Wentworth, D'Arcy
Wentworth, D'Arcy (1762–1827), surgeon and colonial administrator, was born 14 February 1762 near Portadown, Co. Armagh, the sixth of eight children of D'Arcy Wentworth, innkeeper, and his wife Martha (née Dickson/Dixon) of Seagoe, Co. Armagh. His family, who were descended from…...
West, Sir Raymond
West, Sir Raymond (1832–1912), Indian civil servant and judge, was born 18 September 1832 at Ballyloughrane, Co. Kerry, son of Frederick Henry West, journalist, and his wife Frances, daughter of Richard Raymond of Ballyloughrane. His father neglected his own career, the family…...
Wheatley, John
Wheatley, John (1869–1930), socialist and publisher, was born 19 May 1869 at Bunmahon, Co. Waterford, eldest among three sons and seven daughters of Thomas Wheately, copper miner of Welsh extraction, and Johanna Wheately (née Ryan); it is not known when he came to use the spelling…...
Whinnery, Thomas
Whinnery, Thomas (1759/60–1830), postmaster and spy, was in business at Newry, Co. Down, as a wine and spirit merchant until 1794 or 1795, when he was appointed postmaster of Belfast. As a state official he had a duty to open and read letters passing through his premises at 6…...
White, Francis
White, Francis (1787–1859), medical doctor and first inspector general of asylums for the mentally ill in Ireland, was born in Carrick-on-Suir, Co. Tipperary, son of Francis White of Carrickbeg, Co. Waterford, and Anne White (née Lee). Moving to Dublin, he was indentured (17 March 1807…...
White, John Davis
White, John Davis (1820–93), publisher and antiquary, was born 22 May 1820 in Conaghy, Co. Kilkenny, youngest son among three sons and two daughters of Benjamin Newport White (1776–1846), landowner, late of the Slieveardagh yeomanry cavalry stationed in Killenaule, Co. Tipperary,…...
White, (Patrick) James
White, (Patrick) James (1913–2003), arts administrator, art critic and art historian, was born 16 September 1913 in Holles St. maternity hospital, Dublin, son of Thomas John White, a bank clerk, of Grove Cottage, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, and (Mary) Florence White (née Coffey). His…...
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…...
Wickham, Joseph Ignatius ('Joe')
Wickham, Joseph Ignatius ('Joe') (1890–1968), football administrator, was born Ignatius Joseph Wickham on 5 February 1890 in Phibsborough, Dublin, one of eleven children (seven girls and four boys) of John Wickham, a railway engine driver, and his wife Mary Anne (née Kelly). He was…...
Wikeford (Wickford, Wykeford), Robert
Wikeford (Wickford, Wykeford), Robert (d. 1390), archbishop of Dublin, archdeacon of Winchester, and chancellor of Ireland, was a scholar of Merton College, Oxford 1340/41, was admitted as a fellow (c.1344), received an MA (1349), and…...
Williams, Philip
Williams, Philip (fl.1570–99), government official, is of obscure origins, though his surname and political connections suggest that he was from Wales. He served as secretary to the soldier and magnate William Herbert, earl of Pembroke, until Pembroke's death in 1570, when…...
Wilson, Peter
Wilson, Peter (c.1720–1802), publisher, printer, and bookseller, was probably born in Dublin and spent most of his career working in the city. During his youth he was apprenticed to the printer George Risk of Dublin. By 1739 Wilson established his own bookshop at Gay's Head…...
Wilson, William
This is a co-subject for the entry on Wilson, Peter. View the original entry....
Windsor, William
Windsor, William (c.1325–1384), Baron Windsor , lord lieutenant of Ireland, was the son of Sir Alexander Windsor of Grayrigg, Westmorland, and his wife, Elizabeth (d. 1349). He was a minor when his father died in 1343, but had attained his age of majority by 1349. He took…...
Wise (Wyse), Andrew
Wise (Wyse), Andrew (d. 1567), vice-treasurer of Ireland, was a younger son of Sir William Wise of Waterford and his wife Elizabeth Plunket. Andrew continued the family tradition of public service and by autumn 1548 was involved in supervising payments to royal soldiers. By 1550 he…...
Wogan, Patrick
Wogan, Patrick (c.1740–1816), printer, was born in obscure circumstances: nothing is known of his origins or early life. In 1771 he was in business in Church Street, Dublin, and in 1773 moved to Old Bridge Street, where he transacted for thirty-four years; from 1775 to 1782 he…...
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…...
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…...
Woods, Thomas (‘Tommy’)
Woods, Thomas (‘Tommy’) (1921–61), diplomat, journalist, and writer, was born 2 July 1921 at 4 St Brendan's Terrace, Galway city, one of three children of Thomas Woods, draper, and Bridget Woods (née Hogan). He was educated by the Christian Brothers in Galway and for a time…...
Worcester, Philip of
Worsley, Benjamin
Worsley, Benjamin (1617/18–1677), administrator, was born and educated in London, the eldest son of Francis Worsley of Kenton, Warwickshire, and his wife, Mary, daughter of Shipman Hopkins of Coventry. By 1640 he was in Ireland serving in the household of…...
Woulfe, Tom
Woulfe, Tom (1915–2015), Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) administrator and civil servant, was born 20 September 1915 on the family farm at Faha, Beale, near Ballybunion, Co. Kerry, one of three sons and three daughters of James Woulfe, farmer, and his wife Mary (née Stack.) He…...
Wyse, Andrew Reginald Nicholas Gerald Bonaparte
Wyse, Andrew Reginald Nicholas Gerald Bonaparte (1870–1940), civil servant and educationist, was born 1 November 1870 in Limerick, second of the four sons of William Charles Wyse, poet, and Ellen Linzee (d. 1925), daughter of W. G. Prout of St. Mabyn, Cornwall. William Charles…...
Wyse, Sir Thomas
Wyse, Sir Thomas (1791–1862), traveller, politician, educational reformer, and diplomat, was born 24 December 1791 in Waterford, the first child in the family of three sons and three daughters of Thomas Wyse (d. 1835) and his wife Frances Maria, only daughter and heiress of George…...
Yeats, Bertha Georgie (‘George’)
Yeats, Bertha Georgie (‘George’) (1892–1968), scholar, occultist, publisher, and wife of William Butler Yeats (qv), was born 16/17 October 1892 at The Grove, Fleet, Hampshire, daughter of William Gilbert Hyde Lees , captain in the 4th…...