Wilson, Charles Henry
Wilson, Charles Henry (c.1755–1808), writer and linguist, was born in Bailieborough, Co. Cavan, son of an anglican clergyman; no other details are known of his family. He received a classical school education and attended TCD before…...
Wilson, Edward Daniel Joseph
Wilson, Edward Daniel Joseph (1844–1913), journalist, was born in Ballycrana, Co. Cork, eldest son of Edward Henry Wilson, Esq. He entered TCD in October 1860 but did not graduate, proceeding in 1862 to…...
Wilson, James Walter
Wilson, James Walter (1922–2005), composer, was born 27 September 1922 in Islington, London, England, youngest of three sons of Edgar Wilson (d. 1926/7), a pharmacist, and his wife Margaret (née Eldridge) (d. 1954), who managed the family pharmacy after her husband's death. Educated at…...
Wilson, Peter
Wilson, Peter (c.1720–1802), publisher, printer, and bookseller, was probably born in Dublin and spent most of his career working in the city. During his youth he was apprenticed to the printer George Risk of Dublin. By 1739 Wilson established his own bookshop at Gay's Head…...
Wilson, Robert Arthur
Wilson, Robert Arthur (c.1820–75), journalist and poet, was born in Falcarragh, Co. Donegal, son of Arthur Wilson, a presbyterian coast guard from Donaghadee, Co. Down, and Catherine Wilson (née Hunter) of Islandmagee, Co. Antrim. He was educated in Raymunterdoney school…...
Wilson, William
This is a co-subject for the entry on Wilson, Peter. View the original entry....
Windele, John (‘Trismagistus MacSlatt’, Seághan Bhindele)
Windele, John (‘Trismagistus MacSlatt’, Seághan Bhindele) (1801–65), antiquarian and collector, was born in Cork city. His family is said to have come from Kerry where their name was spelt ‘Windle’. Working in the sheriff's office in Cork, from an early age and largely self-taught he…...
Windle, Sir Bertram Alan Coghill
Windle, Sir Bertram Alan Coghill (1858–1929), scholar, anatomist, archaeologist, and university president, was born 8 May 1858 at Mayfield, Staffordshire, England, eldest son of the Rev. Samuel Allan Windle and Sydney Katherine Windle (née Coghill). When he was four, the family…...
Witherow, Thomas
Witherow, Thomas (1824–90), presbyterian minister and historian, was born 29 May 1824 in his maternal grandfather's house at Ballycastle, near Limavady, Co. Londonderry, eldest in a family of four children of Hugh Witherow, a prosperous farmer and grazier from Aughlish, near…...
Wogan, Patrick
Wogan, Patrick (c.1740–1816), printer, was born in obscure circumstances: nothing is known of his origins or early life. In 1771 he was in business in Church Street, Dublin, and in 1773 moved to Old Bridge Street, where he transacted for thirty-four years; from 1775 to 1782 he…...
Wogan, Sir Terry
Wogan, Sir Terry (1938–2016), broadcaster, was born Michael Terence Wogan in Limerick city on 3 August 1938, the elder of two sons of Michael Thomas Wogan, who managed the local branch of the upmarket grocers Leverett and Frye, and Rose Wogan (née Byrne), a bookkeeper. His father was…...
Wolfe, George
Wolfe, George (1859–1941), soldier, landowner, antiquarian, and politician, was born 16 December 1859 at Bishopland, Ballymore Eustace, Co. Kildare, younger son among two sons and one daughter of Theobald George Samuel Wolfe (1815–72), landowner, of Bishopland and Forenaghts, Naas…...
Wood, Charles
Wood, Charles (1866–1926), composer and musical academic, was born 15 June 1866 at Armagh city, fifth child and third son of Charles Wood, tenor lay vicar choral of St Patrick's cathedral, Armagh, and Jemima Wood (née Taylor), both of 11 Vicars’ Hill, Armagh. Of their fourteen…...
Wood, Herbert
Wood, Herbert (1860–1955), archivist, historian, deputy keeper of the Public Record Office of Ireland, was born on 6 September 1860 at Trinity Square, Lambeth, London, a prosperous residential development for merchants and professionals. He was the sixth of eight children of William…...
Wood, Robert
Wood, Robert (1717?–1771), traveller, author, and politician, was born at Riverstown Castle near Trim, Co. Meath, eldest son of the Rev. James Wood of Summerhill, Co. Meath. He matriculated at Glasgow University in 1732 and entered the Middle Temple on 15 November 1736. In 1742–3 he…...
Woods, Thomas (‘Tommy’)
Woods, Thomas (‘Tommy’) (1921–61), diplomat, journalist, and writer, was born 2 July 1921 at 4 St Brendan's Terrace, Galway city, one of three children of Thomas Woods, draper, and Bridget Woods (née Hogan). He was educated by the Christian Brothers in Galway and for a time…...
Woodward, Richard
Woodward, Richard (c.1743–1777), composer, was born in England, son of Richard Woodward, choirmaster; his mother's name is not known. In 1751 he moved to Ireland when his father was appointed a stipendiary of the choir at Christ Church cathedral, Dublin. He became an…...
Wright, George Newenham
Wright, George Newenham (1794?–1877), clergyman, schoolmaster, topographical writer and biographer, was born in London probably in 1793 or 1794. He was the youngest of the four sons of Thomas Wright (qv), a surgeon of Great Ship St.,…...
Yeats, Bertha Georgie (‘George’)
Yeats, Bertha Georgie (‘George’) (1892–1968), scholar, occultist, publisher, and wife of William Butler Yeats (qv), was born 16/17 October 1892 at The Grove, Fleet, Hampshire, daughter of William Gilbert Hyde Lees , captain in the 4th…...
Yeats, Elizabeth Corbet (‘Lollie’)
Yeats, Elizabeth Corbet (‘Lollie’) (1868–1940), publisher and painter, was born 11 March 1868 at 23 Fitzroy Road, London, daughter of John Butler Yeats (qv), painter, and Susan Yeats (née Pollexfen). She stayed in Merville, Sligo, at the…...
Yeats, Gráinne
Yeats, Gráinne (1925–2013), harpist, singer, teacher and historian, was born on 14 April 1925 in Dublin, the youngest child of Patrick Sarsfield ('P. S.') O'Hegarty (qv) and Wilhelmina (Mina) Rebecca (née Smyth). Both…...
Yonge, James
Yonge, James (d. p.1425), a Dublin notary of Anglo-Irish extraction, possibly related to the William Yonge who was archdeacon of Meath 1417–37, was commissioned by James Butler (qv), 4th earl of Ormond, to compose a new…...
Yorke, Peter Christopher
Yorke, Peter Christopher (1864–1925), priest, journalist, and controversialist, was born 13 August 1864 in Galway city, son of Gregory Yorke, sea captain, and Bridget Yorke (née Kelly). His father died when he was six months old; his mother subsequently remarried. Educated at St…...
Young, Mary Ursula
Young, Mary Ursula (1783–1830), Ursuline nun and writer, was born 9 October 1783 at Dublin, the eldest child of Charles Young (qv), merchant, and his wife Margaret Young (née Hervey). They were a devout family: four of Mary's brothers became…...
Zimmer, Heinrich
Zimmer, Heinrich (1851–1910), philologist, historian, and Celtic scholar, was born 11 December 1851 in Castellaun in the Rhineland, Germany, son of a peasant farmer. After pursuing his early education at Kreuznach, he spent some time at the universities of Strasburg, Tübingen, and…...