White, William John (‘Jack’)
White, William John (‘Jack’) (1920–80), broadcaster, editor, journalist, and novelist, was born 30 March 1920 in Cork, second child of William Luke White, accountant, and Mary White (née Tyler). In his book Minority report (1975) he described himself as ‘a member of a…...
Whitmore, William James Brennan-
Whitmore, William James Brennan- (1886–1977), revolutionary and journalist, was born 21 October 1886 at the family home in Mary St., Wexford, son of Thomas Whitmore, People journalist and printer, and Mary Whitmore (née Brennan) from Ferns, Co. Wexford. Both parents died…...
Whittaker, Sir Edmund Taylor
Whittaker, Sir Edmund Taylor (1873–1956), mathematician, theoretical physicist, and director of Dunsink observatory, was born 24 October 1873 in Birkdale, near Southport, Lancs., eldest child of John Whittaker, railway engineer and contractor, and his wife Selina, daughter of…...
Whitty, Michael James
Whitty, Michael James (1795–1873), newspaper editor and proprietor, was born in Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford, in 1795, the son of a corn merchant and owner of boats operating out of Wexford port. After failing to complete his studies for the priesthood, Whitty moved to London in 1821 to…...
Wickham, Sir Charles George
Wickham, Sir Charles George (1879–1971), soldier and policeman, was born 1 September 1879 at Chestnut Grove, Tadcaster, Yorkshire, fourth son of William Wickham Wickham and Katherine Henta Wickham. He was educated at Harrow School and at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst.…...
Widdess, John (‘Jack’) David Henry
Widdess, John (‘Jack’) David Henry (1906–82), medical historian, librarian, and biologist, was born 1 August 1906 in Limerick, son of Matthew Widdess, pharmaceutical chemist, and Emily Widdess (née Irwin). He was educated at Wesley College, Dublin. He won prizes, was admitted…...
Wilde, William Charles Kingsbury
Wilde, William Charles Kingsbury (1852–99), journalist, was born 26 September 1852 in Dublin, eldest son of Sir William Wilde (qv), surgeon and antiquary, and his wife, the poet and journalist ‘Speranza’ – Jane…...
Williams, Charles Frederick
Williams, Charles Frederick (1838–1904), journalist and war correspondent, was born 4 May 1838 in Coleraine, Co. Londonderry. His parents' names are unknown, but he claimed to be descended paternally from Worcestershire yeomen (of Tenbury and Mamble), and maternally from Ulster Scots…...
Williamson, Benjamin
Williamson, Benjamin (1827–1916), mathematician, was born 9 January 1827 at Old Dromore, near Mallow, Co. Cork, third son of Benjamin Williamson, rector of Mourne Abbey, and Abigail Williamson (née Roberts). The family claimed descent from Robert Williamson, free burgess, who held…...
Wilmot, Sir Charles
Wilmot, Sir Charles (1570/71–1643/4), 1st Viscount Wilmot of Athlone , English soldier and governor of Connacht, was son and heir of Edward Wilmot of Culham, Oxfordshire, England, and his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Stafford of Bradfield, Berkshire. He matriculated at…...
Wilson, Cecil Leeburn
Wilson, Cecil Leeburn (1912–74), analytical chemist, was born 11 May 1912 in Maghera, Co. Londonderry, son of David Wilson, headmaster of Hall Street school, and Susan Wilson (née McCracken). He was the middle of three children; his older sister, Olive, became a teacher, while his…...
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, 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, Sir Henry Hughes
Wilson, Sir Henry Hughes (1864–1922), 1st baronet, soldier, and politician, was born 5 May 1864 at his family home at Currygrane, near Ballinalee, Co. Longford, the second son of four sons and three daughters of James Wilson, a landowner, and his wife, Constance Grace Martha Wilson…...
Wilson, Walter Gordon
Wilson, Walter Gordon (1874–1957), engineer and inventor of the tank, was born 21 April 1874 at his family's home, Dunardagh, Temple Road, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, fifth son of George Orr Wilson, barrister, and Annie Wilson (née Shaw). Educated as a naval cadet at…...
Wilson, William Edward
Wilson, William Edward (1851–1908), astronomer, was born 19 July 1851 at Greenisland, near Carrickfergus, Co. Antrim, the only son of John Wilson (d. 1906), landowner, of Daramona House, Streete, Co. Westmeath, and his wife Francis Patience, daughter of the Rev.…...
Winder, Frank (Francis Gerard Augustine)
Winder, Frank (Francis Gerard Augustine) (1928–2007), biochemist, naturalist and mountaineer, was born 14 April 1928 in Dublin, one of four sons of Percy Winder (d. 1950), secretary of the Scottish Amicable Life Assurance Society and a freeman of the city of Dublin, and his second…...
Wingfield, Sir Richard
Wingfield, Sir Richard (1551?–1634), 1st Viscount Powerscourt and soldier, was eldest son of Sir Richard Wingfield, governor of Portsmouth, and his wife Christian Fitzwilliam of Milton. He was born into a family with a strong martial tradition: his brothers and uncles bore arms for…...
Winter, Sir Ormonde de l'Épée
Winter, Sir Ormonde de l'Épée (1875–1962), soldier, director of intelligence, and deputy chief of police in Ireland, was born 15 January 1875 at Sutton Court Lodge, Chiswick, west London, youngest of five children of W. H. Winter, GPO…...
Wogan, Edward
Wogan, Edward (c.1625–1654), soldier, was third son of Nicholas Wogan of Blackhall, Co. Kildare, and his wife Margaret, daughter of William Holywood of Herbertstown, Co. Meath. The family originated from Pembrokeshire, and the Irish branch retained close contacts with their…...
Wogan, Sir Charles
Wogan, Sir Charles (1698?–1757?), ‘the Chevalier Wogan’, soldier, Jacobite, and man of letters, was born in Rathcoffey, Co. Kildare, second son of William Wogan and Anne Wogan (née Gaydon). He passed most of his boyhood in Kildare but also spent some time in Windsor, England, where…...
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…...
Wolseley, Garnet Joseph
Wolseley, Garnet Joseph (1833–1913), Viscount Wolseley , British army field-marshal, was born 4 June 1833 at Golden Bridge House, Co. Dublin, eldest son of Maj. Garnet Joseph Wolseley (d. 1840), late of the 25th Borderers, and his wife Frances Anne (d. 1883), daughter of William…...
Wolseley, William
Wolseley, William (1640–97), soldier and politician, was the youngest of five sons (there were also six daughters) of Sir Robert Wolseley, 1st baronet, of Wolseley, Staffordshire, and his wife, Mary Wolseley (née Wroughton), daughter of Sir George Wroughton, knight, of Walcot,…...