Bibby, Father Albert
Bibby, Father Albert (1877–1925), Capuchin priest and republican, was born Thomas Francis Bibby on 24 October 1877 at 17 Regent Street, Bagenalstown, Co. Carlow, only son among five children of John Bibby, a shopkeeper at that address, and Julia Bibby (née Coogan). Both parents were…...
Biggs, Michael
Biggs, Michael (1928–93), sculptor and letter-cutter, was born 26 August 1928 in Stockport, Cheshire, England, of English parents, second son of Claud Biggs, musician and teacher at the RIAM, Dublin, and Marjorie Biggs (née Markham). He…...
Birch, Peter
Birch, Peter (1911–81), catholic bishop of Ossory, was born 4 September 1911 in Tullowglass, Co. Kilkenny, eldest child of Martin Birch, farmer, and Alice Birch (née Downey). Educated at Clinstown national school and St Kieran's College, Kilkenny, he entered St Patrick's College,…...
Blake, Anthony
Blake, Anthony (1704?–87), catholic archbishop of Armagh (1758–87), was the younger of two sons of Andrew Blake, landowner, of Kilvine, Co. Mayo. Educated first at Saint-Omer and then at Louvain, he returned to Ireland about 1731 and was appointed priest to the diocese of Tuam,…...
Blake, Michael
Blake, Michael (1775–1860), catholic clergyman, was born 16 July 1775 in Arran Quay parish, Dublin, eldest among six children (two sons and four daughters) of George Blake, originally of Nobber, Co. Meath, and Catherine Blake. He was educated in Dublin under the care of Dr…...
Blond, Marcus Joseph
Blond, Marcus Joseph (c.1865–1905), president of the Limerick Jewish community, was a native of Wexna, Lithuania. Ordained a rabbi in his teens, he settled (1880s) in Limerick city, where he established a grocery business. He appears in the 1901 census as ‘Marcus Jacob Blonde’…...
Blowick, John
Blowick, John (1889–1972), missionary priest and theologian, was born 26 October 1888 in Belcarra, Co. Mayo, eldest son of John Blowick, farmer, and Honoria Blowick (née Madden). He had one sister and two younger brothers. John was educated at Westport…...
Bodkin (Bodekin, Bodikin), Christopher
Bodkin (Bodekin, Bodikin), Christopher (c.1505–1572), catholic and Church of Ireland archbishop of Tuam, was born in Galway, the son of John Bodkin, mayor of Galway in 1518. Said to have been educated at Oxford, he was provided to the see of Kilmacduagh 3 September 1533…...
Bodkin, Matthias McDonnell
This is a co-subject for the entry on Bodkin, Matthias McDonnell. View the original entry....
Bodkin, Thomas
Bodkin, Thomas (1887–1961), art historian, was born in Dublin 21 July 1887, eldest of six children of Matthias McDonnell Bodkin (qv) and Arabella Bodkin (née Norman) of Dublin. Educated at Belvedere College, Clongowes Wood…...
Boland, John Mary Pius
Boland, John Mary Pius (1870–1958), politician, lawyer, and tennis player, was born on 16 September 1870 at 135 Capel Street, Dublin, the second son of Patrick Boland (1840–1877), a prosperous milling merchant, and his wife Mary Donnelly. After beginning his education at the Catholic…...
Bolster, Angela
Bolster, Angela (1925–2005), historian and nun, was born Evelyn Bolster in Mallow, Co. Cork, on 1 April 1925, only daughter of Michael Bolster, railway employee, and his wife Ellen (née Buckley). She had three brothers of whom James remained in Mallow and Pearse became a priest and…...
Borthwick, Mariella Norma
Borthwick, Mariella Norma (1862–1934), artist, writer and Irish-language activist, was born 25 July 1862 in Highfield, Higher Bebington, Chester, one of five daughters and three sons of George Borthwick, merchant, and Mary Elizabeth Borthwick (née MacDonald), of Edinburgh. Despite her…...
Bourke (Burke, De Burgo), John
Bourke (Burke, De Burgo), John (c.1590–1667), catholic archbishop of Tuam, was born in Co. Galway, the son of a country gentleman and a relative of the earls of Clanricarde. He had at least three brothers, including Oliver, a Dominican friar, and Bishop…...
Bourke, Ulick Joseph
Bourke, Ulick Joseph (1829–87), catholic priest, Irish-language revivalist, teacher, and antiquarian, was born 29 December 1829 at Laherdane, Castlebar, Co. Mayo, son of Ulick Bourke and his wife Cecilia Sheridan. He was educated at Errew Monastery, Castlebar, and studied Irish…...
Bowe, Catherine Mary (Sister Celeste)
Bowe, Catherine Mary (Sister Celeste) (1931–76), Daughter of Charity and nurse, was born 23 February 1931 in Newberry, Mallow, Co. Cork, daughter of James Bowe, labourer, and Julia Bowe (née Ducey). She was educated at the local national and secondary schools. In 1949 she trained as an…...
Boyce, John
Boyce, John (1810–64), priest and novelist, was born in Donegal town, one of five children of Jerome Boyce, a hotelier who owned much of the town, became a magistrate, and was ‘a moderate upholder of the English administration’. Two of John's brothers, Jerome (d. childless, 1851)…...
Boylan, Eugene
Boylan, Eugene (Richard Kevin) (1904–64), physicist, monk, and writer, was born 3 February 1904 in Bray, Co. Wicklow, and was baptised Richard Kevin Boylan, one of at least three sons and two daughters of Richard Joseph Boylan, manager of the Hibernian Bank, and Agnes Honoria…...
Boylan, Patrick Joseph
Boylan, Patrick Joseph (1879–1974), priest, biblical scholar, and Egyptologist, was born 2 December 1879 in Barrowhouse, near Athy, Co. Kildare, son of Patrick Boylan, a teacher at Shanganamore national school, and his wife Anne (née Walker), of Queen's County (Laois).…...
Bradlaw, Robert
Bradlaw, Robert (c.1839–1904), Jewish community leader, was born in Kovno, Russia. By profession an oculist, he lived in England before settling in Dublin, where he became a leading lay representative of the Jewish immigrants. Responsive to their particular needs, he…...
Brady, Hugh
Brady, Hugh (c.1600–1669), priest and jurist, was born at Castletara, Co. Cavan. Nothing is known of his parentage, or early life. He entered the University of Louvain on 18 December 1620 and read humanities in the College of the Most Holy Trinity. Two years later he…...
Brady, Richard
Brady, Richard (d. 1607), catholic bishop of Ardagh and of Kilmore, was a member of the family of the Mac Bradaigh chiefs of Cuil Bhrighde, in Co. Cavan. He entered the Franciscan monastery in Cavan and eventually became the Franciscan provincial in Ireland (1573–6). On 23 January…...
Brady, William Maziere
Brady, William Maziere (1825–94), clergyman and historian, was born 8 January 1825 in Dublin, son of Sir Nicholas William Brady (1791–1843), manufacturer of gold and silver lace, of Willow Park and Killiney Park, Co. Dublin, and Catherine Anne Brady (d. 1839), daughter of Peter…...
Brandt, Ruth
Brandt, Ruth (1936–89), artist and teacher, was born 22 June 1936 in Dublin, eldest child of Frank Brandt, graphic designer, and the artist Muriel Brandt (qv) (née McKinley). She was educated at the Dominican convent, Santa…...
Bray, Thomas
Bray, Thomas (1746/7–1820), catholic archbishop of Cashel, was born at Fethard, Co. Tipperary, son of John Bray, a wine merchant, and his wife Margaret, daughter of Pierce Power (d. 1717), who had owned property at Glashy, Co. Waterford. The name ‘Bray’ occurs nearby at Clonmel…...