McCormack, Anthony M.

Sarsfield, Sir William (1520–1616), politician, was the son of alderman John Sarsfield of Sarsfieldstown, Co. Meath. A wealthy landowner, he was deeply involved in the civic life of Dublin, beginning his connection with the municipal government in 1554–5, when he served as sheriff…

Savage, Sir Roland (Raibhlinn, Janico) (d. 1519), lord of Lecale and seneschal, was a younger son of Robert Savage the Younger, lord of Lecale and head of a largely gaelicised family that competed with the neighbouring Whites of the Dufferin, for the most part successfully, for the…

St Lawrence, Robert (d. 1486), 2nd Baron Howth , administrator, was the eldest son of Christopher St Lawrence, 1st Baron Howth, and his wife Anne Plunkett, of Rathmore, Co. Meath. From an important family in the Pale, Robert played a prominent role in the local administration. In…

St Lawrence, Sir Nicholas (d. 1526), 3rd Baron Howth , lord chancellor of Ireland, was son and heir of Robert, 2nd baron, and his first wife, Alice, daughter of Nicholas White, of Killester. In 1487 he remained loyal to Henry VII when the Yorkist pretender…

Sutton, David (c.1555–1581), landowner, was the eldest son of Gerald Sutton (d. 1574) of Castletown, Co. Kildare, and Genet, daughter of Thomas Eustace (qv), 1st Viscount Baltinglass. The Sutton family was an important…

Taylor, Francis (d. 1621), politician and catholic martyr, was the second son of Robert Taylor of Swords, Co. Dublin, and his wife Elizabeth Golding of the Grange, Portmarnock. As befit the son of a wealthy merchant family with ties to the civic government of Dublin, Taylor was…

Todd, John (d. c.1612), Church of Ireland bishop of Down and Connor, and of Dromore, had originally been a Jesuit; he had trained at Rome. After his conversion to the Church of Ireland, the circumstances of which are unknown, his ascent in the church was rapid. He was…

Tremayne, Edmund (c.1525–1582), government official and adviser on Irish affairs, was the second son of Thomas Tremayne of Collacombe, Devonshire, and Philippa, daughter of Roger Grenville of Stow. In 1553 he entered the service of Edward Courtenay, earl of Devon; the…

Ussher, John (1524–1585?), merchant and mayor of Dublin, was the son of Christopher Ussher and his wife, Alison, daughter of Thomas Fitzwilliams, of Merrion, who after her first husband's death married James Fitzsimon and then Alderman James Sedgrave. Ussher had livery of his…

Walshe, Edward (fl.1544–77), army officer and author, was a member of a leading Waterford family that was prominent in civic politics. It appears that he entered the service of Anthony St Leger (qv) about 1537. The exact…

Walsh, Nicholas (Nicolás Bhailis) (1538?–1585), Church of Ireland bishop of Ossory, was born in Waterford city in or before 1538; he was the son of Patrick Walsh (qv), bishop of Waterford and Lismore (d. 1578). The identity of his mother is…

Walsh, Patrick (d. 1578), Church of Ireland and Roman catholic bishop of Waterford and Lismore, was a member of a family deeply involved in the merchant life and civic government of Waterford. Educated at Brasenose College, Oxford, he received his …

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…

Weston, Robert (d. 1573), lord chancellor of Ireland, was the third son of John Weston of Lichfield, Staffordshire, and his wife Cecilia, who was a sister to Ralph Neville, 4th earl of Westmorland. Educated at Oxford, he was a fellow of All Souls college in 1536, and became dean…

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…

Wyse (Wise), Sir William (d. 1557), courtier and politician, was born into a prominent family in Waterford city. His father, John Wyse, chief baron of the Irish exchequer, sent him to London, where for approximately twenty years he served at the court of Henry VIII. In 1511 he was…