Urquhart, William Pollard-
Urquhart, William Pollard- (1815–71), writer and politician, was born William Pollard in Castlepollard, Co. Westmeath, on 19 June 1815, eldest among eight sons of William Dutton Pollard (1789–1839), JP, DL…...
Ussher, James
Ussher, James (1581–1656), Church of Ireland archbishop of Armagh and scholar, was born 4 January 1581 in St Nicholas parish, Dublin, fifth among ten children of Arland Ussher, clerk of chancery, and his wife Margaret Stanihurst. During his long life Ussher wrote many books and…...
Vallancey, Charles
Vallancey, Charles (1725?–1812), soldier and antiquary, may have been connected with the French noble family of d'Estampes de Vallancey (or Valençay), but the names of his parents are unknown. It has been stated he was born at Windsor, but in neither the records of Windsor parish church…...
Van Der Hagen, Johann
Van Der Hagen, Johann , (variously, ‘Vander Egan’) (fl.1720–36), painter, was born in The Hague, where he studied art. He moved first to London and then to Ireland, where he worked in Dublin and other towns, particularly in the south of the country. While he is best known…...
Vicars, Sir Arthur Edward
Vicars, Sir Arthur Edward (1864–1921), genealogist and antiquarian, was born 27 July 1864 in Leamington, Warwickshire, England, youngest child among three sons and one daughter of Col. William Henry Vicars (1800/01–69), of HM 61st Regt., and Jane Mary Vicars (1821–73), third…...
Vignoles, Charles Augustus
Vignoles, Charles Augustus (1789–1877), clergyman and antiquary, was born 25 July 1789 at the family seat of Conahir, near Tyrrelspass, Co. Westmeath, eldest child of Revd John Vignoles (1740–1819) and Anna Honoria Vignoles (née Low), of Castlelost West, Co. Westmeath. His…...
Wadham, John Barker
Wadham, John Barker (1936–2003), musician, was born in Croydon, Surrey, England, only son of Cyril Wadham, an insurance broker, and his wife Muriel, a talented amateur pianist. The family moved to Ireland in 1953 when Cyril Wadham, a Royal Air Force veteran, was transferred to Dublin,…...
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, Robert
Walsh, Robert (1772–1852), clergyman and writer, was born in Waterford, son of John Walsh (1720–85), merchant, of Ballymountain House, Waterford. He was a younger brother of the physician Edward Walsh (qv). He entered…...
Ware, Robert
Ware, Robert (1639–96), protestant polemicist and forger of historical documents, was born in Dublin, the second son of Sir James Ware (qv). Robert Ware's learning was of a sufficiently high order to deceive scholars for more than two…...
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…...
Ware, William
Ware, William (1757–1826), organist, teacher, and concert promoter, was born 17 January 1757 at Armagh city; nothing is known of his parents. It was to Ware that Edward Bunting (qv) was apprenticed in 1784. Trained in Armagh cathedral…...
Wesley, Garrett
Wesley, Garrett (1735–81), amateur musician, politician, and 1st earl of Mornington , was born 19 July 1735, probably at Dangan Castle, Co. Meath, the only surviving son of Richard Wesley (originally Colley), later 1st Baron Mornington, and Elizabeth Wesley (née Sale). Educated by…...
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, 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,…...
Wilde, Sir William Robert Wills
Wilde, Sir William Robert Wills (1815–76), surgeon and polymath, was born in March 1815 at Kilkeevin, Castlerea, Co. Roscommon, youngest of three sons of Thomas Wilde, a local physician, and Emily Wilde (née Fynne). He attended the Royal School, Banagher, and the Diocesan School, Elphin…...
Williams, Alexander
Williams, Alexander (1846–1930), artist, naturalist and singer, was born 21 April 1846 in the Diamond, Monaghan town, eldest of three sons of William Williams, hatter, of Drogheda, Co. Louth, and was educated at Drogheda Grammar School. His father moved in May 1860 to 19 Bayview Avenue…...
Williams, Jane
Williams, Jane (1771–1845), silversmith, was born 2 December 1771 in Cork, the eldest of seven daughters and two sons born to Carden Terry , silversmith, and his wife Catherine (née Webb), daughter of Stonewell Webb, also a silversmith. Carden was born 1742 to John Terry, a burgess…...
Wills, James
Wills, James (1790–1868), clergyman and author, was born 1 January 1790, younger son of Thomas Wills of Willsgrove, Co. Roscommon, and his second wife, a daughter of Capt. James Browne of Moyne, Co. Roscommon. He was educated at Dr Miller's school in Blackrock, Co. Dublin, and at…...
Wills, William Gorman
Wills, William Gorman (1828–91), playwright and painter, was born 28 January 1828 in Kilmurry, Co. Kilkenny, third child of the writer James Wills (qv) and his wife Katherine, daughter of the Rev. W. Gorman and niece of the chief justice…...
Wilson, Charles Henry
Wilson, Charles Henry (c.1755–1808), writer and linguist, was born in Bailieborough, Co. Cavan, son of an anglican clergyman; no other details are known of his family. He received a classical school education and attended TCD before…...
Wingfield, Mervyn Edward
Wingfield, Mervyn Edward (1836–1904), 7th Viscount Powerscourt , landowner, politician, and connoisseur, was born 13 October 1836 at Powerscourt Castle, near Enniskerry, Co. Wicklow, the eldest of the three sons of Richard Wingfield (1815–44), sixth viscount, and his wife, Lady…...
Wolfe, George
Wolfe, George (1859–1941), soldier, landowner, antiquarian, and politician, was born 16 December 1859 at Bishopland, Ballymore Eustace, Co. Kildare, younger son among two sons and one daughter of Theobald George Samuel Wolfe (1815–72), landowner, of Bishopland and Forenaghts, Naas…...
Wood, Charles
Wood, Charles (1866–1926), composer and musical academic, was born 15 June 1866 at Armagh city, fifth child and third son of Charles Wood, tenor lay vicar choral of St Patrick's cathedral, Armagh, and Jemima Wood (née Taylor), both of 11 Vicars’ Hill, Armagh. Of their fourteen…...
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…...