Boyle, Michael
Boyle, Michael (1615?–1702), Church of Ireland archbishop of Armagh, lord chancellor and lord justice, was probably born c.1615 (he gave his age as 64 in April 1679), the elder son among two sons and nine daughters of Richard Boyle (…...
Boyle, Richard
Boyle, Richard (d. 1645), Church of Ireland archbishop of Tuam, was the second son of Michael Boyle, merchant, of London, and his wife, Jane, daughter of William Peacock, and was elder brother of Michael Boyle, bishop of Waterford (1619–35). He appears to have been admitted to…...
Boyle, Roger
Boyle, Roger (c.1617–1687), Church of Ireland bishop of Clogher, was perhaps the son of Thomas Boyle, vicar of Timoleague and a relative of Richard Boyle (qv), earl of Cork, or of Robert Boyle, vicar of Carrickmacross and…...
Boyse, Joseph
Boyse, Joseph (1660–1728), presbyterian minister, theologian, and controversialist, was born 14 January 1660 in Leeds, Yorkshire, one of the younger among sixteen children of Matthew Boyse and his wife, Elizabeth (née Jackson). Matthew, a puritan, had lived with his family in…...
Boyse, Samuel
Boyse, Samuel (1708–49), poet, translator, and hack writer, was born in Dublin in 1708, son of the Rev. Joseph Boyse (qv), the English-born presbyterian theologian, pamphleteer, and minister to the Wood St. church, Dublin. Educated…...
Boyton, Charles
Boyton, Charles (1799?–1844), clergyman and political campaigner, was born in Dublin, son of John William Boyton, a prominent doctor and king's professor (1792–1826) of the institutes of medicine in TCD; it is possible that his mother…...
Bradford, Robert John
Bradford, Robert John (1941–81), unionist politician and methodist minister, was born 8 June 1941 in Ballykelly, Limavady, Co. Londonderry, seventh child of his father, who sold his milk business while his mother was in hospital giving birth to Robert. Having moved to Grove St., Belfast…...
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.1527–1584), protestant bishop of Meath, was born in Trim, Co. Meath, son of a landowner in Dunboyne, Co. Meath; no more details of his parents are known. He is said to have studied at Oxford, but there is no evidence of this in the college registers. His…...
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, Joe
Brady, Joe (c. 1857–1883), Fenian and assassin, was born in Dublin, second of twenty sons and five daughters of Thomas Brady, a paviour of forty years standing with Dublin corporation. After serving an apprenticeship with Dublin corporation, Joe was employed by the corporation…...
Brady, Nicholas
Brady, Nicholas (1659–1726), Church of Ireland clergyman and writer, was born on 28 October 1659 in Bandon, Co. Cork, the second son of Major Nicholas Brady of Richmond, Surrey, and also of Bandon, and his wife, Martha, daughter of Luke Gernon, a Munster provincial judge. The…...
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…...
Bramhall, John
Bramhall, John (1594–1663), Church of Ireland bishop, was born in Pontefract, Yorkshire, England, and baptised there in St Giles's church on 18 November 1594, eldest among six children of Peter Bramhall, Carleton, Pontefract. His mother's name is not known. He attended Pontefract…...
Bransfield, Edward
Bransfield, Edward (c.1785–1852), sailor and explorer, was born in Ballinacurra, Midleton, Co. Cork, about 1785; the date is calculated from his age at date of death, as recorded from his death certificate. He was the son of a sea captain who is thought to have been of…...
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…...
Brazil, Dame Johanna
Brazil, Dame Johanna (Sister Mary Phillipa ) (1896–1988), Sister of Mercy, teacher, and nurse, was born 25 December 1896 in Kilfinane, Co. Limerick, daughter of Thomas Brazil, farmer, and Julia Brazil (née Devane). Educated at the local convent national school, she was one of a group…...
Brenan, John
Brenan, John (c.1625–1693), catholic archbishop of Cashel, was born in Kilkenny city and educated in the famous Jesuit School, formerly Peter White's Academy, the alma mater of Richard Stanihurst (qv),…...
Brenan, Martin
Brenan, Martin (1901–82), priest and academic, was born 23 August 1901 at Castlecomer, Co. Kilkenny, one of five children of John Brenan, a labourer, and Kate Brenan (née Butler). After studying at Maynooth College he was ordained a priest of the diocese of Kildare and Leighlin in…...
Brendan (Brénainn)
Brendan (Brénainn) of Birr (d. 565/73), saint in the Irish tradition, was the son of Neman. The historical facts concerning him are few, and nothing survives of his monastic foundation at Birr, Co. Offaly. He is said to have been educated at the great monastery of Bangor. According…...
Brendan (Brénainn)
Brendan (Brénainn) of Clonfert (d. 577/83), saint in the Irish tradition, monastic founder, and reputed voyager, is believed to have been born in the district around what is now Tralee, Co. Kerry, into a south-western branch of the Ciarraige: the Ciarraige Luachra, of whom he is the…...
Brennan, Stan (Stanislaus)
Brennan, Stan (Stanislaus) (1929–2012), Franciscan missionary, was born James (Seamus) Brennan on 1 December 1929 at Carrowkeel, Co. Roscommon, the seventh of ten children born to James Brennan and his wife Kate (née O'Dowd) who were farmers. He was initially educated at the local…...
Brennan, William
Brennan, William (d. 1840), highwayman, was born at Raspberry Hill, Co. Waterford. In the late 1830s he was working at Kilmurry House, Co. Cork, the property of a Mr Grant. Caught while attempting to steal a watch, he became an outlaw, raised a gang, and based himself in the…...
Brice (Bryce), Edward
Brice (Bryce), Edward (1569–1636), generally regarded as the first presbyterian minister in Ireland, is said to have been born at Airth, Stirlingshire, Scotland, possibly of the Bruce family, lairds of Airth. He entered Edinburgh University (1589), graduated…...