Biographies A-Z

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Barrington, George

Barrington, George (1755–1804), celebrated pickpocket, was born George Waldron in October 1755 at Maynooth, Co. Kildare, son of Henry Waldron, silversmith, and his wife, a mantua-maker and midwife whose maiden name was Naish. Educated locally, he benefited from the patronage of a…

Barrington, Margaret (Louise)

Barrington, Margaret (Louise) (1896–1982), writer and journalist, was born 10 May 1896 in Malin, Co. Donegal, one of three daughters of Richard Barrington, RIC sergeant (later district inspector), and Charlotte Barrington (née Scott). Owing…

Barrington, Richard Manliffe

Barrington, Richard Manliffe (1849–1915), naturalist and ornithologist, was born 22 May 1849 at his family home of Fassaroe, Co. Wicklow, eighth and youngest son of Edward Barrington, JP, and the only son and eldest child of his second wife…

Barrington, Samuel

Barrington, Samuel (d. 1693), clockmaker, may have been a son of Francis Barrington, a Cromwellian settler, who died in Limerick in 1683. He was flourishing in Dublin from 1665 to 1674 and had a contract for the maintenance of the Tholsel clock. He moved to Galway and then (1691…

Barrington, Sir Charles Burton

Barrington, Sir Charles Burton (1848–1943), 5th baronet, sportsman and landowner, was born at Glenstal Castle, Murroe, Co. Limerick, the eldest of four sons of Sir Croker Barrington and his wife, Anna Felicia, the eldest daughter of John Beattie West, MP for Dublin (1835–7, 1841–2…

Barrington, Sir Jonah

Barrington, Sir Jonah (1756/7–1834), memoirist, judge, and MP, was born at Knapton, near Abbeyleix, Queen's Co. (Laois), third son among sixteen children of John Barrington, country gentleman, and his wife Sibella, daughter of Patrick French of Peterswell, Co. Galway. He spent his…

Barrington, Sir Joseph

Barrington, Sir Joseph (1764–1846), 1st baronet, merchant in Limerick, was born in that city 21 February 1764, only son of Matthew Barrington and Jane Barrington (née Canter), and set up business on Charlotte Quay. In 1830 he built Barrington's Quay on the north bank of the Shannon…

Barrington, Sir Matthew

Barrington, Sir Matthew (1788–1861), 2nd baronet, benefactor, lawyer, and landowner, was born 21 May 1788 in Limerick, eldest of five sons and two daughters of Joseph Barrington (qv), pewterer, and Mary Barrington (née Baggott…

Barrington, Thomas

Barrington, Thomas (1881–1930), civil servant, was born 17 December 1881 at Carhuclough, Ennistymon, Co. Clare, eldest of ten children of Peter Barrington and Ann Barrington (née Barry), small farmers. Five of the children emigrated; seven never married. A bright student, he joined…

Barrington, Thomas Joseph

Barrington, Thomas Joseph (1916–2000), civil servant, was born 16 May 1916 in Dublin, the eldest of five children of Thomas Barrington (qv), civil servant, of Corrofin, Co. Clare, and his wife, Eileen, née Bracken, the half-sister…

Barron (Baron), Geoffrey

Barron (Baron), Geoffrey (1606–51), lawyer, politician, and diplomat, was eldest son of Lawrence Barron, a catholic merchant from Clonmel, and Mary Wadding of Waterford, sister of the Franciscan scholar Luke Wadding (qv). The Barrons, a…

Barron, Philip Fitzgerald

Barron, Philip Fitzgerald (1801/2?–1844), Celticist and Hebraist, was born in Durrow House, Stradbally, Co. Waterford, one of seven children of Richard Barron of Durrow and Catherine Barron, daughter of Philip Hay of Co. Wexford. Though some sources give 1797 as his year of birth,

Barr, (Sarah) Venie

Barr, (Sarah) Venie (1875–1947), political and community activist, was born 3 October 1875 in Abbeyleix, Queen's Co. (Laois), daughter of James Moyles , trader, and Eliza Jane Moyles (née Pratt). Active in unionist organisations, she was an original member of the Ulster Women's Unionist…

Barry, Alice

Barry, Alice (1608–c. 1667), 1st countess of Barrymore, was born at College House in Youghal, Co. Cork, on Palm Sunday, 20 March 1608. Alice was the eldest daughter of the English Protestant planter,…

Barry, Alice Mary

Barry, Alice Mary (c.1880–1955), doctor, was born in Cork, daughter of Richard Barry. Little is known of her early life. Appointed as licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (1904), she did her residence in the Mater Hospital, Dublin, and was awarded a…

Barry, Anthony (‘Tony’)

Barry, Anthony (‘Tony’) (1901–83), merchant and politician, was born 7 June 1901 in Cork, eldest among eleven children of James J. Barry, tea and wine merchant of Ballyhooly, Co. Cork, and Annie Barry (née Ryan; d. February 1950). The family lived at ‘Lansdowne’, St Patrick's Hill…

Barry, Arthur Hugh Smith

Barry, Arthur Hugh Smith (1843–1925), 1st and last Baron Barrymore , landlord and politician, was born 17 January 1843 at Leamington, Warwickshire, elder son (among two sons and two daughters) of James Hugh Smith Barry (1816–56), JP,…

Barry, Billie (Lillian)

Barry, Billie (Lillian) (1921–2014), performer and stage school founder, was born on 27 January 1921 in Drumcondra, Dublin, the youngest of fifteen children to John Clarke-Barry, orchestra leader and musician, and his wife Anne (née Hughes), an amateur operatic singer. The family were…

Barry, Charles Robert

Barry, Charles Robert (1823–1897), lord justice of appeal and MP, was born 3 January 1823 in Limerick city, eldest son of James Barry, solicitor, of Limerick city, and his wife Ellen, daughter of James Purcell. He was educated at Dalton's School, Limerick, Midleton Foundation School…

Barry, David

Barry, David (1873–1938), businessman, was born 4 April 1873 in Ballycarry, Co. Antrim, son of William Barry, teacher, and Sarah Barry (née Weatherhead). In 1887 he joined the Belfast & Northern Counties Railway Co. and in 1891 he joined the shipping firm of G. & J. Burns…

Barry, David Fitz-David

Barry, David Fitz-David (1605–42), 1st earl of Barrymore , nobleman, was born on or slightly before 10 March 1605, the posthumous son of David Barry; his mother, Elizabeth, was the daughter of Richard, Lord le Power, and his wife, Catherine. As heir to his grandfather…

Barry, David Fitz-James de

Barry, David Fitz-James de (1550–1617), 3rd Viscount Buttevant , was second son of James Fitz-Richard Barry Roe, lord of Ibawne, 2nd Viscount, and his wife Ellen (Eileen), daughter of Cormac MacCarthy Reagh. On the outbreak of the second Desmond rebellion (1579), he initially…

Barry, David Thomas

Barry, David Thomas (1870–1955), physiologist, was born in Ballyannahan, Co. Cork, eldest son of Thomas Barry. Educated in Cork, he graduated MB (RUI) in 1894, entered general practice in…

Barry, Denis

Barry, Denis (1883–1923), Irish Volunteer, commandant of the Cork No. 1 Brigade and trade unionist, was born on 13 July 1883, in Riverstick, Cullen, Co. Cork, the son of John Barry, farmer and Nora Barry (née Sullivan). Denis was born on the family farm, the second youngest of eight…

Barry, Edmond

Barry, Edmond (1837–1900), priest and antiquarian, was born 7 March 1837 in Midleton, Co. Cork, elder son and second of three children of Edmond Barry, gentleman of Birch Hill and Midleton, and Mary Anne Barry (née Murphy). He was educated in the seminary at Midleton and at St…