Amlaíb (Óláfr) Cuarán
Amlaíb (Óláfr) Cuarán (d. 981), son of Sitriuc Cáech (qv), was Norse king of Dublin. He first came to notice in 940 when he left Dublin to join his cousin Amlaíb (qv) son…...
Amlaíb (Óláfr Godfridsson)
Amlaíb (Óláfr Godfridsson) (d. 941), Norse king of Dublin, was son of Gofraid (king 921–34), the last surviving grandson of Ímar (qv); nothing is known of his mother. He married Aldgyth, daughter of an Anglo-Danish jarl, Ormr. If he had any…...
Anderson, Gerry
Anderson, Gerry (1944–2014), musician, radio broadcaster and television presenter, was born Gerald Michael Anderson on 28 October 1944 in Derry, one of four children (three sons and a daughter) of John Anderson, a boiler and range-fireplace fitter who had joined the anti-treaty side…...
Andrews, William (‘Billy’,‘Bill’) Nathaniel
Andrews, William (‘Billy’,‘Bill’) Nathaniel (Mac Andrieu, Liam) (1873–1939), musician, was born 9 January 1873 in Dublin, son of Arthur Andrews, printer, and Elizabeth Andrews (née Dunne), both protestants. He studied classical music and was instructed on the piano by his aunt (…...
Ardgal
Ardgal (d. 970), son of Matudán and overking of Ulaid 950–70, was of the Dál Fiatach dynasty. He succeeded his father Matudán son of Áed, overking of Ulaid 937–50, who was slain by the Uí Echach. During the reign of Ardgal, the Ulaid faced a threat from the Northern Uí Néill; in…...
Artrí
Artrí (d. 821), son of Cathal and overking of Munster, belonged to the Éoganacht Glendamnach dynasty of north Co. Cork. His father is generally identified as Cathal (qv) son of Finguine, a very important and able king of Munster (721–42),…...
Asgall (Askulf; Hasculf)
Asgall (Askulf; Hasculf) (d. 1171), son of Ragnall and ruler of Dublin, belonged to the Hiberno-Scandinavian line of Torcall (Thorkell), which had emerged to rule Dublin in the person of Thorkell, grandfather of Asgall, following the failure of…...
Asgill, John
Asgill, John (1659–1738), eccentric writer and politician, was born at Hanley Castle, Worcestershire, England, and baptised on 25 March 1659, son of Edward and Hester Asgill. Little is known of his early life, but in 1686 he became a student of the Middle Temple and was called to…...
Ashe, Andrew
Ashe, Andrew (1756×1759–1838), flautist, was born in Lisburn, Co. Antrim. His parents' names are unknown. When he was about nine, Andrew was sent to school near Woolwich, England; from an early age he loved music, and on his own initiative paid for lessons out of his allowance. However…...
Augaire
Augaire (d. 1024), son of Dúnlaing and overking of Leinster, belonged to the Uí Muiredaig lineage of the Uí Dúnlainge dynasty. During the reign of his father Dúnlaing (qv) (d. 1014), king of Uí Muiredaig and briefly overking of the province…...
Báetán
Báetán (d. 581), son of Cairell and overking of Ulaid, belonged to the Dál Fiatach dynasty. His father Cairell, allegedly a son of Muiredach Muinderg, is included in the Ulster king-lists. His mother, according to genealogical tradition, was Cummíne daughter of Furudrán. He had a…...
Báetán
Báetán (d. 572), son of Muirchertach and putatively king of Tara, belonged to the Cenél nÉogain dynasty. The genealogies represent him as a son of Muirchertach/Mac Ercae (qv) and as a brother of Domnall and Forggus, who are…...
Báetán
Báetán (d. 586), son of Ninnid and putatively king of Tara, belonged to the Cenél Conaill dynasty. His father, Ninnid son of Duí, was an early representative of the lineage of Cenél Duach. He had at least two brothers: Eochaid, who was slain by the Cianachta, and Feradach,…...
Baird, George Courtenay
This is a co-subject for the entry on Baird, William Savage. View the original entry....
Baird, Robert Hugh Hanley
This is a co-subject for the entry on Baird, William Savage. View the original entry....
Baird, William
This is a co-subject for the entry on Baird, William Savage. View the original entry....
Baird, William Savage
Baird, William Savage (1824–86) and George Courtenay Baird (1833–75), printers and newspaper proprietors, were brothers, natives of Randalstown, Co. Antrim; they had at least one other brother, Thomas Drew Baird (d. 1890), who joined the business after George Baird died. Both William…...
Balfe, Michael William
Balfe, Michael William (1808–70), composer and musician, was born 15 May 1808, at 10 Pitt Street, Dublin (renamed Balfe Street in 1917 by the Dublin Corporation, later demolished), and baptised in the parish church of St Ann, Dawson Street, Dublin. He was the third child and only…...
Baptist (Crow), Rachael
Baptist (Crow), Rachael (fl. 1750–73), a celebrated black singer in Dublin's pleasure gardens in the 1750s, had a musical career as soloist and entertainer that spanned almost a quarter of a century. Nothing is known of her parents or early history. Her first recorded…...
Barid (Bárith, Bar∂r)
Barid (Bárith, Bar∂r) (d. 881), Norse king of Dublin, was (although his origin is uncertain) possibly a son of Ímar (qv) (d. 873), and was certainly among the allies of Amlaíb Find (Olaf the White). According to the Irish annals, Barid had…...
Barrett, John (‘Jacky’)
Barrett, John (‘Jacky’) (1753–1821), eccentric scholar, was born in Ballyroan, Queen's Co. (Laois), son of the Rev. Daniel Barrett, Church of Ireland clergyman, and his wife Rossamund Gofton. Educated by a Mr Sheils in Dublin, he entered TCD…...
Barry, Billie (Lillian)
Barry, Billie (Lillian) (1921–2014), performer and stage school founder, was born on 27 January 1921 in Drumcondra, Dublin, the youngest of fifteen children to John Clarke-Barry, orchestra leader and musician, and his wife Anne (née Hughes), an amateur operatic singer. The family were…...
Barry, Margaret (‘Maggie’)
Barry, Margaret (‘Maggie’) (1917–89), folk singer, was born 1 January 1917 in Peter Street, Cork city, one of five children of Timothy Cleary and his wife Mary or Margaret (née Thompson ); the family were travellers who had been loosely settled in the Cork city area for two…...
Bates, Daisy May
Bates, Daisy May (1859–1951), welfare worker for Aborigines, anthropologist, and eccentric, was born 21 October 1859 in Roscrea, Co. Tipperay, third among six children of James Dwyer , catholic tradesman and blacksmith, and Bridget Dwyer (née Hunt). Her twin brother, Francis, died…...
Battersby, William Joseph
Battersby, William Joseph (1794/5–1873), catholic bookseller and writer, is first mentioned in 1825, in Wilson's Dublin Directory, as a printer at 33 Winetavern Street, Dublin. He was to flourish in the 1830s, 1840s, and 1850s, a period of rapidly growing catholic…...