Boylan, Clare Catherine
Boylan, Clare Catherine (1948–2006), journalist and writer, was born 21 April 1948 in Dublin, the youngest of three daughters of Patrick Boylan, a clerk, and his wife Evelyn (née Selby). Clare's mother felt trapped by the limitations that domesticity imposed on women in 1950s Ireland…...
Boylan, Henry Joseph
Boylan, Henry Joseph (1911–2007), civil servant and writer, was born 21 December 1911 in Drogheda, Co. Louth, the seventh of nine children (five boys and four girls) of John Boylan, merchant sea captain, and his wife Mary (née Coleman; d. 1958). He enjoyed a comfortable childhood,…...
Boylan, Patricia
This is a co-subject for the entry on Boylan, Henry Joseph. View the original entry....
Boylan, Patrick Joseph
Boylan, Patrick Joseph (1879–1974), priest, biblical scholar, and Egyptologist, was born 2 December 1879 in Barrowhouse, near Athy, Co. Kildare, son of Patrick Boylan, a teacher at Shanganamore national school, and his wife Anne (née Walker), of Queen's County (Laois).…...
Boyle, Hilary Joyce
Boyle, Hilary Joyce (1899–1988), journalist, broadcaster, and activist, was born 25 October 1899 in south London, second child of Gerald Alexander Thompson, vicar of St Gregory's church, Canterbury, and canon of Canterbury cathedral, and Winifred Helen Thompson (née Hopkins), and…...
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…...
Brayden, William John Henry
Brayden, William John Henry (1865–1933), journalist, was born 13 September 1865 in Armagh city, son of William Henry Brayden, pawnbroker and later manager of the Ulster Gazette, and Eliza Brayden (née Windrum). He had at least three siblings. The family was Church of…...
Breatnach, Deasún
Breatnach, Deasún (1921–2007), journalist, author and activist, was born 2 December 1921, probably in Belgrave Square, Dublin, the eldest child of three sons and a daughter of Kevin Walsh, a solicitor, and his wife Gertrude (née Andrews). His grandfather, James J. Walsh, also a…...
Brenan, John
Brenan, John (1768–1830), physician and satirist, was born March 1768, eldest of six children of a minor landed catholic family from Ballaghide, Co. Carlow. The details of his early life are unknown. In 1793 he wrote epigrams and short verse for Dublin magazines. Claiming to have…...
Brenan, Joseph
Brenan, Joseph (1828–57), Young Ireland revolutionary, poet, and journalist, was born 17 November 1828 in Cork city; nothing is known of his parents. He spent some of his early childhood in Skibbereen and was educated at St Vincent's seminary, Cork. He joined the Cork Historical…...
Brennan, Maeve
Brennan, Maeve (1917–93), fiction writer and New Yorker columnist, called the ‘Long-Winded Lady’, was born in Dublin on 6 January 1917, second of four children of the nationalist journalist…...
Brennan, Robert
Brennan, Robert (1881–1964), republican, journalist, writer, and diplomat, was born in Co. Wexford on 22 July 1881, second child and eldest son among four children of Robert Brennan (d. 1919), cattle dealer, and Bridget Brennan (née Kearney; d. 1938), dressmaker. He was educated…...
Bretherton, Cyril Herbert Emmanuel
Bretherton, Cyril Herbert Emmanuel (1879–1939), journalist, was born 2 June 1879 at Little Crosby, near Liverpool, only son of Charles Edward Bretherton, barrister, of Heath House, Blackheath, south-east London. He was educated at St Augustine's, Ramsgate, and Harbourne, Ashford,…...
Browne, Henry Martyn
Browne, Henry Martyn (1853–1941), classicist and Jesuit priest, was born 7 August 1853 in Claughton, Woodchurch, Cheshire, England, the second of four sons and one daughter of John Wilson Browne, hardware merchant, born in Portugal (1824), and Jane Susan Browne (née McKnight), one…...
Browne, Kathleen Anne
Browne, Kathleen Anne (1878–1943), agriculturist, writer, and politician, was born 1 October 1878 in Wexford, eldest among five children of Michael Browne, farmer, shopkeeper, and local politician, of Rathronan Castle, Bridgetown, Co. Wexford, and his wife (and cousin) Mary…...
Browne, Valentine Charles Edward
Browne, Valentine Charles Edward (1891–1943), Viscount Castlerosse , 6th earl of Kenmare , journalist and socialite, was born 29 May 1891 in Grosvenor Square, London, eldest son of Valentine Browne, 5th earl of Kenmare, and Elizabeth Browne (née Baring), eldest daughter of Lord…...
Bruodin (MacBrody), Anthony
Bruodin (MacBrody), Anthony (d. 1680), Franciscan author and lecturer, was the son of Miler Bruodin, a landowner, and Margaret O'Mollony; he was a member of a bardic family of Ballyhogan, Co. Clare, who traditionally acted as chroniclers and genealogists to the O'Brien kings of…...
Bulfin, William
Bulfin, William (1863–1910), journalist in Argentina and travel writer, was born at Derrinlough House, near Birr, King's County (Offaly), and baptised 14 November 1863, fourth son in the family of ten sons and one daughter of William Bulfin, a strong farmer, and his wife Ellen (née…...
Burke (de Burgo), Thomas
Burke (de Burgo), Thomas (1709/10–1776), Dominican historian and bishop of Ossory 1759–76, was born in Dublin, a descendant of the Burkes of Cloghcroke, near Athenry, Co. Galway; no details of his parents are known. His grand uncle, Thomas Burke (c.1650–1724), was prior…...
Burke, James Michael
Burke, James Michael (1873–1936), barrister, newspaper editor, and politician, was born 4 November 1873 at 31 Bridge St., Skibbereen, Co. Cork, seventh among twelve children (seven sons and three daughters survived to adulthood) of Patrick Burke, grocer and farmer, and Mary Burke (née…...
Burke, Thomas Nicholas (‘Tom’)
Burke, Thomas Nicholas (‘Tom’) (1830–83), Dominican preacher and historian, was born Nicholas Anthony Burke on 8 September 1830 in Kirwan's Lane, off Cross St., Galway, fourth surviving child and only son of Walter Burke, baker, and Margaret Burke (née MacDonough). He was educated…...
Burke, William P.
Burke, William P. (1864–1941), priest and historian, was born 11 October 1864 in Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, second son of Edmund Burke, founder of Burke's bacon-curers, and Eileen Burke (née McGrath). He was educated by the Christian Brothers in Clonmel, at Rockwell College, Cashel,…...
Butler, Edward Joseph Aloysius (Dom Cuthbert
Butler, Edward Joseph Aloysius (Dom Cuthbert ) (1858–1934), Benedictine abbot and author, was born 6 May 1858 in Dublin, only child of Edward Butler (fl. 1854–96), barrister and professor of mathematics at the Catholic University of Ireland, and Mary Butler (née Cruise),…...
Byrne, Frankie (Frances)
Byrne, Frankie (Frances) (1921–93), broadcaster and public relations consultant, was born 27 December 1921 in a nursing home at 7 North Frederick Street, Dublin, third child and second daughter among three daughters and two sons of Michael P. (‘Sport’) Byrne, journalist, of 2…...
Byrne, John Francis
Byrne, John Francis (1880–1960), journalist, writer, and university friend of James Joyce (qv), was born 11 February 1880 at 25 East Essex Street, Dublin, youngest child of Mathew Byrne (d. 1883), a shopkeeper, and…...