Biographies A-Z

Barralet, John James (c.1747–1815), artist and drawing master, was born in Dublin, son of a huguenot émigré. He was known to have at least two brothers, one of whom, John Melchior (c.1750–c.1787), also became an artist, practising mainly in London.…

Barr, Andrew (Andy) (1913–2003), trade unionist and communist, was born 23 September 1913 at 29 Cluan Place, off Mountpottinger Road, Ballymacarrett, Belfast, second child among two sons and five daughters (two other children died in infancy) of Andrew Barr (d. 1986, aged 98), a…

Barran, Nicholas (c.1555–1613), merchant and politician, was eldest son of Edmund Barran, alderman and sheriff of Dublin, and his wife Mary, daughter of Alderman Nicholas Humphrey, mayor of Dublin (1541). Elected sheriff for the year 1590–91 and alderman in 1592, he…

Barré, Isaac (1726–1802), politician and soldier, was born 15 October 1726 in Dublin, son of Peter Barré (d. 1776), merchant, and Marie Madelaine Barré (née Raboteau), both huguenot refugees from La Rochelle. His father arrived in Dublin c.1720 and prospered, becoming high…

Barret, George (1728/32–1784), landscape painter, was born in the Liberties of Dublin, son of a clothier. He abandoned an apprenticeship as a stay-maker to study art at Robert West's (qv) academy, George's Lane, and as a student was funded…

This is a co-subject for the entry on Barrett, James Rupert Edward Boyd. View the original entry.

Barrett, (Denis) Cyril (1925–2003), Jesuit priest, art critic and historian, and philosopher, was born Denis Barrett in Dublin on 9 May 1925 (Cyril was his name in religion). He was the son of Denis Barrett, the last assistant commissioner of the Dublin Metropolitan Police. His…

Barrett, Eaton Stannard (1785/6–1820), satirical writer, was born in Cork city, eldest son of Richard Barrett, gentleman; nothing is known of his mother. He was educated at a private school in Surrey (where he wrote a play, which was performed at the school), and at…

Barrett, Edmond (‘Edward’) (1877–1932), Olympic athlete, wrestler, and hurler, was born 3 November 1877 in Rahela (also known as Rahealy or Rathella), Ballyduff, Co. Kerry, one of twelve surviving children of Thomas Barrett, farmer, and Bridget Barrett (née Whelan). He was educated…

Barrett, James (1721?–1808), catholic priest, was born probably in 1721, presumably in the diocese of Killaloe (which takes in south and central Clare and north Tipperary), and obtained a licentiate in theology from the university of Paris. From 1762 until his death he was parish…

Barrett, James Rupert Edward Boyd (c.1904–1976), architect, was born in Loughborough, Leicestershire, eldest of at least four sons of James Charles Boyd Barrett, electrical engineer, and Mary Jacqueline Boyd Barrett (née Robinson), and grandson of J. L.…

Barrett, John (d. 1693), soldier and Jacobite, emerged in James II’s (qv) reign (nothing being known of his early life) as the head of the Barrett family who held 400 acres in Castlemore, near Mallow, Co. Cork. MP for Mallow in…

Barrett, John (‘Jacky’) (1753–1821), eccentric scholar, was born in Ballyroan, Queen's Co. (Laois), son of the Rev. Daniel Barrett, Church of Ireland clergyman, and his wife Rossamund Gofton. Educated by a Mr Sheils in Dublin, he entered TCD…

Barrett, Joseph (1902–52), GAA footballer, was born 17 July 1902 at 67 Rock St., Tralee, Co. Kerry, seventh of ten children of John Barrett, Tralee livestock dealer, and Nora Barrett (née O'Mahony) of Ballyduff, Co. Kerry. Educated locally, at the age of 14 he took up the family…

Barrett, Michael (1841?–68), Fenian, was born at Drumnagreshial, Drumkeeran, Co. Fermanagh, apparently the only son of Edward Barrett, a farmer. A catholic, he evidently received a good education before moving, not yet 21, to Britain, where he became a stevedore in Glasgow and…

Barrett, Patrick (d. 1415), bishop of Ferns and chancellor of Ireland, was originally a canon in the Augustinian priory of Kells in Co. Kilkenny. He was provided to the see of Ferns by the pope on 10 December 1400, and consecrated by the pope in Rome. He received the…

Barrett, Richard (1889–1922), republican, was born 17 December 1889 in Hollyhill, Ballineen, Co. Cork, son of Richard Barrett, farmer, and Ellen Barrett (née Henigan). Educated at Knocks and Knockskagh national schools, he entered the De La Salle College, Waterford, where he…

Barrett, Richard (c.1793/4–1854), journalist, was born possibly in Co. Cork, son of Richard Barrett, gentleman. His mother may have been Eleanor Stannard. Little is known of his early life but after working briefly as a brewer he became a journalist. A protestant, he was…

Barrett, Rosa (Mary) (1854–1936) philanthropist, child-care worker, and suffragist, was born 15 January 1854 in Royston, Hertfordshire, England, daughter of the Rev. W. G. Barrett and Martha Barrett (née Fletcher). From the 1860s she was resident with her family in Dublin. Her…

Barrett, Stephen Declan (1913–76), journalist, lawyer, politician, and judge, was born 26 December 1913 in Cork, second of three children of George Barrett, leader-writer for the Cork Examiner and later editor of the Evening Echo, and Alice Mary Barrett (née O'…

Barrett, Sylvester Aidan (‘Sylvie’) (1926–2002), politician, was born 18 May 1926 at Darragh, Ennis, Co. Clare, third among four children of Frank Barrett, CO of the IRA's mid-Clare brigade in the…

Barrett, Thomas (Tomás Bairéad) (d. c.1485), bishop of Annaghdown, obtained a papal provision to the see on 17 April 1458 although the see was already occupied by Donatus Ó Muireadhaigh (qv), archbishop of Tuam…

This is a co-subject for the entry on Barrett, Rosa (Mary). View the original entry.

Barre, William Joseph (1830–67), architect, was born in Newry, Co. Down, and articled to Thomas Duff of Newry (1847–8) and Edward Gribbon of Dublin (1848–50) before establishing his practice (1850) in Newry. He gained immediate recognition with his controversial design for the…

Barrington, Charles (1834–1901), mountaineer and horseman, was born 5 October 1834, sixth son and ninth child of Edward Barrington of Fassaroe, Bray, Co. Wicklow, a well-to-do quaker farmer, and his first wife, Sarah (née Leadbeater) of Ballytore, Co. Kildare. Nothing is known of…