Russell, John Norris
Russell, John Norris (1774?–1859), merchant and industrialist, was born in Limerick, second among five sons of Francis Russell, malt manufacturer and merchant, and his second wife Elizabeth Maunsell Norris, whose father was John Norris, merchant in Limerick. There were also two…...
Sampson, George Vaughan
Sampson, George Vaughan (1763–1827), clergyman, linguist, survey writer, and agricultural and social reformer, was born in Co. Antrim, though his father, Arthur Sampson, was at the time rector of Templemore, Co. Londonderry. His mother was Mary Mercer, daughter of George Spaight…...
Semple, John
Semple, John (1801–82), architect, was born in Dublin, the eldest son of John Semple (1763–1840) engineer and architect. As tradesmen, builders, engineers, and architects the Semple family formed a ubiquitous presence in Georgian Dublin. …...
Shaw, Sir Alexander William
Shaw, Sir Alexander William (1847–1923), bacon manufacturer and founder of Limerick and Lahinch golf clubs, was born 27 October 1847 in Limerick, second son of William John Shaw of Willowbank, Limerick, bacon merchant. He was educated at St Mary's College, Limerick, and on…...
Shaw, Sir Robert
Shaw, Sir Robert (1774–1849), banker, MP, and lord mayor of Dublin, was born 29 January 1774 in Dublin, eldest son of Robert Shaw, merchant, banker, and controller of the post office, of Kilkenny and Dublin, and his first wife, Mary, daughter of William Higgins of Higginsbrook, Co…...
Sheares, Henry
Sheares, Henry (1728–75), banker, parliamentarian, and essayist, was born probably in October 1728, one of three sons of Henry Sheares (d. 1750?) of Goldenbush, near Inishannon, Co. Cork, and his wife Mary, daughter of John Bayley of Castlemore, Co. Cork. At sixteen he entered…...
Sloane, Sir Hans
Sloane, Sir Hans (1660–1753), physician-general, collector, and founder of the British Museum, was born 16 April 1660 at Killyleagh, Co. Down, youngest of seven sons (of whom only three survived infancy) of Alexander Sloane (d. 1666), receiver-general of taxes for Co. Down, and…...
Spring, Sir Francis Joseph
Spring, Sir Francis Joseph (1849–1933), civil engineer, was born 20 January 1849, most likely in Magourney, Co. Cork, son of the Rev. Edward Spring, rector of Magourney; his mother's name is not known. After receiving his early education at Midleton School, Co. Cork, Spring went…...
Steele, Thomas (Tom)
Steele, Thomas (Tom) (1788–1848), engineer and political activist, was born 3 November 1788 at Derrymore, Co. Clare, son of William Steele, gentleman, and Catherine Steele (née Bridgeman). In July 1805 he entered TCD, graduating…...
Stewart, Alexander Turney
Stewart, Alexander Turney (1803–76), merchant entrepreneur and community planner in America, was born 12 October 1803 in Lisburn, Co. Antrim, son of Alexander Stewart and Margaret Stewart (née Turney). Born into a family with Scottish and Huguenot ancestry, Stewart’s father died shortly…...
Stokes, Charles
Stokes, Charles (1852–95), lay evangelist in Africa and ivory trader, was born in Dublin, son of William Stokes, civil engineer, of Dublin and later Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh. He was educated at the Portora Royal School in Enniskillen; his father died when he was very young and…...
Symner, Miles
Symner, Miles (d. 1686), clergyman, mathematician, astronomer, and military engineer, is of unclear parentage, but considering his education at TCD, he was probably of Anglo-Irish or English descent. He entered TCD as a scholar in…...
Taylor, William Cooke
Taylor, William Cooke (1800–49), historian and economist, was born 16 April 1800 at Youghal, Co. Cork, son of Richard Taylor, manufacturer, and his wife, Mary (née Cooke). Both his parents’ families had lived at Youghal since Cromwellian times; Mary was descended from the regicide…...
Thompson, Robert Lloyd Hall-
Thompson, Robert Lloyd Hall- (1920–92), businessman and politician, was born 9 April 1920 in Belfast, son of Lt-col. Samuel Herbert Hall-Thompson (qv) and Margaret Hall-Thompson (née Maclean). He was educated at Campbell…...
Tickell, George
Tickell, George (1828/9–1892), unionist, businessman and newspaper proprietor, was the eldest of at least two sons of Thomas Tickell (d. 1873), a timber merchant of North King Street, Dublin. The Tickells were an old-established Dublin protestant merchant family who had been resident…...
Todd, James Henthorn
Todd, James Henthorn (1805–69), librarian and scholar, was born 23 April 1805 at Kildare St., Dublin, eldest son among fifteen children of Charles Hawkes Todd (qv), professor of surgery,…...
Torrens, Robert
Torrens, Robert (c.1780–1864), political economist, was born in Ulster, probably at Hervey Hill rectory, Kilrea, Co. Londonderry (though Hazelwood House, Rasharkin, Co. Antrim, has also been suggested). He was eldest among three children of Robert Torrens and his wife…...
Townshend, Horatio
Townshend, Horatio (1750–1837), clergyman and author, was born 5 November 1750, third son of Capt. Philip Townshend (1700–86), soldier and landowner, and his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Hungerford. The Townshends had come to Ireland in the seventeenth century; Horatio's…...
Travers, Robert English
Travers, Robert English (1807–88), physician, scholar and librarian, was born 24 June 1807 in Dublin, son of William T. E. Travers, LLD, and Mary Travers (née Parker). Travers had little education at home and when his father died, having gambled…...
Trench, Chalmers Edward FitzJohn ('Terry')
Trench, Chalmers Edward FitzJohn ('Terry') (1909–2005), founder of An Óige, author and businessman, was born in Ardmore, Taylor's Hill, Galway city, on 27 November 1909, the youngest of four children of Wilbraham FitzJohn Trench…...
Ussher, John
Ussher, John (1524–1585?), merchant and mayor of Dublin, was the son of Christopher Ussher and his wife, Alison, daughter of Thomas Fitzwilliams, of Merrion, who after her first husband's death married James Fitzsimon and then Alderman James Sedgrave. Ussher had livery of his…...
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,…...
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…...
Warren, Nathaniel
Warren, Nathaniel (c.1737–1796), merchant, MP, and first commissioner of police, was born in Dublin. His parentage is unclear, but a number of Warrens were engaged as merchants and glaziers in the city prior to his birth. Alternatively, he may be the son of Oliver Warren…...
Weston, Nicholas
Weston, Nicholas (d. 1617), merchant, was the son of John Weston, a merchant of Drogheda, and his wife Hamonella, daughter of Nicholas Merchant, also a Drogheda merchant. In 1577 Nicholas was admitted a citizen of Dublin and lived on the High Street. He rose rapidly up the city's…...