Smith, John Shaw
Smith, John Shaw (1811–73), pioneer photographer, was born 18 October 1811 in Co. Cork, fifth of eight sons of John Smith and Mary Richardson, who had an estate of several hundred acres at Clonmult, Co. Cork. In 1839 John Shaw Smith married his cousin, Mary Louisa Richardson. They…...
Smyth, Brendan
Smyth, Brendan (1927–97), catholic priest and paedophile, was born John Gerard Smyth in Nansen Street, off the Falls Road, west Belfast, on 6 June 1927. He was educated at Barracks Street CBS, Belfast. In 1945 he joined the Norbertine…...
Sugrue, Elizabeth (‘Lady Betty’)
Sugrue, Elizabeth (‘Lady Betty’) (1740/50–1807), executioner, is thought to have been born in Co. Kerry into a tenant farming family between 1740 and 1750. The location of her birth and names of her parents are not known, and available details of her life are largely anecdotal or…...
Taylor, William Desmond
Taylor, William Desmond (1872–1922), silent film director and celebrity murder victim, was born William Cunningham Deane-Tanner at Straw Hill House, Carlow town, Co. Carlow, on 26 April 1872, second child and oldest son among two daughters and three sons (one of whom died in infancy) of…...
Tenison, Edward King
Tenison, Edward King (1805–78), pioneer photographer, landed gentleman, and MP, was born 21 January 1805, second son of Col. Thomas Tenison of Castle Tenison (later Kilronan Castle), Co. Roscommon, MP for Boyle 1792, and Lady Frances Anne King, daughter of Edward, 1st earl of…...
Welch, Robert John
Welch, Robert John (1859–1936), photographer, was born 22 July 1859 in or near Strabane, Co. Tyrone, second of six children and second of the three sons of David Welch and Martha Welch (née Graham), daughter of a local shoemaker, who was aged 17 at the time of her marriage in 1857.…...
Wright, William (‘Billy’)
Wright, William (‘Billy’) (1960–97), loyalist paramilitary, was born in July 1960 in Wolverhampton in the west midlands of England, son of David Wright and his wife, both originally from Portadown, Co. Armagh. The Wrights had moved to England because of harassment after David…...
Wynne, Thomas Joseph
Wynne, Thomas Joseph (1838–93), photographer and shopkeeper, was born probably in the United States, where it is believed he grew up. His mother was third daughter of Richard MacEvilly, postmaster at Ballyglass, Claremorris, Co. Mayo; the identity of his father is not known. In…...
Young, Mary ('Jenny Diver')
Young, Mary ('Jenny Diver') (c.1704–41), notorious pickpocket and head of a criminal gang, was born c.1704 in the north of Ireland. There are no extant records relating to Young's early life so most accounts rely on the text published by James Guthrie, The…...