Abercrombie, Sir (Leslie) Patrick
Abercrombie, Sir (Leslie) Patrick (1879–1957), architect and town planner, was one of the most influential figures in the development of town planning in early twentieth-century Ireland. He was born on 6 June 1879 at Ashton upon Mersey in Cheshire, England, seventh of nine children…...
Abraham, James Johnston
Abraham, James Johnston (1876–1963), surgeon and writer, was born 16 August 1876 in Kingsgate St., Coleraine, Co. Londonderry, son of William Abraham (1849–1933) of Co. Fermanagh, tea merchant, general supplier, JP, and methodist circuit…...
Abrahamson, Leonard
Abrahamson, Leonard (1896–1961), doctor, was born 29 April 1896 into a Jewish family in Semiatich, latterly in Belarus, second of four children of David and Frances Abrahamson. To escape pogroms his family emigrated to Newry, Co. Down, when he was 3 years old. He was educated at the…...
A'Court, William
A'Court, William (1779–1860), 1st Baron Heytesbury, diplomat, politician, and lord lieutenant of Ireland, was born 11 July 1779, eldest son of Sir William Pierce Ashe A'Court, 1st baronet, and his second wife, Letitia, daughter of Henry Wyndham of Salisbury. He was educated at Eton but…...
Adair, Robert
Adair, Robert (1710/11?–1790), surgeon, was born in Ireland and trained in Dublin as a surgeon. He was obliged to leave the country when detected in a love affair, apparently with a married woman, who may have been Laetitia Pilkington…...
Adair, Sir Robert Alexander Shafto
Adair, Sir Robert Alexander Shafto (1811–86), 2nd baronet, Baron Waveney, MP and author, was born 25 August 1811, elder son of Sir Robert Shafto Adair (1st baronet, of Flixton Hall, Suffolk, and Ballymena, Co. Antrim) and Elizabeth Adair (née Strode), and educated at Harrow (1823–8).…...
Adams, John Bodkin
Adams, John Bodkin (1899–1983), doctor, was born 20 January 1899 in Randalstown, Co. Antrim, elder son of Samuel Adams, watchmaker, and Ellen Adams (née Bodkin) from Desertmartin, Co. Londonderry, and grew up in Ballinderry, Co. Antrim. His brother died in 1916. His father retired…...
Adams, Robert
Adams, Robert (1791–1875), surgeon, was born in Dublin, son of Samuel Adams, solicitor, and his wife (née Filgate), and was apprenticed successively to William Hartigan (qv) (1810) and George Stewart (1813), surgeon general to the…...
Adams, William George Stewart
Adams, William George Stewart (1874–1966), economist, academic, and public servant, was born 8 November 1874 at Hamilton, Lanarkshire, Scotland, youngest child of John Adams, headmaster of St John's Grammar School, Hamilton, and Margaret, daughter of John Stewart, Glasgow cotton…...
Áed
Áed (d. 598), son of Ainmere and overking of Uí Néill, belonged to Cenél Conaill, one of the leading dynasties of Uí Néill. His father Ainmere (qv) (d. 569), a first cousin of Colum Cille (…...
Áed Abrat
Áed Abrat (‘of the eyelid’) (d. 577), son of Eochu Tírmchárna and overking of Connacht, features as an ancestor of the Uí Briúin Aí dynasty of Co. Roscommon from which the later Ua Conchobair kings of Connacht claimed descent. His pedigree, however, is dubious, with elements…...
Áed Allán
Áed Allán (d. 743), son of Fergal and king of Tara, belonged to the Cenél nÉogain dynasty. His father, Fergal (qv) son of Máel-dúin, king of Tara, was slain by the Leinstermen in 722. His mother was probably a daughter of Ernán, a Cenél…...
Áedán
Áedán (c.534–606/9), son of Gabrán and king of Dál Riata, belonged to the lineage of Cenél nGabráin and had at least one brother, Éoganán (d. 597). His father, Gabrán son of Domangart, reigned as king of Dál Riata c.538–558. His mother, said to have been Fedelm…...
Áed Bennán
Áed Bennán (‘of the spiked helm’?) (d. 619/21), son of Crimthann and overking of Munster, belonged to the dynasty of Éoganacht Locha Léin (centred in mid Co. Kerry). Áed supposedly had two brothers, Áed Finn and Áed Damán, which suggests genealogical confusion. It is said that he…...
Áed Dub
Áed Dub (‘black [haired]’) (d. 588), son of Suibne Araide and overking of Ulaid, belonged to the Dál nAraide dynasty of the Ulster Cruthin. He emerged as king of Dál nAraide after the battle of Móin Dairi Lothair (563), in which the Uí Néill severely defeated the Cruthin.…...
Áed Findliath
Áed Findliath (‘light-grey’) (d. 879), son of Niall and king of Tara, belonged to the Northern Uí Néill dynasty of Cenél nÉogain. His father, Niall Caille (qv), previously king of Tara, died in 846. His mother, Gormlaith, was a daughter of…...
Áed Menn
Áed Menn (‘stammering’) (d. 738), son of Colcu, king of south Leinster and contender for overkingship of the province, was a member of the Síl Cormaic lineage of Uí Chennselaig. His father Colcu (d. 722) had held the relatively minor kingship of Ard Ladrann, the caput of…...
Áed Oirdnide
Áed Oirdnide (d. 819), son of Niall and king of Tara, belonged to the Cenél nÉogain dynasty. His father, Niall Frossach (qv), was king of Tara until his abdication c.770. His mother Dunlaith was a daughter of…...
Áed Rón
Áed Rón (‘seal[-like]’) (d. 735), son of Bécc Bairrche and overking of Ulaid, was a member of the Cenél Demmáin lineage of Dál Fiatach. His father Bécc Bairrche (qv), was previously king of Ulaid (east Ulster), having abdicated in 707.…...
Áed Sláine
Áed Sláine (d. 604), son of Diarmait and king of Tara, belonged to the Uí Néill dynastic confederation and was ancestor of the Síl nÁedo Sláine (‘the seed of Áed of Slane’) dynasty of Brega. It is probably significant that the leading dynasties of what became the Southern Uí…...
Áed Uaridnach
Áed Uaridnach (d. 612), son of Domnall and king of Tara, belonged to Cenél nÉogain, a dynasty of Uí Néill. Originally accorded the epithet Allán or Ollán, the meaning of which is uncertain, Áed was dubbed Uaridnach (martial or war-like) by Middle Irish…...
Aher, David
Aher, David (c.1778–1842), cartographer and civil engineer, was probably the son of Patrick Aher, a Cork surveyor; he trained under his father, in the ‘French school of [John] Rocque’ (qv). A leading Irish surveyor-…...
Aikenhead, Mary
Aikenhead, Mary (1787–1858), foundress of the congregation of the Religious Sisters of Charity and of St Vincent's Hospital, Dublin, was born 19 January 1787 in Cork city, eldest of four children – three daughters and one son – of David Aikenhead, apothecary, son of a Scottish…...
Ailill Molt
Ailill Molt (‘ram[-like]’) (d. 482), son of Nath Í, king of Connacht and putatively king of Tara, was an early representative of the Uí Fhiachrach dynasty of Connacht. His father, Nath Í son of Fiachra, is claimed by Middle Irish sources to have been king of Tara. His mother is…...
Ainmere
Ainmere (d. 569), son of Sétnae and putatively king of Tara, belonged to the Cenél Conaill dynasty of Uí Néill. His father Sétnae is credited with six sons, but none of the others achieved any distinction. According to the ‘Banshenchas’ (lore of women), Ainmere married Brigit,…...