Gibney, John

Archer, James (c.1632–c.1680), military engineer and architect, was born in Kilkenny. His early life remains obscure, but he was a royalist, left Ireland at some point, and entered the French service; he later claimed to have served six years as a…

Baker, George (c.1608–1665), clergyman, was born in St Patrick's parish, Dublin; his parents’ names are not known. Educated at TCD, he graduated BA (1629) and …

Barnewall, Nicholas (1668–1725), 3rd Viscount Barnewall of Kingsland , soldier, and catholic lobbyist, was born 15 April 1668, son of Henry Barnewall, 2nd Viscount Kingsland of Kingsland, and his second wife, Mary, daughter of Richard Nugent…

Berkeley, Sir John (1607–78), 1st Baron Berkeley of Stratton , soldier and politician, was baptised 1 February 1607, fifth and youngest son of Sir Maurice Berkeley of Bruton, Somerset, England, and his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Henry Killigrew of Hanworth, Middlesex.…

Brodrick, Sir Alan (Allen) (1623–80), politician, was born 28 July 1623, eldest son of Sir Thomas Brodrick of Wandsworth, Surrey, deputy governor of the Tower of London, and his wife Katharine Nicholas, of Manningford Bruce, Wiltshire. He was the elder brother of Sir…

Brodrick, Sir St John (1627–1711), soldier and politician, was born 3 December 1627, fourth son of Sir Thomas Brodrick of Wandsworth, Surrey, England, lieutenant-governor of the Tower of London, and his wife Katharine Nicholas, of Manningford Bruce, Wiltshire. The family had prior…

Bulfin, Éamonn (Edmond) (1892–1968), republican activist and civil servant, was born in Buenos Aires on 22 September 1892, the eldest of five children of the journalist William Bulfin (qv), editor of the Southern Cross, and his wife…

Capel, Arthur (1632–83), earl of Essex and lord lieutenant of Ireland, was baptised 28 January 1632, the eldest son and heir among three sons and four daughters of Arthur Capel, 1st Baron Capel of Little Hadham, Hertfordshire, and his wife, Elizabeth (née Morrison) of Cassiobury Park,…

Churchill, Sir Winston (1620–88), politician, was baptised on 18 April 1620, eldest surviving son of John Churchill, deputy registrar of chancery, of Whootton Glanville, Dorset, England, and his first wife, Sarah Winston of Standistone, Gloucestershire, daughter and coheir of Sir Henry…

Crofton, Sir Edward (c.1662–1729), politician and landowner, was eldest son of Sir Edward Crofton, 1st baronet, of The Mote, Co. Roscommon, and his second wife, Susannah Clifford of Devon. His early life remains obscure; he succeeded as 2nd baronet on his father's death (…

Fleming, Patrick (Fléimionn, Pádraig) (d. 1678), tory, was the son of James Fleming of Siddan, Co. Meath, who had recovered his estates after the restoration of the monarchy in 1660. Nothing is known of his mother, and his early life remains obscure. According to tradition,…

Forbes, Sir Arthur (1623–c.1696), 1st earl of Granard , soldier and politician, was born in Longford, son of Sir Arthur Forbes, 1st Baron Granard, of Castle Forbes, Co. Longford (originally from Aberdeenshire, Scotland), and his wife Lady Jane Lauder (née Hamilton) of the Isle…

Forbes, Sir Arthur (1656–1734), 2nd earl of Granard , soldier and Jacobite, was eldest son of Arthur Forbes (qv), later 1st earl of Granard, and his wife Catherine Stewart. He saw service in the French army prior to 1675. After…

Ford, Sir Henry (1617–84), politician, chief secretary for Ireland, was born in Devon, posthumous son of Henry Ford of Bagtor, Ilsington, Devon, and his wife Katherine Drake of Sprathayes, Exmouth, Devon. He attended Exeter College, Oxford (1634–6) but took no degree, having…

Hart, Peter (1964–2010), historian, was born on 11 November 1964 in St John’s, Newfoundland, the second of three children of David Hart, a psychologist, and his wife Anne (neé Hill), a librarian and author. He attended Booth Memorial High School and enrolled in Memorial University of…

Hetherington (Hethringham, Edrington), William (d. p. 1684), informer, was apparently from Ganderstown, Co. Louth. Little is known of his early life, but in 1667 he was employed to hunt tories in Laois and Offaly by …

King, Sir William (d. 1706), soldier and politician, was son of George King and his wife Grace Coleman; his maternal grandfather, Richard Coleman, was at one time chief remembrancer of the Irish exchequer. King saw service in Ireland in the 1640s, almost certainly in Munster. The…

Leighton, Sir Ellis (Elisha) (d. 1685), politician and courtier, was of Scottish extraction, youngest son of Alexander Leighton, presbyterian divine; his mother's surname was Mears or Means, and his parents had married by 1611. Christened Elisha, he later preferred ‘Ellis’. His elder…

Leslie, John (1571–1671), ‘the fighting bishop’, was born 14 October 1571 in Crichie, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, eldest son of George Leslie and his wife Marjory. Educated in Aberdeen, he travelled on the Continent (c.1589–c.1609), becoming fluent in French,…

Leslie (Lesley), Robert (d. 1672), Church of Ireland bishop, was eldest son of Henry Leslie (qv), later Church of Ireland bishop of Down and Connor and subsequently of Meath, and his wife Jane Swinton. His early life remains obscure,…

Lynch, James (c.1624–1713), catholic archbishop of Tuam, was born in Galway. His family background and early life remain obscure, but he was educated at the Irish College in Seville, Spain, and later received a doctorate in theology from Salamanca. He preached in San…

MacDermott, Sir Terence (d. p. 1699), Jacobite and lord mayor of Dublin. His life remains largely obscure, but his family were apparently from Co. Louth, moving to Dublin towards the end of the seventeenth century; he himself was a successful merchant in the city. He had…

MacDonnell, Randell (c.1633–1711), naval commander and Jacobite, was second son of Sir James MacDonnell, 2nd baronet of Moye, a cousin of Randal MacDonnell (qv), 2nd earl and later marquis of Antrim. His mother was Mary…

MacGurk (Magork, McGuirke), Brian (c.1622×35–1713), catholic priest, was born in Termonmagurk, Co. Tyrone. His background and early life remain obscure, but his family were apparently dispossessed under the Cromwellian regime. Ordained in 1660, possibly by…

Meade, Sir John (1642–1707), lawyer and politician, was eldest son of Lt.-col. William Meade of Ballintober, Co. Cork, and his wife Elizabeth Travers. Educated at Kinsale, he entered TCD as a sizar on 28 May 1658, but took no degree.…