Uniacke, John James FitzGerald
Uniacke, John James FitzGerald (1797–1825), explorer, writer, and early official in New South Wales, was born 4 July 1797 on Charlotte's Quay, Cork, second son and sixth of nine children of Robert Uniacke (1756–1802) of Woodhouse, Stradbally, Co. Waterford, MP for Youghal 1777–…...
Ussher, Henry
Ussher, Henry (1741–90), astronomer, was fourth son of the Rev. Samuel Ussher (1695–1771), rector of Dunganstown, Co. Wicklow, and Frances Ussher (née Walsh). His grandfather, John Ussher of Mount Ussher, Co. Wicklow, was a master in chancery and third son of William Ussher of…...
Ussher, Richard John
Ussher, Richard John (1841–1913), ornithologist and speleologist, was born 6 April 1841, the only child that survived infancy of Richard Kiely Ussher (1778–1854) of Cappagh, Co. Waterford, and his second wife, Isabella Ussher, daughter of Col. Jasper Grant, of Kilmurray, Co. Cork…...
Vernon, John Fane
Vernon, John Fane (1849–1923), lawyer, land agent, JP, and governor of the Bank of Ireland, was born 5 July 1849 at Bingfield, Co. Cavan, the eldest of the two sons and one daughter of John Edward Vernon of Erne Hill, Co. Cavan, land agent,…...
Wade, Walter
Wade, Walter (c.1740–1825), botanist, was born in Dublin, son of John Wade (d. 1799), chemist and apothecary, and Katherine Wade. In 1767 John Wade's proposal, sanctioned by (Royal) King and Queen's College of Physicians Ireland ((R)K&QCPI; forerunner of RCPI), to establish…...
Walker, Sir Samuel
Walker, Sir Samuel (1832–1911), 1st baronet, lord chancellor of Ireland, was born 19 June 1832 at Gore Port, Finea, Co. Westmeath, second of three sons of Capt. Alexander Walker, soldier, and Elizabeth Walker (née Elliott); his older brother was Gen.…...
Wallop, Sir Henry
Wallop, Sir Henry (c.1531–1599), administrator, was eldest son of Sir Oliver Wallop of Farleigh, Hampshire, England, and his wife Bridget Pigott of Beachampton, Buckinghamshire. At an unknown date, he married Katherine, daughter of Richard Gifford of King's Somborne,…...
Walsh, John Edward
Walsh, John Edward (1816–69), judge and writer, was born 12 November 1816 in Tolka, Co. Dublin, the only son of the Rev. Robert Walsh (qv) and his wife, Anne, daughter of John Bayley. He was educated at Bective School, Dublin, and…...
Walsh, Sir Nicholas
Walsh, Sir Nicholas (d. 1615), government official and judge, may have been a son of James Walsh, who was mayor of Waterford in 1547. He appears to have been a favourite of Thomas Butler (qv), earl of Ormond. Little is known of his…...
Wandesforde, Christopher
Wandesforde, Christopher (1592–1640), lord deputy of Ireland, was born 24 September 1592 near Beverley in Yorkshire, the eldest son of Sir George Wandesforde of Kirklington, Yorkshire, and of Catherine, daughter of Ralph Hensby. He began his education at the free school of Well…...
Ware, Sir James
Ware, Sir James (1594–1666), historian, collector of manuscripts, and civil servant, was born 16 November 1594 at Castle St., Dublin, eldest surviving son among ten children of Sir James Ware, auditor general, and his wife Mary, sister of Sir Ambrose Briden of Maidstone, Kent, whose…...
Waterhouse (Waterhous), Sir Edward
Waterhouse (Waterhous), Sir Edward (1535–91), chancellor of the Irish exchequer, was born at Helmstedbury, Hertfordshire, youngest son of John Waterhouse of Whitechurch, Buckinghamshire, and his wife Margaret, daughter of Henry Turner of Blunt's Hall, Suffolk. Having commenced his…...
Wellesley (Wesley), Richard Colley
Wellesley (Wesley), Richard Colley (1760–1842), Marquis Wellesley , governor-general of Bengal and lord lieutenant of Ireland, was born 20 June 1760 at Dangan Castle, Co. Meath, eldest child of Garret Wesley (qv), 1st Viscount…...
Weston, Robert
Weston, Robert (d. 1573), lord chancellor of Ireland, was the third son of John Weston of Lichfield, Staffordshire, and his wife Cecilia, who was a sister to Ralph Neville, 4th earl of Westmorland. Educated at Oxford, he was a fellow of All Souls college in 1536, and became dean…...
West, Trevor
West, Trevor (1938–2012), mathematician, politician and sportsman, was born on 8 May 1938 in Cork, the eldest of four sons of Timothy Roberts West, headmaster of Midleton College, Co. Cork, and Dorothy Trevor West (née McNeill), of Charleston, Ballinacurra, Co. Cork, who was CEO of…...
Whiteside, James
Whiteside, James (1804–76), lawyer and politician, was born 12 August 1804 at Delgany, Co. Wicklow, the second son of William Whiteside, minister of the Church of Ireland, and his wife, Anne (née Robinson). After William Whiteside's death in 1806 his family lived in reduced…...
White, Sir Nicholas
White, Sir Nicholas (d. 1593), lawyer and master of the rolls of Ireland, was born in Waterford city, son of James White of Waterford, who was steward to James Butler (qv), 9th earl of Ormond, and who died along with the 9th earl of food…...
Whittaker, Sir Edmund Taylor
Whittaker, Sir Edmund Taylor (1873–1956), mathematician, theoretical physicist, and director of Dunsink observatory, was born 24 October 1873 in Birkdale, near Southport, Lancs., eldest child of John Whittaker, railway engineer and contractor, and his wife Selina, daughter of…...
Whitworth, Charles
Whitworth, Charles (1752–1825), Earl Whitworth lord lieutenant of Ireland and diplomat, was born 19 May 1752 at Leybourne Grange, Kent, eldest son among three sons and four daughters of Sir Charles Whitworth (d. 1778), MP, and his wife, Martha (née Shelley; d. 1786). Whitworth was…...
Widdess, John (‘Jack’) David Henry
Widdess, John (‘Jack’) David Henry (1906–82), medical historian, librarian, and biologist, was born 1 August 1906 in Limerick, son of Matthew Widdess, pharmaceutical chemist, and Emily Widdess (née Irwin). He was educated at Wesley College, Dublin. He won prizes, was admitted…...
Williamson, Benjamin
Williamson, Benjamin (1827–1916), mathematician, was born 9 January 1827 at Old Dromore, near Mallow, Co. Cork, third son of Benjamin Williamson, rector of Mourne Abbey, and Abigail Williamson (née Roberts). The family claimed descent from Robert Williamson, free burgess, who held…...
Wogan, William
Wogan, William (1678–1758), London agent of the Irish government, philanthropist, and religious writer, was born in Gumfreston in Pembrokeshire, a younger son of Ethelred Wogan (d. c.1685), rector of Gumfreston and vicar of Penally. His mother's first name is unknown, but…...
Wolfe, Arthur
Wolfe, Arthur (1739–1803), 1st Viscount Kilwarden , politician and judge, was born 19 January 1739, the fifth surviving son of John Wolfe (1700–60), owner of Forenaughts, Co. Kildare, and his wife Mary (d. 1804), only daughter of William Philpot, a Dublin merchant. After attending…...
Wood, Herbert
Wood, Herbert (1860–1955), archivist, historian, deputy keeper of the Public Record Office of Ireland, was born on 6 September 1860 at Trinity Square, Lambeth, London, a prosperous residential development for merchants and professionals. He was the sixth of eight children of William…...
Wright, Edward Perceval
Wright, Edward Perceval (1834–1910), naturalist, was born 27 December 1834 in Dublin, eldest of five sons in a family of ten children of Edward Thomas Wright (1810–81), barrister, and Charlotte (née Wright), his wife and cousin. He was educated at home, and at 16 became a clerk in…...