Biographies A-Z

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | Y | Z

Ferrar, John

Ferrar, John (1742–1804), printer and historian, was born in 1742 in Limerick city, the only son of William Ferrar (sometimes spelt Farrier), bookbinder and printer, and Rose Ferrar (née Paine or Payne). The first member of this family to settle in Limerick was William Ferrar, a cavalry…

Ferris, Richard

Ferris, Richard (1754–1828), priest and adventurer, was born 10 February 1754 at Ballymalis, near Killarney, Co. Kerry, youngest among four sons of Daniel Ferris, tenant farmer; his mother was a Hassett, apparently a protestant. His brothers emigrated to France, where one, Edward…

Ferris, Samuel

Ferris, Samuel (1900–1980), long-distance athlete, was born 29 August 1900 in Magherabeg, near Dromore, Co. Down, the son of Samuel Ferris, labourer, and his wife, Mary, née Clarke. His family emigrated to Glasgow where, at the age of sixteen, Samuel joined the Shettleston Harriers…

Fethgna

Fethgna (d. 874), abbot of Armagh, belonged to the lineage of Uí Echdach from which sprang the ecclesiastical family of Clann Sínaig; his father is named as Nechtan, but his mother is not recorded. Fethgna was initially bishop of the Patrician community and, in that capacity, he…

Ffennell, William Joshua

Ffennell, William Joshua (1799–1867), fishery reformer, was born 16 August 1799 at Ballybrado, near Cahir, Co. Tipperary, eldest son (among six sons and ten daughters) of Joshua William Ffennell, country gentleman, and his wife Elizabeth. Educated locally, though not well, he was…

Fiacc

Fiacc (d. late 5th cent.), bishop of Sléibte (Sletty, Co. Carlow), was a younger contemporary of St Patrick (qv). The only sources for the life of this obscure bishop are the materials on the life of Patrick, the…

Fiachnae

Fiachnae (d. 789), son of Áed Rón and overking of Ulaid, a member of the Cenél Demmáin lineage of Dál Fiatach, was prominent in restoring his dynasty's fortunes and in countering the designs of the powerful Uí Néill kings. His father, Áed Rón (…

Fiachnae Lurgan

Fiachnae Lurgan (‘of Lurga’ [placename?]) (d. 626), son of Báetán and overking of Ulaid, belonged to the lineage of Uí Choíldub within the dynasty of Dál nAraide. Fiachnae, whose grandfather Eochaid is numbered among the overkings of Ulaid, had a brother, Fiachra Cáech (d. 608), and…

Fiacre (Fiachra)

Fiacre (Fiachra) (d. c.670) was anchorite bishop of Brie in the district of Meaux in northern France. Biographical information is very sparse; the chief source, the ‘Vita Faronis’ (the Life of Bishop Faro (d. 672) of Meaux), states that Fiacre went to France as a man of…

Fiannamail

Fiannamail (d. 680), son of Máel-tuile and overking of Leinster, belonged to the dynasty of Uí Máil. Although his great-uncle Crimthann Cualann (qv) had died in 633 as overking of Leinster, Fiannamail's immediate predecessor in the Uí…

Field (Fehily), Thomas

Field (Fehily), Thomas (1546/9–1625), Jesuit priest and missionary, was born in Limerick, in 1546 or 1549, son of a catholic medical doctor, William Field (or Fehily), and his wife, Genet Field (née Creagh). Because of his religion he was sent for his education to Douai and then…

Field, James

Field, James (1768–1849), methodist leader in Cork, was born 6 April 1768, of poor parents who lived near Ballybay, Co. Monaghan; his father's name may have also been James. He had one brother, at least two sisters, and one stepbrother. He received little formal education, though…

Field, John

Field, John (1782–1837), pianist and composer, was born 16 or 26 July 1782 in Golden Lane, Dublin, and baptised at St Werburgh's church on 5 September. He was the eldest son of a Dublin couple, Robert Field, a theatre violinist (himself the son of John Field, a professional organist…

Field, Richard

Field, Richard (1553–1606), Jesuit priest, was born at Corduff, north Co. Dublin. He was in attendance at the Jesuit college in Paris in September 1579, entered the society in 1584 and was ordained a priest c.1589. He spent some years at the university of Pont-à-Mousson…

Fields, Arthur

Fields, Arthur (1901–94), photographer, known as the 'man on the bridge', was born Abraham Feldman on 27 October 1901 at home in Dublin to Ukrainian Jewish parents Malka (also known as 'Molly' or 'Mary'; née Sweed) and Simon Feldman, a draper, of 6 Raymond Street, Dublin 8. He had four…

Field, William

Field, William (1843–1935), nationalist politician and businessman, was born in Blackrock, Co. Dublin, son of John Field, victualler, and Grace Field (née Byrne). His father was the secretary of the Blackrock branch of the Young Irelanders' Confederation, and had his house searched…

Figgis, Darrell

Figgis, Darrell (1882–1925), journalist, author, and nationalist propagandist, was born 17 September 1882 at Glen-na-Smoil, Palmerston Park, Rathmines, Dublin, son of Arthur William Figgis, tea merchant, and Mary Anne Figgis (née Deane). The family moved to London and then Ceylon…

Finaghty, James

Finaghty, James (1614–p.1671), catholic priest and faith healer, was attached to the diocese of Elphin. During the confederate period in the 1640s, he was a supporter of the papal nuncio, Rinuccini (qv). Utilising the…

Fínán

Fínán (d. 661), monk of Iona and bishop of Lindisfarne, was Irish-born, apparently the son of one Rímid, and was probably of Ulster origin, although his genealogy is not preserved. A priest of the Columban community, he travelled to Northumbria in 652 to take up episcopal office as…

Fínán Camm

Fínán Camm (6th–7th cent.), founder and first abbot of Cenn Éitig, and saint in the Irish tradition, is traced by the genealogists to the Munster population group of Corco Duibne. His parents are named as Móenach son of Arddae, of the Corco Duibne, and Becnat daughter of Cian of…

Findbarr (Finbarr)

Findbarr (Finbarr) of Cork. There is scarcely a saint to rival Finbarr of Cork for the number of manuscript copies made of his Life, some thirty in total, not counting twenty-one copies of the same manuscript version made in the 1890s by Patrick Stanton of Cork. Ever since the…

Findchú

Findchú (6th cent.), founder and first abbot of Brí Gobann and a saint in the Irish tradition, is traced – according to the strongest genealogical tradition – to Clann Branáin of Uí Briúin Bréifne. His father is named as Sétna son of Abra, while a later tradition gives his…

Findlater, Adam Seaton

This is a co-subject for the entry on Findlater, Alexander. View the original entry.

Findlater, Adam Seaton

This is a co-subject for the entry on Findlater, John. View the original entry.

Findlater, Alexander

Findlater, Alexander (1797–1873), merchant and philanthropist, was born 9 March 1797 in Glasgow, Scotland, third son among seven sons and four daughters of John Findlater (1758–1809), supervisor of excise at Greenock, Renfrewshire, and Janet Findlater (née Dempster). Owing to the…