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),…...
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.…...
Berwick, Edward
Berwick, Edward (1754?–1820), classicist and anglican clergyman, was born in Co. Down, son of Duke Berwick, gentleman. After attending the Rev. Saumarez Dubourdieu's school in Lisburn, Co. Antrim, he entered TCD (1770), gained a…...
Bickerstaff, Isaac John
Bickerstaff, Isaac John (1733–c.1808), dramatist and soldier, was born 26 September 1733 in Dublin, the son of John Bickerstaff (d. 1751), an officeholder in the viceregal household, and Jane Brereton (d. 1744). Bickerstaff spent his early years in Dublin, where his musical…...
Bieler, Ludwig Josef Georg
Bieler, Ludwig Josef Georg (1906–81), Hiberno-Latin scholar, was born 20 October 1906 in Vienna, Austria, first child of Ludwig Bieler and Antonie Bieler (née Bäder), and educated at the Landstrasser Gymnasium, Vienna, where he obtained his Matura (leaving certificate) in…...
Bingham (Byngham), Sir George
Bingham (Byngham), Sir George (d. 1599), soldier, was fourth son of Robert Bingham of Melcombe Bingham, Dorset, and his wife Alice, daughter of Thomas Coker. A military man, he went to Connacht after the appointment of his brother…...
Bingham (Byngham), Sir Richard
Bingham (Byngham), Sir Richard (1528–99), soldier and administrator, was third son among eight sons and two daughters of Richard Bingham of Melcombe Bingham (or the nearby Bingham's Melcombe), Dorset, and Alice Bingham (née Coker) of Mappowder, about three miles away. He served…...
Bingham, Edward Barry Stewart
Bingham, Edward Barry Stewart (1881–1939), rear-admiral, RN, was born 26 July 1881 in Bangor Castle, Co. Down, third of seven sons and three daughters of John George Barry Bingham (1852–1916), 5th Baron Clanmorris, landowner, and Matilda Catherine Bingham, daughter and heiress of…...
Bingham, George Charles
Bingham, George Charles (1800–88), 3rd earl of Lucan , soldier, landlord, and MP, was born 16 April 1800 in London, eldest son of Richard Bingham (1764–1839), 2nd earl of Lucan (1799–1839), and his wife Elizabeth (1770–1819), daughter of Henry Belasyse, 3rd earl of Fauconberg, and…...
Bisset (Bysset, Biset), Hugh
Bisset (Bysset, Biset), Hugh (fl. 1298–1319), military leader, was head of the Bisset clan in the Glens of Antrim, and may have been son or nephew of the Hugh Bisset who was seneschal of Carrickfergus in 1273. The family had been exiled from Scotland in 1242 and were…...
Blacker, William
Blacker, William (1777–1855), militia officer and Orangeman, was born 1 September 1777 at Carrickblacker, near Portadown, Co. Armagh, first of four sons of Stewart Blacker (1740–1826), dean of Leighlin and owner of Carrickblacker, and his wife Eliza, daughter of Sir Hugh Hill (…...
Blackley, William Lewery
Blackley, William Lewery (1830–1902), clergyman, social reformer, and linguist, was born 30 December 1830 at Dundalk, Co. Louth, second son of Travers Robert Blackley, physician, and Eliza Blackley (née Lewery). From 1843 to 1845 he was educated in Brussels by Dr Carl Martin…...
Blackwell, James Bartholomew
Blackwell, James Bartholomew (c.1765–1820), soldier, was born in Ennis, Co. Clare. Aged about ten, he was sent to Paris to be educated for the priesthood at the Irish College, where his maternal granduncle, Dr Bartholomew Murray, MD…...
Blackwood, Frederick Temple Hamilton-Temple-
Blackwood, Frederick Temple Hamilton-Temple- (1826–1902), 1st marquess of Dufferin and Ava , diplomat and writer, was born in Florence on 21 June 1826, the only child of Price Blackwood, 4th Baron Dufferin and Clandeboye (in the Irish peerage), and his wife,…...
Blackwood, Hariot Georgina (Rowan-Hamilton)
Blackwood, Hariot Georgina (Rowan-Hamilton) (1843–1936), marchioness of Dufferin and Ava , philanthropist and author, was born 5 February 1843, eldest of seven children of Archibald Rowan and Catherine Rowan-Hamilton (née Caldwell) of Killyleagh Castle, Co. Down. She married (23…...
Blackwood, James Stevenson
Blackwood, James Stevenson (1755–1836), 2nd Baron Dufferin and Claneboye , MP and soldier, was born 8 July 1755, second son of Sir John Blackwood (qv) of Ballyleidy, Upper Clandeboye, Co. Down, and Dorcas Blackwood (née Stevenson; d…...
Blackwood, Sir Henry
Blackwood, Sir Henry (1770–1832), vice admiral, was born 28 December 1770 at Ballyleidy, Upper Clandeboye, Co. Down, seventh son of Sir John Blackwood (qv), 2nd baronet, and Dorcas Blackwood (née Stevenson), afterwards 1st Baroness…...
Bladen, Martin
Bladen, Martin (1682?–1746), soldier, administrator, and politician, was born in Bolton, Yorkshire, third son of Yorkshire parents: Nathaniel Bladen of Hemsworth and Isabella Bladen (née Fairfax) of Steeton. William Bladen, mayor of Dublin 1647–8 and state printer under the…...
Blake, James
Blake, James (p.1560–1635), alias ‘Caddell’, ‘Blackcaddell’, ‘Blague’, and ‘Diego de Blac(c)adell’, merchant, soldier, and double agent, was born in Galway, second son of Walter Blake (d. 1573) and his wife Juliana (née Browne). The aliases derive from variants on ‘Blake’…...
Blake, Edith
Blake, Edith (1845–1926), botanical illustrator and writer, was born in Newtown Anner, near Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, eldest daughter of the heiress Catherine Isabella Osborne (1819–80) of Newtown Anner, and Ralph Bernal Osborne (qv), (…...
Blakeney, Sir William
Blakeney, Sir William (1672?–1761), Baron Blakeney , soldier and MP, was born at Mount Blakeney, Co. Limerick, eldest of five sons of William Blakeney of Thomastown, Co. Limerick, country gentleman and MP for Kilmallock, Co. Limerick, and Elizabeth Blakeney (née Bowerman) of…...
Bland, John Otway Percy
Bland, John Otway Percy (1863–1945), administrator, journalist and travel writer, was born 15 November 1863 in Woodbank, Whiteabbey, Co. Antrim, second son of Maj.-gen. Edward Loftus Bland and Emma Frances Bland (née Franks) of Jerpoint, Co. Kilkenny. Educated in Switzerland and…...
Bligh, Thomas
Bligh, Thomas (1693–1775), soldier and MP, was born 14 August 1693, second among three sons of Thomas Bligh (1654–1710), of Rathmore, Co. Meath, country gentleman, privy counsellor, and MP for Athboy, Co. Meath (1692–3) and for Co. Meath (1695–9, 1703–10), and his wife Elizabeth (…...
Blood, Thomas
Blood, Thomas (1617/1618–1680), conspirator and spy, was born in Sarney, Co. Meath, the son of a relatively prosperous blacksmith and ironworker, probably also Thomas Blood, from whom he may have inherited the lands he later held at Sarney and in Co. Wicklow. He appears to have had…...
Blount, Charles Brooke
Blount, Charles Brooke (1563–1606), 8th Baron Mountjoy and earl of Devonshire , soldier and administrator, was second son of James Blount (1532/3–1581), 6th Baron Mountjoy, of Canford near Poole, Dorset, and his wife Catherine (née Lee/Leigh; d. 1576) of St Oswald's, Yorkshire.…...