated at…

Warde, Frances Teresa (Sister Mary Frances Teresa) (1810–84), Sister of Mercy and educator, was born in Belbrook House, Abbeyleix, Queen’s Co. (Laois) in 1810, the youngest of six children (three sons and three daughters) of John Warde, a merchant, and Mary Warde (née Maher). Educated…

Warden, David Bailie (1772–1845), United Irishman, diplomat, and bibliographer, was born at Ballycastle, Co. Down, eldest among three sons of Robert Warden, tenant farmer, and Elizabeth Warden (née Bailie). Educated locally, he studied for the presbyterian ministry, despite being…

Warden, Joseph Frederick (1836–98), actor and theatre manager, was born 12 December 1836 in Hull, Yorkshire. His first stage appearance was in the role of Lemuel in John Baldwin Buckstone's ‘The flowers of the forest’ at Scarborough Theatre. Eighteen months later he joined Charles…

Ward, Francis Constantine (‘F. C.’, ‘Con’) (1891–1966), medical doctor and politician, was born 12 February 1891 in Corlygorm, Donaghmoyne, Co. Monaghan, son of Patrick Ward, farmer, and Elizabeth Ward (née Ruddin). He was educated at the Patrician Brothers' schools, Carrickmacross.…

Ward, James (1851–1924), artist and educator, was born 17 November 1851 at Gavins Buildings, Shankill Road, Belfast, eldest son of James Ward, house painter. He was educated at local schools and received private art lessons before attending the Government School of Art, Belfast. He…

Ward, John (1781–1837), mystic known as ‘Zion ’, was born 25 December 1781 in Cobh, Co. Cork. His birthplace and the fact of his being born on Christmas day to a mother called Mary he later regarded as highly significant: ‘The divine love principle is like cork, it will still be…