Aylward, Margaret Louisa
Aylward, Margaret Louisa (1810–89), philanthropist and founder of a religious congregation, was born 23 November 1810 in Waterford city, fifth among ten children of William Aylward (d. 1840), merchant, and Ellen Aylward (née Murphy), who also had a son from her first marriage. The…...
Aylward, Richard
Aylward, Richard (1872–1954), Celticist, priest, and professor of Irish, was born in Aylwardstown, Glenmore, Co. Kilkenny, son of Edmond Aylward, farmer, and Johanna Aylward (née Phelan). He was educated in the Old Classical College, Kilmacow, and at St Kieran's College, Kilkenny…...
Babington (Bebington), Brutus (Brute, Bruce)
Babington (Bebington), Brutus (Brute, Bruce) (c.1558–1611), bishop of Derry, was born in Cheshire, England, second of five sons of Richard Bebington of Nantwich, Cheshire, and Anne Bebington (née Starkey). He entered Christ's College, Cambridge (1572), and graduated…...
Báetán
Báetán (d. 664) of the moccu Chormaic, abbot of Clonmacnoise, belonged to a prominent line of Conmaicne Mara. He became ninth abbot (653) in succession to Áedlug son of Camán, and held office into the twelfth year, which was quite a long period in power given that candidates…...
Bagenal (Bagnal(l)), Sir Henry
Bagenal (Bagnal(l)), Sir Henry (c.1556–1598), soldier, was born in England, eldest son of Sir Nicholas Bagenal (qv) and his wife Eleanor (née Griffith; d. 1573) of Penrhyn, north Wales. Henry apparently left…...
Bagenal (Bagnal(l)), Sir Nicholas
Bagenal (Bagnal(l)), Sir Nicholas (1510?–1591), soldier, was second son of John Bagnal (d. 1558), tailor and mayor of Newcastle under Lyme, Staffordshire, England, and his wife Eleanor (Elinor) Whittingham of Middlewich, Cheshire. In 1539 Nicholas, as a gentleman pensioner, went to…...
Bagenal, Walter
Bagenal, Walter (1614–52), soldier and politician, was eldest son of George Bagenal of Dunleckney, Co. Carlow, and Joan, daughter of Walter Butler (qv), 11th earl of Ormond. The Bagenals originated from Staffordshire in England and only…...
Bailey, Mary (‘Lady Bailey’) (née Westenra)
Bailey, Mary (‘Lady Bailey’) (née Westenra) (1890–1960), aviator, was born on 1 December 1890 at 30 Grosvenor Square, London, to Derrick (Derry) Warner William Westenra (1853–1921), the fifth Baron Rossmore, and his wife Mittie (née Naylor) (d. 1953), the daughter of a wealthy English…...
Baillie (Bailie), James Kennedy
Baillie (Bailie), James Kennedy (1793?–1864), classicist and protestant clergyman, was the son of the Rev. Nicholas Ward Kennedy, a schoolmaster, and grandson of James Kennedy, a medical man in Co. Down. He entered TCD aged fourteen (1807),…...
Bain, John Alexander
Bain, John Alexander (1861–1947), presbyterian minister and theologian, was born at Galway 22 June 1861. He was educated at QCG and at Assembly's College, Belfast, and obtained an MA of the…...
Baíthéne (Conín)
Baíthéne (Conín) (c.536–600), son of Brénainn, was second abbot of Iona in succession to Colum Cille (qv), to whom he was a first cousin and foster-son (alumnus). Our primary source for the life of Baíthéne is…...
Baker, Col. Henry
Baker, Col. Henry (c.1640–1689), governor of Londonderry, was a lieutenant in the Irish army after the restoration; details of his parents are not known. On being dismissed during the administration of the earl of Tyrconnell (qv…...
Baker, George
Baker, George (c.1608–1665), clergyman, was born in St Patrick's parish, Dublin; his parents’ names are not known. Educated at TCD, he graduated BA (1629) and …...
Bald, William
Bald, William (1789?–1857), civil engineer and surveyor, was born and educated in Burntisland, Fife, Scotland. His mother's name was Grizel Bell; he had at least one sister, who inherited property in the town. He left school aged 12 and was apprenticed to John Ainslie in Edinburgh.…...
Bale, John
Bale, John (1495–1563), protestant writer and Church of Ireland bishop of Ossory, was born 21 November 1495 in the village of Cove, near Dunwich, Suffolk, England. He entered the Carmelite house at Norwich and began studying at Cambridge (probably Jesus College) in 1514, and was…...
Ball, Margaret
Ball, Margaret (1515?–1584?), recusant and martyr, was born in Corballis in the barony of Skreen, Co. Meath, daughter of Nicholas Bermingham and his wife Katherine, daughter of Richard de la Hide of Drogheda, a descendant of Edward I. She married (1530) Bartholomew Ball, a…...
Ball, Mary Teresa (Frances)
Ball, Mary Teresa (Frances) (1794–1861), nun, educator, and founder of the Loreto order in Ireland, was born 9 January 1794 in Eccles Street, Dublin, the youngest daughter of John Ball (qv), a wealthy Dublin silk merchant, and Mabel Clare…...
Balscot, Alexander
Balscot, Alexander of (c.1335–1400), bishop of Ossory, bishop of Meath, and treasurer, chancellor, and justiciar of Ireland, was born in Oxfordshire and first appears in the records when he was presented to the vicarage of Dungarvan in 1359. He was a prebend in the diocese…...
Bannon, John
Bannon, John (1829–1913), catholic priest and Confederate chaplain, was born 29 December 1829 at Rooskey, Co. Roscommon, son of James Bannon, a Dublin grain dealer, and his wife, Fanny (née O'Farrell). Bannon had a brother and at least one sister. He was educated locally in Dublin…...
Barber, Samuel
Barber, Samuel (1738?–1811), presbyterian minister and radical, was born in the parish of Killead, Co. Antrim, younger son of John and Sarah Barber, farmers. He entered Glasgow University in 1757 and graduated MA in 1759. On 28 August 1761 he…...
Bardin, Charles
Bardin, Charles (c.1788-1841), clergyman and producer of instructive literature, was born in Dublin, son of Peter Bardin, revenue officer; his date of birth and his mother's name are unknown. He graduated BA (1817),…...
Barkley, John Monteith
Barkley, John Monteith (1910–97), presbyterian minister, scholar and historian, was born in Belfast on 18 October 1910, the only son of Robert James Barkley and his wife Mary Darcus (née Monteith). He had a younger sister. When John was born the family was living with his mother's…...
Barlow, Randolph (Randal)
Barlow, Randolph (Randal) (1572?–1638), Church of Ireland archbishop of Tuam, was probably the Randal Barlow baptised 31 January 1572 at Malpas, Cheshire, the son of John Barlow, rector of Malpas. Educated at Macclesfield grammar school, he matriculated at Jesus College, Cambridge…...
Barnard, Thomas
Barnard, Thomas (1727–1806), Church of Ireland bishop, was born in Surrey and baptised there on 22 February 1727, the eldest son of Dr William Barnard (1697–1768), bishop of Derry, and his wife, Anne (d. 1782), sister of the Irish primate …...
Barnett, John
Barnett, John (1794–1880), presbyterian minister, was born near Saintfield, Co. Down, eldest son of John Barnett, tanner in Belfast; his mother may have been Jane Gibson. He was at first apprenticed to a Belfast business house, but his father allowed him to leave to attend Glasgow…...