Music and Dance

Stoppelaer Michael (c.1710–1777), actor, singer, and painter, was born in Dublin, second son of William Stoppelaer, merchant; nothing is known of his mother or the family's antecedents. His older brother was Charles Stoppelaer (c.1700–72), who also performed on the…

Sullivan, Timothy Daniel (1827–1914), politician, journalist, and songwriter, was born 29 May 1827 in Bantry, Co. Cork, eldest among seven children of Daniel Sullivan, house painter, and his wife Catherine (née Baylor), a schoolmistress. He was educated in Bantry before moving to Dublin…

Thomson, (John Smith) Bryden (‘Jack’) (1928–91), conductor, was born 26 July 1928 in Ayr, Scotland. He was educated in Ayr Academy, and then at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music in Glasgow, where he won many prizes. In 1954 he gained a scholarship to study conducting with Hans…

Tisdall, Margaret (Dell, Peggy) (1906–79), pianist and bandleader, was born 8 January 1906 in the Rotunda Hospital, Dublin, daughter of William Tisdall, musician, and Margaret Tisdall (née Gibbons). She was raised on the North Circular Road and educated locally. Known from childhood…

Torrance, George William (1835–1907), clergyman and composer, was born at Rathmines, Dublin, eldest son of George Torrance, tailor, and Elizabeth Torrance (née Flynn). Educated locally, he had a talent for music and at the age of 12 became a chorister at Christ Church cathedral (…

Touhey, Patrick J. (‘Patsy’) (1865–1923), traditional musician and vaudeville entertainer, was born 27 February 1865 in Cahertinny, Bullaun, Loughrea, Co. Galway, son of James Twohill, or O'Toole (1839–75) (all variations of the surname being anglicisations of the Irish ‘Ó Tuathail…

Trimble, Joan (1915–2000), pianist, composer, and newspaper proprietor, was born 18 June 1915 in Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh, elder daughter of William Egbert Trimble (1882–1967) and Marie Trimble (née Dowse). Her grandfather William…

Troy, Dermot (1927–62), tenor, was born 31 July 1927 in Tinahely, Co. Wicklow, son of Richard and Maureen Troy. Later his family moved to Dublin, where he attended school at Synge St. Leaving school at fourteen, he spent three years in the RAF…

This is a co-subject for the entry on Tunney, Paddy. View the original entry.

Tunney, Paddy (1921–2002), traditional singer, was born 28 January 1921 in Glasgow, Scotland, the third of the eight children, three boys and five girls, of Patrick Tunney, labourer, of Mulleek, Belleek, Co. Fermanagh, and Brigid Tunney (1887–1975), folk singer. Brigid was born 14 June…

Victory (Thomas Joseph) Gerard (1921–95), composer and music producer, was born 24 December 1921 in Dublin, son of Thomas Victory, a small shopkeeper who had settled in Dublin and had business premises in Thomas Street, and his wife, Delia Victory (née Irwin), who came from Galway. The…

Viner, William (c.1650–1716), composer and master of the state music, was born in England, but nothing is known about his parents or early life. A violinist of some repute, he was also a skilful composer and was appointed master of the state music in Ireland in 1703, a post…

Voynich, Ethel Lilian (1864–1960), novelist, translator, and composer, was born 11 May 1864 at Lichfield Cottage, Ballintemple, Co. Cork, youngest of five daughters of Professor George Boole (qv) of QCC…

Wade, Joseph Augustine (c.1801–1845), composer, was born in Dublin but his early life is shrouded in confusion; there are no details of his parents, except for one report that his father was a dairyman. Wade always claimed to have attended…

Wadham, John Barker (1936–2003), musician, was born in Croydon, Surrey, England, only son of Cyril Wadham, an insurance broker, and his wife Muriel, a talented amateur pianist. The family moved to Ireland in 1953 when Cyril Wadham, a Royal Air Force veteran, was transferred to Dublin,…

Wallace, (William) Vincent (1812–65), composer of operas, piano music, and songs, was born 11 March 1812 in Waterford city, son of Spencer (‘William’) Wallace, fifer in the North Mayo Militia, born in Ballina, Co. Mayo, in 1789, who had a long career in the British army (1804–26),…

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…

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…

Ware, William (1757–1826), organist, teacher, and concert promoter, was born 17 January 1757 at Armagh city; nothing is known of his parents. It was to Ware that Edward Bunting (qv) was apprenticed in 1784. Trained in Armagh cathedral…

Wesley, Garrett (1735–81), amateur musician, politician, and 1st earl of Mornington , was born 19 July 1735, probably at Dangan Castle, Co. Meath, the only surviving son of Richard Wesley (originally Colley), later 1st Baron Mornington, and Elizabeth Wesley (née Sale). Educated by…

Whelan, Mary Elizabeth Morosini- (1923–2011), dancing teacher, was born on 23 February 1923 in Dublin, the third of five children of Joseph Whelan, a dancing teacher, and his wife Violetta (née Morosini), who was born in Verona, Italy. Violetta Morosini had trained as a concert…

White, Harold R. (‘Dermot Macmurrough’) (1872–1943), music journalist and composer, was born 12 January 1872 in Dublin, son of Edgar White, an engineer and surveyor. Possessed of a fine treble voice, he served as a chorister in Christ Church cathedral from 1881 to 1887 and…

Wilson, James Walter (1922–2005), composer, was born 27 September 1922 in Islington, London, England, youngest of three sons of Edgar Wilson (d. 1926/7), a pharmacist, and his wife Margaret (née Eldridge) (d. 1954), who managed the family pharmacy after her husband's death. Educated at…

Wood, Charles (1866–1926), composer and musical academic, was born 15 June 1866 at Armagh city, fifth child and third son of Charles Wood, tenor lay vicar choral of St Patrick's cathedral, Armagh, and Jemima Wood (née Taylor), both of 11 Vicars’ Hill, Armagh. Of their fourteen…

Woodward, Richard (c.1743–1777), composer, was born in England, son of Richard Woodward, choirmaster; his mother's name is not known. In 1751 he moved to Ireland when his father was appointed a stipendiary of the choir at Christ Church cathedral, Dublin. He became an…