Walker, Dorothy
Walker, Dorothy (1929–2002), writer and critic, was born 16 January 1929 at 3 Mountjoy Square, Dublin, the daughter of Walter Cole, a stallholder at the city of Dublin fruit and vegetable market, and his wife, Moira. Following her education at the Dominican convent in Wicklow (1937–46)…...
Walker, Robin Andrew Day
Walker, Robin Andrew Day (1924–91), architect, was born 30 September 1924 at 1 Catherine Street, Waterford, eldest child of Andrew Ernest Walker, bank official, of ‘Nailima’, Bailey, Co. Dublin, and Eleanor Walker (née Croker). He was educated in Dublin at St Columba's College,…...
Wall, Mervyn Eugene Welply
Wall, Mervyn Eugene Welply (1908–97), novelist, playwright, broadcaster, and civil servant, was born 23 August 1908 at 27 Palmerston Rd, Dublin, the third eldest of three sons and one daughter of Thomas Patrick Wall, barrister, and Beatrice Agnes Wall (née Morrissey), both of Co.…...
Walsh, Dick (Richard Colman)
Walsh, Dick (Richard Colman) (1937–2003), journalist, was born in Cratloe, Co. Clare, on 29 October 1937, youngest of two sons and two daughters of Seán Walsh, principal of Cratloe National School (in succession to his own father), and his wife Pauline (née McNamara), also a teacher…...
Walsh, Joseph James
Walsh, Joseph James (1905–92), journalist and newspaper editor, was born 21 December 1905 (although he claimed to have been born exactly ten years later) in Waterford city, youngest among five children of Edward Walsh, commercial cork-maker, editor/proprietor of the Munster…...
Walsh, Michael (‘Mike’)
Walsh, Michael (‘Mike’) (1810–59), politician and newspaperman, was born 4 May 1810 in Youghal, Co. Cork, son of Michael Welsh, a protestant cabinetmaker, reputed in some sources to have been a United Irishman involved in the 1798 rising, and Eileen Welsh (née Keefe). He was brought…...
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…...
Wejchert, Andrzej
Wejchert, Andrzej (1937–2009), architect, was born 21 May 1937 in Gdańsk, in the semi-autonomous Free City of Danzig, sandwiched between the Polish Corridor and the German province of East Prussia, son of Tadeusz Wejchert, who ran a shipping business, and Irena Wejchert (née Mojgis).…...
Wejchert, Danuta
This is a co-subject for the entry on Wejchert, Andrzej. View the original entry....
West, Robert
West, Robert (d. 1790), stuccodore and Dublin property developer, was probably born in Dublin between c.1720 and 1730. His family background and early life is unknown but it is possible that he was descended from a long line of Dublin-based builders and artisans such as…...
Wheeler, George Bomford
Wheeler, George Bomford (1805/8–1877), anglican clergyman, classical scholar, and editor of the Irish Times, was son of James Wheeler; his mother's name is unknown. Very little is known of his early life and the records of TCD…...
White, Harold R. (‘Dermot Macmurrough’)
White, Harold R. (‘Dermot Macmurrough’) (1872–1943), music journalist and composer, was born 12 January 1872 in Dublin, son of Edgar White, an engineer and surveyor. Possessed of a fine treble voice, he served as a chorister in Christ Church cathedral from 1881 to 1887 and…...
White, William John (‘Jack’)
White, William John (‘Jack’) (1920–80), broadcaster, editor, journalist, and novelist, was born 30 March 1920 in Cork, second child of William Luke White, accountant, and Mary White (née Tyler). In his book Minority report (1975) he described himself as ‘a member of a…...
Whitmore, William James Brennan-
Whitmore, William James Brennan- (1886–1977), revolutionary and journalist, was born 21 October 1886 at the family home in Mary St., Wexford, son of Thomas Whitmore, People journalist and printer, and Mary Whitmore (née Brennan) from Ferns, Co. Wexford. Both parents died…...
Whitty, Michael James
Whitty, Michael James (1795–1873), newspaper editor and proprietor, was born in Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford, in 1795, the son of a corn merchant and owner of boats operating out of Wexford port. After failing to complete his studies for the priesthood, Whitty moved to London in 1821 to…...
Wickham, Sir Charles George
Wickham, Sir Charles George (1879–1971), soldier and policeman, was born 1 September 1879 at Chestnut Grove, Tadcaster, Yorkshire, fourth son of William Wickham Wickham and Katherine Henta Wickham. He was educated at Harrow School and at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst.…...
Wilde, William Charles Kingsbury
Wilde, William Charles Kingsbury (1852–99), journalist, was born 26 September 1852 in Dublin, eldest son of Sir William Wilde (qv), surgeon and antiquary, and his wife, the poet and journalist ‘Speranza’ – Jane…...
Wilkinson, George
Wilkinson, George (c.1814–1890), architect, was probably born in Witney, Oxfordshire, England, and was baptised early in 1814, first among six children (two sons and four daughters) of William Anthony Wilkinson (1782/3–1838) from Witney, carpenter and builder, and his wife Mary…...
Willcocks, Sir Richard
Willcocks, Sir Richard (1768–1834), yeomanry officer and policeman, was born in 1768 at Palmerston (Palmerstown) near Chapelizod, Co. Dublin. His parents' names are unknown and his own surname is variously given as Willcocks, Wilcox, or Wilcock. He became a Dublin police…...
Williams, Charles Frederick
Williams, Charles Frederick (1838–1904), journalist and war correspondent, was born 4 May 1838 in Coleraine, Co. Londonderry. His parents' names are unknown, but he claimed to be descended paternally from Worcestershire yeomen (of Tenbury and Mamble), and maternally from Ulster Scots…...
Wilson, Edward Daniel Joseph
Wilson, Edward Daniel Joseph (1844–1913), journalist, was born in Ballycrana, Co. Cork, eldest son of Edward Henry Wilson, Esq. He entered TCD in October 1860 but did not graduate, proceeding in 1862 to…...
Wilson, Robert Arthur
Wilson, Robert Arthur (c.1820–75), journalist and poet, was born in Falcarragh, Co. Donegal, son of Arthur Wilson, a presbyterian coast guard from Donaghadee, Co. Down, and Catherine Wilson (née Hunter) of Islandmagee, Co. Antrim. He was educated in Raymunterdoney school…...
Winter, Sir Ormonde de l'Épée
Winter, Sir Ormonde de l'Épée (1875–1962), soldier, director of intelligence, and deputy chief of police in Ireland, was born 15 January 1875 at Sutton Court Lodge, Chiswick, west London, youngest of five children of W. H. Winter, GPO…...
Wogan, Sir Terry
Wogan, Sir Terry (1938–2016), broadcaster, was born Michael Terence Wogan in Limerick city on 3 August 1938, the elder of two sons of Michael Thomas Wogan, who managed the local branch of the upmarket grocers Leverett and Frye, and Rose Wogan (née Byrne), a bookkeeper. His father was…...
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…...