Burke, Thomas Henry
Burke, Thomas Henry (1829–82), under-secretary for Ireland, was born 29 May 1829, second among seven sons of William Burke (1794?–1877), a catholic landed gentleman of Knocknagur, Co. Galway, and Fanny Xaviera Burke (née Tucker) of Brook Lodge, Sussex, England. He was a grand-…...
Burke, Ulick Ralph
Burke, Ulick Ralph (1845–95), lawyer and Hispanicist, was born in Dublin on 21 October 1845, the elder son of Charles Granby Burke (1814–98) of Milltown, Co. Dublin, master of the court of common pleas, and his wife, Emma Jane, daughter of Ralph Creyke of Marton, Yorkshire. His…...
Burke, William
Burke, William (1793?–1829), murderer, was born probably at Urney, near Strabane, Co. Tyrone, son of Neil Burke, labourer. Born into a catholic, Irish-speaking family, he received some education and was servant to a presbyterian minister for a time. When he tired of this he tried the…...
Burnham, John
Burnham, John (d. c.1362), clerk and treasurer of Ireland, was the son of William Burnham. In 1333, styled ‘magister’, he was presented to a church in Lincoln. By 1338 he was designated as a king's clerk and in 1340 was assigned to assess taxation in Bedford and…...
Burrowes, Wesley
Burrowes, Wesley (1930–2015), writer, was born in Bangor, Co. Down, on 26 April 1930, one of four children (two boys and two girls) of Harry Burrowes, a first world war veteran and civil servant attached to the Northern Ireland education department, and his wife Carrie Burrowes (née…...
Burrows (Dobbin), Rachel
Burrows (Dobbin), Rachel (1912–87), actress, broadcaster, and teacher, was born 29 April 1912 in Limerick, the daughter of Peter Dobbin, county surveyor for Co. Clare, and Kathleen (née Vance), his second wife. Reared in Kilkishen House, Co. Clare, she was educated at St Brandon's…...
Bury, John Bagnell
Bury, John Bagnell (1861–1927), classicist and historian, was born 16 October 1861 in Co. Monaghan, eldest of three (possibly four) sons and one daughter of Rev. Edward John Bury and Anna Bury (née Rogers). He was educated at Foyle College, Derry, and…...
Bury, Sir William
Bury, Sir William (1604/1605–1669), administrator, was the only son of William Bury of Grantham, Lincolnshire, and his wife, Emma, youngest daughter of John Dryden of Canons Ashby, Northamptonshire. He was baptised at Grantham on 3 June 1605 (or 1604), and had three elder sisters.…...
Bushe, Gervase Parker
Bushe, Gervase Parker (1744–93), politician and revenue commissioner, was born probably in December 1744, the only son of Amyas Bushe (d. 1773) of Kilfane, near Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny, and his wife, Elizabeth, daughter and heir of General Gervase Parker, commander-in-chief in…...
Bushell, Ellen Sarah ('Nellie')
Bushell, Ellen Sarah (‘Nellie’) (1884–1948), silk weaver, usher and activist, was born on 23 January 1884 at 57 Francis Street, Dublin, to Edward Bushell (d. 1904), a silk weaver, and his wife Ellen (née Walshe). Bushell’s mother was dead by 1901 and Edward had…...
Butcher, Samuel Henry
Butcher, Samuel Henry (1850–1910), scholar and politician, was born 16 April 1850 in Dublin, the elder son of Samuel Butcher (qv), clergyman, of Danesfort, Co. Kerry, and his wife, Mary (née Leahy), of South Hill, Killarney, Co. Kerry…...
Butler, Edmund
Butler, Edmund (c.1431–1499), 8th lord of Dunboyne and seneschal of Tipperary, was second of five sons of James, 6th lord, and his wife Morina, an Ó Briain of Thomond, and succeeded to his father's lands in 1459, on the death of his brother William. Previously, he had…...
Butler, James
Butler, James (a.1360–1405), 3rd earl of Ormond, second son of James Butler (qv), 2nd earl of Ormond, and his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Sir John Darcy (qv), succeeded to his lands…...
Butler, James (‘Sir James Ormond’; ‘Black James’)
Butler, James (‘Sir James Ormond’; ‘Black James’) (c.1462–97), treasurer and joint governor of Ireland, was illegitimate son of John Butler (qv), 6th earl of Ormond, and Reynalda, daughter of Toirdhealbhach Bog Ó Briain. He rose…...
Butler (le Botiller), Edmund
Butler (le Botiller), Edmund (d. 1321), justiciar of Ireland and magnate, was the second son of Theobald Butler (qv) (d. 1285) and Joan, daughter of John FitzGeoffrey (qv),…...
Butler (le Botiller, fitz Walter, Pincerna, Walter), Theobald
Butler (le Botiller, fitz Walter, Pincerna, Walter), Theobald (c.1200–1230), magnate, 2nd chief butler of Ireland, was only son and heir of Theobald Butler (qv) and Maud, daughter of Robert le Vavasour. After his father'…...
Butler (le Botiller, Pincerna), Theobald
Butler (le Botiller, Pincerna), Theobald (c.1223–1248), magnate and 3rd chief butler of Ireland, was only son of Theobald Butler (qv) and his first wife, Joan de Marisco. Immediately on…...
Butler (le Botiller), Theobald
Butler (le Botiller), Theobald (1242–85), magnate and 4th chief butler of Ireland, was only son of Theobald Butler (qv) and Margery, daughter of Richard de Burgh (qv…...
Butler (le Botiller), Theobald
Butler (le Botiller), Theobald (1269–99), magnate and fifth chief butler of Ireland, was born 22 February 1269, eldest son of Theobald Butler (qv), fourth chief butler of Ireland, and Joan, youngest daughter of…...
Butler, Thomas
Butler, Thomas (d. 1419), prior of Kilmainham and deputy lieutenant of Ireland, was the illegitimate son of James Butler (qv), 3rd earl of Ormond, and an unknown woman. He rose to the position of prior of the Hospitallers of Kilmainham,…...
Byers, David
Byers, David (1953–2008), architect and civil servant, was born in January 1953 in Newry, Co. Down, the only son among three children of John Byers and his wife Phyllis. The family had links with Ballyjamesduff, Co. Cavan, where Byers spent much of his childhood and youth. He was…...
Byrne, Charles
Byrne, Charles (1761–83), giant, was born in Littlebridge, Co. Londonderry, of an Irish father and a Scottish mother. All his relatives were of normal height and his growth was caused by a tumour on his pituitary gland. By August 1780 he was said to be 8 ft (2.4 m) tall, with his…...
Byrne, Sir Joseph Aloysius
Byrne, Sir Joseph Aloysius (1874–1942), soldier and administrator, was born 2 October 1874 in Co. Londonderry, son of Dr Joseph Byrne, DL, a catholic physician of Londonderry, and Emily Byrne (née Egan). He was educated at St George's College…...
Byrne, Sir William Patrick
Byrne, Sir William Patrick (1859–1935), under secretary for Ireland (1916–18), was born 12 February 1859 at Beech House, Withington, Lancashire, the fourth son of John Byrne. After attending at St Cuthbert's College, Ushaw, and St Bede's College, Manchester, he studied law at the…...
Cadac-Andreas
Cadac-Andreas (fl. 8th cent.), Irish scholar at the court of Charles the Great and the otherwise unknown target of some abusive, not to say splenetic, verse from the pen of the Spanish-Gothic scholar Theodulf of Orleans. The name ‘Cadac-Andreas ’ was first identified by…...