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…...
Bracken, Joseph K.
Bracken, Joseph K. (1852–1904), monumental sculptor and builder, local politician, and a founder in 1884 of the ‘Gaelic Association for the Preservation and Cultivation of National Pastimes’ which evolved to become the Gaelic Athletic Association (…...
Bradshaw, Harry
Bradshaw, Harry (1913–90), professional golfer, was born 9 October 1913 in Killincarrig, Co. Wicklow, eldest among four sons and two daughters of Edward ‘Ned’ Bradshaw, golf caddie and later golf professional, and Elizabeth Bradshaw (née Walsh) of Killincarrig. He was educated locally.…...
Bradstreet, Dudley
Bradstreet, Dudley (1711–63), spy and fortune-hunter, was born in Co. Tipperary, youngest son of John Bradstreet, a landowner whose family had received considerable Cromwellian land grants. Raised by a foster-family because of his father's high-living, Dudley later attributed his…...
Brady, Thomas
Brady, Thomas (1752–1827), Baron von Brady , Feldzeugmeister (general of artillery) in the Austrian army, was born in Cootehill, Co. Cavan. Destined for the church, he was sent to Vienna to study theology. Here he attracted the attention of the empress Maria Theresa, who…...
Branigan, James Christopher (‘Jim’, ‘Lugs’)
Branigan, James Christopher (‘Jim’, ‘Lugs’) (1910–86), garda, was born 6 January 1910 in the South Dublin Union, James St., eldest among three sons and a daughter of John Alick Branigan (d. 1957), South Dublin Union official, originally of Borrisokane, Co. Tipperary, and Ellen Branigan…...
Braose, Philip de
Braose, Philip de (fl. 1172–77), Anglo-Norman adventurer, was the son of Philip de Braose, lord of Bramber in Sussex. As a younger son of his father, and so not in line to inherit the extensive family estates in Sussex and the Welsh marches, Philip chose to come to Ireland…...
Brennan, Austin Joseph
Brennan, Austin Joseph (1894–1983), revolutionary and soldier, was born 8 April 1894 at Meelick Cross, Co. Clare, near Limerick city, second son of Patrick Brennan and Mary Brennan (née Clancy), farmers. After his education at the local national school he worked on the family farm.…...
Brennan, Michael
Brennan, Michael (1896–1986), revolutionary and army chief of staff, was born 2 February 1896 in Meelick, Co. Clare, third son of Patrick Brennan, farmer, and Mary Brennan (née Clancy). Educated at St Munchin's College, Limerick, aged 15 he joined Fianna Éireann and was sworn into…...
Brennan, Seamus Anthony (‘Shay’)
Brennan, Seamus Anthony (‘Shay’) (1937–2000), soccer player, was born 6 May 1937 in Manchester, England, one of four sons and three daughters of Jim Brennan and Mary Brennan (née Whelan), both originally from Co. Carlow. Educated locally, Brennan joined Manchester United as an…...
Brereton, Sir William
Brereton, Sir William (1789–1864), British army general and inspector-general of the Irish Constabulary, was son of Maj. William Brereton, of Dublin and Bath, officer in the 6th Inniskilling Dragoon Guards and later master of ceremonies at the Assembly Rooms in Bath, and his second…...
Brereton, William
Brereton, William (c.1485–1541), soldier and lord justice of Ireland, was of a gentry family from Chester. He was knighted at Tournai, Flanders (1513), and seems to have spent much of his career in Cheshire and to have had no connection with Ireland before being sent there…...
Breslin, Mary (‘Maura’)
Breslin, Mary (‘Maura’) (1914–84), trade unionist and feminist, was born 29 December 1914 in Dublin. She began working life as a staff nurse in Grangegorman mental hospital, and began her lifelong activism in trade unionism by joining the Irish Women Workers Union (IWWU), founded (…...
Bresnihan, Barry (Finbar Patrick Kevin)
Bresnihan, Barry (Finbar Patrick Kevin) (1944–2010), rheumatologist and rugby player, was born on 13 March 1944 at 15 Lower Hatch Street, Dublin, the only son (as well as three daughters) of Dr Con Bresnihan (d. 1974), GP, chief medical officer to the civil service, and medical…...
Brian Bórama (Bóruma, Boru)
Brian Bórama (Bóruma, Boru) (d. 1014), high-king of Ireland, was born towards the middle of the tenth century. The surviving sources record the event under the year 941, but may have done so retrospectively in recognition of the fame he acquired relatively quickly in death. His epithet…...
Brodie, Malcolm
Brodie, Malcolm (1926–2013), sports journalist, was born on 27 September 1926 in Dumbarton Road, Partick West, Glasgow, the elder of two sons of John Brodie, shipyard worker, and his wife Sarah (née Walker). Raised in a Dumbarton Road tenement, he followed the Glasgow Rangers football…...
Brodrick, Sir St John
Brodrick, Sir St John (1627–1711), soldier and politician, was born 3 December 1627, fourth son of Sir Thomas Brodrick of Wandsworth, Surrey, England, lieutenant-governor of the Tower of London, and his wife Katharine Nicholas, of Manningford Bruce, Wiltshire. The family had prior…...
Brooke, Robert
Brooke, Robert (1744–1811), soldier and industrialist, was second son of Robert Brooke, artist, of Rantavana, Co. Cavan, and Honor Brooks of Kinawley, Co. Fermanagh. Entering the Bengal establishment of the East India Company as an ensign in 1764, he was promoted to the rank of…...
Brooke, Sir Basil
Brooke, Sir Basil (d. 1633), soldier and planter, was possibly a son of Oliver Brooke of Warwick, who was of a Cheshire family. Basil Brooke, born in the reign of Elizabeth, went to Ireland as an army captain and served under Sir…...
Brosnahan, Seán
Brosnahan, Seán (1911–87), teacher and trade unionist, was born 26 August 1911 in Killaloe, Co. Clare, one of nine children of John Brosnahan, RIC sergeant, and Norah Brosnahan (née Ryan) (d. 1946). One of his brothers was Thomas J.…...
Brosnan, Cornelius (‘Con’)
Brosnan, Cornelius (‘Con’) (1900–75), Gaelic footballer, was born 27 December 1900 in Newtownsandes (now Moyvane), Co. Kerry, son of Jeremiah Brosnan, shopkeeper and creamery manager, and Ellie Brosnan (née Nolan). Educated at Newtonsandes N.S. and St. Michael's College, Listowel,…...
Brosnan, Patrick (‘Paddy Bawn’)
Brosnan, Patrick (‘Paddy Bawn’) (1917–95), Gaelic footballer, was born 16 November 1917 at Strand St., Dingle, Co. Kerry, son of Timothy Brosnan, fisherman, and Ellie Brosnan (née Johnson). He was educated at Dingle national school and the local…...
Brouncker, Sir Henry
Brouncker, Sir Henry (c.1550–1607), soldier and administrator, was second son of Henry Brouncker of Melksham and Erlestoke, Wiltshire, and his second wife Ursula (née Yate) of Lyford, Berkshire. Educated at the Middle Temple (1566), he held three parliamentary seats in…...
Browne, Anthony
Browne, Anthony (1940–60), soldier, was born 28 May 1940in Dublin, son of John Browne. In December 1957 he joined the army and served as a trooper with the 2nd Motor Squadron. He signed for a further term of enlistment in 1960, on the condition that he was given a posting to the…...
Browne, Arthur
Browne, Arthur (1756?–1805), lawyer, legal and classical scholar, and MP, was born probably in Newport, Rhode Island, North America, the only son of Marmaduke Browne (1731–71), rector of Trinity church, Newport, and later a founding fellow of Rhode Island College (from 1804 Brown…...