Gillespie, William (Billy)
Gillespie, William (Billy) (1891–1981), footballer, was born 6 August 1891 in Kerrykeel, Co. Donegal, the eldest son of seven children (four girls and three boys) of Robert Gillespie, an RIC sergeant, and his wife Eliza, a native of Co.…...
Godley, John Robert
Godley, John Robert (1814–61), colonialist and civil servant, was born 29 May 1814, probably in Dublin, eldest among seven children of John Godley (1775–1863) of Killigar, Co. Leitrim, JP, DL, and…...
Goodman, James (Séamus Gudman)
Goodman, James (Séamus Gudman) (1828–96), clergyman, Irish-language scholar, and music collector, was born 22 September 1828 at Ballyameen near Dingle, Co. Kerry, second son among five sons and four daughters of Thomas Chute Goodman, clergyman, and Mary Goodman (née Gorham). Brought up…...
Graves, Sir Robert Wyndham
Graves, Sir Robert Wyndham (1858–1934), consular official and diplomatist, was born 16 July 1858 at Parknasilla, Co. Kerry, fifth son of Dr Charles Graves (qv), bishop of Limerick, and Selina Graves (née Cheyne). He was brother of…...
Greene, Sir William Conyngham
Greene, Sir William Conyngham (1854–1934), diplomat, was born 29 October 1854 in Dublin, eldest among three sons and one daughter of Richard J. Greene, Dublin barrister and children's author, and Louisa Lilias Plunket, 4th daughter of the 3rd Baron Plunket. Greene was educated at…...
Green, William Spotswood
Green, William Spotswood (1847–1919), marine scientist, was born 10 September 1847 in Youghal, Co. Cork, the only son and eldest of six children of Charles Green, JP, merchant of Youghal, and his wife Catherine Frances, daughter of Walter…...
Gregory, Sir William Henry
Gregory, Sir William Henry (1817–92), MP and colonial governor, was born 12 July 1817 in the under-secretary's lodge, Phoenix Park, Dublin, only son of Robert Gregory (179?–1847) of Coole Park, Co. Galway, and Elizabeth Gregory (1799–1875; née O'Hara) of Raheen, Co. Galway. His…...
Gregory, (William) Robert
Gregory, (William) Robert (1881–1918), painter, theatre designer, sportsman, and airman, was born 20 May 1881 in London, only child of Sir William Gregory (qv) of Coole Park, Co. Galway, and his second wife, Isabella Augusta…...
Grierson, Sir George Abraham
Grierson, Sir George Abraham (1851–1941), member of the Indian Civil Service (ICS) and language scholar, was born 7 January 1851 in the parish of Monkstown near Dublin, eldest son of George Abraham Grierson, a TCD graduate and barrister…...
Griffith, Amyas
Griffith, Amyas (d. 1801), excise officer, writer, and freemason, was born at Roscrea, Co. Tipperary, son of an excise officer, Jonas Griffith, who seems to have been a connection of Richard Griffith (qv) (1714?–88); Amyas Griffith's…...
Guiney, David
Guiney, David (1921–2000), athlete, sports journalist, sports historian, and author, was born 31 January 1921 in Kanturk, Co. Cork, one of four sons of John Guiney, solicitor and nationalist MP for Cork North (1913–18), and Mary Guiney (née Buckley) of O'Brien St., Kanturk. Guiney…...
Gwynn, Edward John
Gwynn, Edward John (1868–1941), Celticist and provost of TCD, was born 1 April 1868 at Aughnagaddy, Ramelton, Co. Donegal, the second son of Rev. John Gwynn (qv), DD, fellow of…...
Hamilton, James
Hamilton, James (1811–85), 1st duke of Abercorn and lord lieutenant of Ireland, was born 21 January 1811 at Seamore Place, Mayfair, London, elder son of James, Viscount Hamilton (1786–1814), and his wife Harriet (d. 1833), daughter of John Douglas, earl of Morton. His guardian, George…...
Hamilton, John William
Hamilton, John William (c.1745–81), soldier, MP, and under-secretary, was born in Scotland, the only son of Sir Robert Hamilton of Silverton Hall, colonel of the 40th Regiment of Foot, and his wife Mary Peere (or Pier) Williams (d. 1777). Having been appointed captain in…...
Hamilton, Sackville
Hamilton, Sackville (1732–1818), politician and administrator, was born 14 March 1732 in Ireland, the third son of Henry Hamilton (1692–1743) and his wife, Mary Hamilton (née Dawson). Beginning a career of public service at the age of fourteen, he served as a clerk in the revenue…...
Hancock, William Neilson
This is a co-subject for the entry on Hancock, John. View the original entry....
Harcourt, Simon
Harcourt, Simon (1714–77), 1st Earl Harcourt of Stanton Harcourt, diplomat, and lord lieutenant of Ireland (1772–6), was the only son of Simon Harcourt (1684–1720), barrister and Westminster MP, and his first wife, Elizabeth Harcourt (née Evelyn). Educated at Westminster School, he…...
Hastings, Francis Rawdon
Hastings, Francis Rawdon (1754–1826), 2nd earl of Moira , 1st marquess of Hastings , soldier, whig politician, and viceroy of India, was born 7 December 1754 in Dublin, eldest son of John Rawdon (qv), 1st earl of Moira (1723/4–1793), and…...
Heath, (Sophie) Mary (‘Lady Heath’) (née Peirce-Evans; other married name Eliott-Lynn)
Heath, (Sophie) Mary (‘Lady Heath’) (née Peirce-Evans; other married name Eliott-Lynn) (1896–1939), athlete and aviator, was born Sophie Catherine Theresa Mary Peirce-Evans on 17 November 1896 in Knockaderry, Co. Limerick, the only child of Jackie Peirce-Evans and his wife and former…...
Higgins, Alexander Gordon ('Alex'; 'Hurricane')
Higgins, Alexander Gordon ('Alex'; 'Hurricane') (1949–2010), snooker player, was born on 18 March 1949 in Belfast, the only son of Alexander Gordon Higgins, a labourer, of Abbingdon Drive, Sandy Row, Belfast, and his wife Elizabeth (née Stockman); he had three sisters. Educated locally…...
Hilliard, Robert (‘Bob’) Martin
Hilliard, Robert (‘Bob’) Martin (1904–37), clergyman, boxer, and revolutionary, was born 7 April 1904 in New St., Killarney, Co. Kerry, one of six children of Robert M. Hilliard, a wealthy protestant draper, and Alice Hilliard (née Martin). The family subsequently resided at…...
Hobson, William
Hobson, William (1793–1842), naval officer and first governor of New Zealand, was born 26 September 1793 in Newtown Lodge, Waterford city, third among five sons of Samuel Hobson, assistant barrister for Co. Cork, and his wife Martha Jones, who was a member of a family that had…...
Hudson, William Elliott
Hudson, William Elliott (1796–1853), lawyer and patron of Gaelic scholarship, was born 18 August 1796, probably at his family's country residence, then known as Fields of Odin, Rathfarnham, Co. Dublin. It was later called The Hermitage: Robert…...
Hull, Sir William
Hull, Sir William (c.1573–1643), pirate collaborator and settler, was one of two surviving sons and five daughters of Henry Hull, a merchant and ship owner of Exeter, and his wife Julianna (née Spurway). Henry maintained a family tradition by serving as mayor of Exeter in 1605…...
Hutchinson, John Hely-
Hutchinson, John Hely- (1757–1832), 2nd earl of Donoughmore , soldier, politician, and diplomat, was born 15 May 1757, second son of John Hely-Hutchinson (qv), provost of TCD, and his…...