Bennett, Thomas William Westropp
Bennett, Thomas William Westropp (1867–1962), farmer and politician, was born on 30 January 1867, the eldest son (and second of five children) of Captain Thomas Westropp Bennett, of Ballymurphy, Patrickswell, Co. Limerick, and Anne Bennett (née Fitzgerald), of Loughgur, Bruff, Co…...
Benson, Ernest Edmondson
Benson, Ernest Edmondson (1898–1975), businessman and politician, was born 5 October 1898 in Dublin, second child of Robert Benson, company director, and Bessie Benson (née Hulme), quakers. The family lived at 3 Orwell Rd, Rathgar, Dublin. His maternal grandfather was a draper and…...
Bentham, Ethel
Bentham, Ethel (1861–1931), doctor and MP, was born 5 January 1861 in London, second daughter of William Bentham (an inspector, secretary, and later general manager with the Standard Life Assurance Company in London) and Mary Ann Bentham (née Hammond). Her father, a quaker, was…...
Bentinck, William Henry Cavendish
Bentinck, William Henry Cavendish (1738–1809), 3rd duke of Portland , viceroy of Ireland, was born 14 April 1738 at Bulstrode, Buckinghamshire, eldest son of William, 2nd duke of Portland, and his wife Lady Margaret Cavendish Harley. Educated at Westminster and Christ Church,…...
Beranger, Gabriel
Beranger, Gabriel (d. 1817), artist, was born c.1729 in Amsterdam of French huguenot origin. His parents and education are unknown, but he apparently came to Ireland in 1750 and stayed there until his death. He kept a print shop and artist's warehouse at 5 South George's St…...
Beresford, George Thomas
Beresford, George Thomas (1781–1839), politician and soldier, was born 12 February 1781, third son of George de la Poer Beresford (1734/5–1800), 2nd earl of Tyrone (1763–89) and 1st marquess of Waterford (cr. 1789), MP for Co. Waterford (1757–60) and for Coleraine (1761–3), and…...
Beresford, John
Beresford, John (1738–1805), politician, of Abbeville, Co. Dublin, and Walworth, Co. Londonderry, was born 14 March 1738, fifth but second surviving son of Marcus Beresford, 1st earl of Tyrone, and Lady Catherine Beresford (née Power), Baroness de la Poer. Educated at Kilkenny…...
Beresford, John Claudius
Beresford, John Claudius (1766–1846), politician and banker, was born 23 October 1766 in Dublin, third son among nine children of John Beresford (qv), commissioner of revenue and son of Marcus Beresford (1694–1763), 1st earl of Tyrone…...
Beresford, Lord Charles William de la Poer
Beresford, Lord Charles William de la Poer (1846–1919), admiral and MP, was born 10 February 1846 in Baronstown, Dundalk, Co. Louth, second son of the Rev. John de la Poer Beresford (1814–66), 4th marquis of Waterford, and Christiana Beresford (1820–1905; née Leslie). He was…...
Beresford, Marcus
Beresford, Marcus (1764–97), politician and lawyer, was born 14 February 1764 in Dublin, eldest of nine children of John Beresford (qv), commissioner of revenue and son of Marcus Beresford (1694–1763), 1st earl of Tyrone, and Anne…...
Beresford, William Carr
Beresford, William Carr (1768–1854), soldier and MP, was born 2 October 1768 in Co. Waterford, illegitimate son of George de la Poer Beresford (1734/5–1800), 2nd earl of Tyrone (1763–89), 1st marquess of Waterford (cr. 1789), MP for Co. Waterford (1757–60) and Coleraine (1761–3),…...
Bergin, Patrick
Bergin, Patrick (1913–91), trade unionist and republican, was born in Carlow on 6 February 1913, one of nine children of a railway signalman. His mother, an ardent republican and a devout catholic, came from a Co. Westmeath family of shopkeepers and small farmers. Having been…...
Berkeley, Sir John
Berkeley, Sir John (1607–78), 1st Baron Berkeley of Stratton , soldier and politician, was baptised 1 February 1607, fifth and youngest son of Sir Maurice Berkeley of Bruton, Somerset, England, and his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Henry Killigrew of Hanworth, Middlesex.…...
Bermingham, Francis
Bermingham, Francis (d. 1677), 12th Baron Athenry, politician, was second son of Edward Bermingham, heir to the title, and Mary, daughter of Feagh Burke of Dunamon, Co. Galway. Edward died sometime before 3 May 1641, at which date the eldest son, Edmond, a Dominican friar, transferred…...
Bermingham, Peter (Piers) of Athenry
Bermingham, Peter (Piers) of Athenry (d. 1309?), Anglo-Irish baron, was the son of Meiler de Bermingham and a member of the important Bermingham family originally settled at Tethmoy, Offaly; he has often been confused with Peter…...
Bernard, Francis
Bernard, Francis (1755–1830), 1st earl of Bandon and MP, was born 26 November 1755, the only son and eldest among six children of James Bernard (1729–1790) of Castle Bernard, near Bandon, Co. Cork, landowner, MP for Co. Cork (1781–90), and partner in the bank of Warren, Bernard & Co…...
Best, Richard
Best, Richard (1869–1939), Northern Ireland attorney general, lord justice of appeal, and politician, was born in Richhill, Co. Armagh, youngest son of Robert Best, weaver of Richhill, and his wife Anne (née Lemon or Leamon). Educated in Dundalk, he went on to pursue a glittering…...
Best, Richard Irvine
Best, Richard Irvine (1872–1959), Celticist and librarian, was born 17 January 1872 at 3 Bishop Street, Derry, son of Henry Best, excise officer, and his wife Margaret Jane (née Irvine), and educated locally at Foyle College. He did not attend university but worked briefly in banking…...
Betham, Sir William
Betham, Sir William (1779–1853), archivist and scholar, was born 22 May 1779 at Stradbrooke, Suffolk, eldest surviving son among fourteen children of William Betham (d. 1839), clergyman and antiquary, and Mary Betham (née Damant). He was apprenticed to a printer, was employed to revise…...
Bhreatnach, Lucy
This is a co-subject for the entry on Breatnach, Deasún. View the original entry....
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…...
Bielenberg, Christabel Mary Harmsworth
Bielenberg, Christabel Mary Harmsworth (1909–2003), writer, was born on 18 June 1909 at the Old House, Totteridge, Hertfordshire, England, the second of four children (two boys and two girls) of Percy Collingwood Burton (1879–1953) of Totteridge, a British army officer and advertising…...
Bielenberg, Peter
This is a co-subject for the entry on Bielenberg, Christabel Mary Harmsworth. View the original entry....
Biggar, Joseph Gillis
Biggar, Joseph Gillis (1828–90), politician, was born 10 August 1828 in Belfast, eldest son of Joseph Biggar, prosperous merchant and subsequently chairman of the Ulster Bank, and his wife Isabella, daughter of William Houston of Ballyearl, Co. Antrim. After schooling at the…...
Bigger, Francis Joseph
Bigger, Francis Joseph (1863–1926), antiquary, nationalist and Celtic revival polymath, was born 17 July 1863 in Belfast, seventh son of Joseph Bigger, of Belfast, and his wife Mary Jane (née Ardery) of Ballyvalley. F. J. Bigger was educated briefly in Liverpool, where his father worked…...