Ainsworth, Thomas Joseph ('Joe')
Ainsworth, Thomas Joseph (Joe; ‘Two Gun Joe’) (1927–2015), garda, was born 17 May 1927 at his parents’ home at Davitt’s Terrace, Castlebar, Co. Mayo, the elder of two sons of Harry (Henry) Ainsworth, a victualler, and his wife Margaret (née Feeney). Ainsworth was…...
Alton, Bryan Gerard
Alton, Bryan Gerard (1919–91), physician, politician and goldsmith, was born in Dublin on 5 June 1919, the only child of Norman Bindon Alton, bank inspector, and his wife, Mary Frances (née Hayes). The family lived at 119 Morehampton Road until his father died in 1925. Bryan and his…...
Arthur, Thomas
Arthur, Thomas (1593–1675), physician, was born 24 November 1593 in Limerick city, son of the patrician William Arthur and Anastace Arthur (née Rice). His early schooling is unknown; he studied medicine in Bordeaux and Paris before returning to Limerick to begin (14 May 1619) a…...
Ball, John
Ball, John (1818–89), scientist, politician, and mountain traveller, was born 20 August 1818 in Dublin, eldest son among four children of Nicholas Ball (qv), politician and judge, and Jane Ball (neé Sherlock) of Butlerstown, Co.…...
Barniville, Henry Leo (‘Harry’ or ‘Barney’)
Barniville, Henry Leo (‘Harry’ or ‘Barney’) (1887–1960), surgeon and senator, was born in Belfast 10 April 1887, fourth son of John Barniville, DL, of Co. Tipperary and Mary Barniville (née Bourke) of Co. Galway. Educated at St Malachy's…...
Bourke, Francis Stephen (‘Freddie’)
Bourke, Francis Stephen (‘Freddie’) (1895–1959), medical doctor and bibliographer, was born 14/15 July 1895 in High St., Kilkenny, son of James Bourke, merchant tailor, and Kate Bourke (née Walshe). Educated at St Kieran's College, Kilkenny, he studied at the Royal College of Surgeons…...
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…...
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…...
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…...
Browne, Noel Christopher
Browne, Noel Christopher (1915–97), politician and physician, was born 20 December 1915 at 38 Bath Street, Waterford city, second son and fourth among eight children of Joseph Browne, of Loughrea, Co. Galway, and Mary Theresa Browne (née Cooney), of Hollymount, Co. Mayo. His father was…...
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…...
Bulger, Lawrence Quinlivan ('Larry')
Bulger, Lawrence Quinlivan ('Larry') (1870–1928), rugby player and medical doctor, was born 5 February 1870 at his parents' home on Moore Street, Kilrush, Co. Clare, the youngest of five sons and two daughters of Daniel Scanlan Bulger (d. 1904), then a pawnbroker and draper, later a…...
Bulger, Michael Joseph
This is a co-subject for the entry on Bulger, Lawrence Quinlivan ('Larry'). View the original entry....
Bullen, Denis Brenan
Bullen, Denis Brenan (1802–66), surgeon and lecturer, probably born in Cork, was baptised 2 June 1802, second son (and second child) among three sons and five daughters of William Bullen, MD, and his wife Catherine Quindan. He was educated…...
Burke, William
Burke, William (1793?–1829), murderer, was born probably at Urney, near Strabane, Co. Tyrone, son of Neil Burke, labourer. Born into a catholic, Irish-speaking family, he received some education and was servant to a presbyterian minister for a time. When he tired of this he tried the…...
Butler, William Francis
Butler, William Francis (1838–1910), soldier and author, was born 31 October 1838 in a farmhouse at Ballyslateen, Golden, Co. Tipperary, youngest child among four sons and three daughters of Richard Butler (1792–1870), a modest landowner and large tenant farmer of Suirville, Co.…...
Cane, Robert
Cane, Robert (1807–58), nationalist, physician, and historian, was born in Kilkenny city; his mother's name was Scott, from a well known Kilkenny family. In the 1820s he worked as a pharmaceutical assistant in Kilkenny, and graduated from the Royal College of Surgeons, London (…...
Carr, James Celestine
Carr, James Celestine (1933–2006), radiologist, was born 6 April 1933 in a nursing home at 12 Leeson Street, Dublin, to Christopher Carr, accountant, and his wife Margaret (née Groome), of Griffith Avenue, Drumcondra, Dublin. He attended Belvedere College, Dublin, before studying…...
Chance, Arthur Joseph
Chance, Arthur Joseph (1889–1980), orthopaedic surgeon, was born 15 November 1889 in Dublin into a medical family, third among four sons and one daughter of Sir Arthur Chance (qv), surgeon, and Martha Chance (née Rooney). He…...
Clare, Anthony Ward
Clare, Anthony Ward (1942–2007), psychiatrist and media personality, was born 24 December 1942 in Dublin, the youngest of three children (two girls and a boy) of Bernard Clare, state solicitor with the land registry, and his wife Agnes (née Dunne). Clare recalled his father as a gentle…...
Collins, Jerome James
Collins, Jerome James (1841–81) meteorologist, Arctic explorer, and founder of Clan na Gael, was born 17 October 1841 in Cork city, the son of Mark Collins, a lime and saltworks owner of South Main Street, Cork, and his wife Ellen (née Ryan). He attended St Vincent's Seminary,…...
Colohan, John Fallon Sydney
Colohan, John Fallon Sydney (1862–1932), physician and pioneering motorist, was born in Dublin, son of James Colohan, bank manager; nothing is known of his mother. He studied at the Edinburgh Medical School, and was admitted…...
Connolly, Patrick Joseph
Connolly, Patrick Joseph (1927–2016), barrister and attorney general of Ireland, was born 25 May 1927 at 70 Botanic Road, Glasnevin, Dublin. He was the elder of two sons born to Patrick Joseph Connolly, principal of Ballyboughal national school, and his wife Ellen (‘Nellie’; née O’Hara…...
Corrigan, Sir Dominic John
Corrigan, Sir Dominic John (1802–80), physician, was born 1 December 1802 in Thomas St., Dublin, where an Augustinian church now stands, second of five children of John Corrigan, dealer in agricultural implements, and his wife Celia O'Connor. Educated at the lay college at…...
Costello, Thomas Bodkin
Costello, Thomas Bodkin (1864–1956), medical doctor and antiquary, was born 4 February 1864 in Tuam, Co. Galway, son of Michael Costello, a shopkeeper, and his wife, Sarah Bodkin. His mother was a descendent of the Kilcloony branch of the Bodkin family, one of the original…...