Abraham, James Johnston
Abraham, James Johnston (1876–1963), surgeon and writer, was born 16 August 1876 in Kingsgate St., Coleraine, Co. Londonderry, son of William Abraham (1849–1933) of Co. Fermanagh, tea merchant, general supplier, JP, and methodist circuit…...
Abrahamson, Leonard
Abrahamson, Leonard (1896–1961), doctor, was born 29 April 1896 into a Jewish family in Semiatich, latterly in Belarus, second of four children of David and Frances Abrahamson. To escape pogroms his family emigrated to Newry, Co. Down, when he was 3 years old. He was educated at the…...
Acton, Charles
Acton, Charles (1914–99), music critic, was born Ball-Acton (but changed the former surname by deed poll in 1939) on 25 April 1914 in Iron Acton near Bristol, Somerset, England, into a family that can be traced back to the twelfth century, and with an estate (till 1944) at Kilmacurragh…...
Adair, Rhona (Kathleen)
Adair, Rhona (Kathleen) (1881–1961), amateur international golfer, was born 2 September 1881 at Glenavon, Cookstown, Co. Tyrone, one of six children of Hugh Adair, linen manufacturer, and (Mary) Augusta Lee Adair (née Graves). The family, who were presbyterian, were keen golfers: her…...
Adair, Robert
Adair, Robert (1710/11?–1790), surgeon, was born in Ireland and trained in Dublin as a surgeon. He was obliged to leave the country when detected in a love affair, apparently with a married woman, who may have been Laetitia Pilkington…...
Adams, John Bodkin
Adams, John Bodkin (1899–1983), doctor, was born 20 January 1899 in Randalstown, Co. Antrim, elder son of Samuel Adams, watchmaker, and Ellen Adams (née Bodkin) from Desertmartin, Co. Londonderry, and grew up in Ballinderry, Co. Antrim. His brother died in 1916. His father retired…...
Adams, Robert
Adams, Robert (1791–1875), surgeon, was born in Dublin, son of Samuel Adams, solicitor, and his wife (née Filgate), and was apprenticed successively to William Hartigan (qv) (1810) and George Stewart (1813), surgeon general to the…...
Adams, Ronald James (Ronnie)
Adams, Ronald James (Ronnie) (1916–2004), racing driver and businessman, was one of the last of a generation of successful amateur gentleman drivers, and was well known in his native Ulster. He was born in Belfast on 8 March 1916, only son of James Adams and his Scottish wife Sarah…...
Ahearn, Daniel F. (Dan)
This is a co-subject for the entry on Ahearne, Timothy J. (‘Tim’). View the original entry....
Ahearne, Timothy J. (‘Tim’)
Ahearne, Timothy J. (‘Tim’) (1885–1968), athlete and Olympic gold medallist, was born 17 August 1885 in Dirreen, Athea, Co. Limerick, son of William Aherne, farmer in Dirreen, and Margaret Aherne (née Shine). A talented sprinter, hurdler and jumper, he represented Britain in the…...
Aher, David
Aher, David (c.1778–1842), cartographer and civil engineer, was probably the son of Patrick Aher, a Cork surveyor; he trained under his father, in the ‘French school of [John] Rocque’ (qv). A leading Irish surveyor-…...
Ahern (Aherne), Thomas (‘Bud’)
Ahern (Aherne), Thomas (‘Bud’) (1919–99), soccer player, was born 26 January 1919 in New Road, Thomondgate, Limerick city, son of Patrick Ahern, sawyer, and Kate Ahern (née Gleeson) of New Road, Thomondgate. He initially made his mark as a hurler. As a member of the Irish army…...
Ahern, Michael (Gah)
This is a co-subject for the entry on Ahern, Patrick (‘Balty’). View the original entry....
Ahern, Patrick (‘Balty’)
Ahern, Patrick (‘Balty’) (1900–71), hurler, was born 21 October 1900 at Ballintemple, Co. Cork, eldest of three sons of Patrick Ahern of Ballintemple, ship steward, and Hannah Ahern (née Walsh), also of Ballintemple. He attended primary school locally at Crab Lane. He played hurling…...
Aikenhead, Mary
Aikenhead, Mary (1787–1858), foundress of the congregation of the Religious Sisters of Charity and of St Vincent's Hospital, Dublin, was born 19 January 1787 in Cork city, eldest of four children – three daughters and one son – of David Aikenhead, apothecary, son of a Scottish…...
Aiken, Jim
Aiken, Jim (1932–2007), music promoter and businessman, was one of seven or eight children born to Joseph Aiken and his wife Annie (née Fagan), and was raised on the family farm in Jonesborough, Co. Armagh, close to the border. After completing his secondary education, he studied…...
Aiken, (Mary) Maud
Aiken, (Mary) Maud (1898–1978), musician, was born 13 August 1898 in Dublin, younger of two daughters of John J. Davin , grocer and alderman, and Mary Davin (née O'Gara). In 1914 she entered the Royal Irish Academy of Music and was awarded the Coulson scholarship (1914), the Coulson…...
Alcock, Benjamin
Alcock, Benjamin (1801–p.1859), anatomist, was born in Kilkenny in May 1801, youngest of five known children of Nathaniel Alcock, doctor and mayor of the city, and his wife Deborah Prim. Benjamin, after studying at Kilkenny College, entered…...
Alexander, Cecil Frances
Alexander, Cecil Frances (1818–95), hymn-writer, known in her family as Fanny, was born in Eccles Street, Dublin, second daughter (and third among seven children) of John Humphreys and Elizabeth Frances Humphreys (née Reed). Her mother's brother was Thomas Reed (1796–1883), a general…...
Alexander, (Conel) Hugh (O'Donel)
Alexander, (Conel) Hugh (O'Donel) (1909–74), chess master and code-breaker, was born 19 April 1909 in Cork, eldest child of Conel William Long Alexander (qv), professor of engineering at…...
Alexander, Conel William (O'Donel) Long
Alexander, Conel William (O'Donel) Long (1879–1920), civil engineer and rugby footballer, was born 6 June 1879 in Imlick, Co. Donegal, youngest son of Joseph Alexander, farmer and JP, and his wife Frances Mary Long. Registered at birth as ‘…...
Alexander, Eleanor Jane (Nell)
This is a co-subject for the entry on Alexander, Cecil Frances. View the original entry....
Alexander, Michael O'Donel Bjarne
This is a co-subject for the entry on Alexander, (Conel) Hugh (O'Donel). View the original entry....
Alexander, Robert (‘Bob’)
Alexander, Robert (‘Bob’) (1910–43), rugby player and cricketer, was born 24 September 1910 in 57 Distillery St., Belfast, youngest child among two sons and three daughters of David Alexander, shipyard engine fitter, originally from Co. Armagh, and Mary Jane Alexander (née Clark),…...
Allen, Frederick Martin Brice
Allen, Frederick Martin Brice (1898–1972), medical professor, was born 20 June 1898 in Ulsterville Avenue, Belfast, son of William Allen, a grocer, and his wife Annie Allen (née Holden). He studied medicine (1915–20) at QUB, graduating…...