Bernal, John Desmond
Bernal, John Desmond (1901–71), scientist, was born 10 May 1901 at Nenagh, Co. Tipperary, eldest of three sons and two daughters of Samuel George Bernal, farmer, of Brookwatson, Nenagh, and his wife Elizabeth Miller, daughter of a Presbyterian minister in San José, California.…...
Bernard, Agnes Morrogh (Mother Mary Arsenius)
Bernard, Agnes Morrogh (Mother Mary Arsenius) (1842–1932), nun, teacher, and founder of Providence Mill, Foxford, Co. Mayo, was born 24 February 1842 in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, the eldest child of John Morrogh , of a prominent catholic family from Glanmire, Cork, and Frances…...
Bewley, Arthur Geoffrey
This is a co-subject for the entry on Bewley, Henry Theodore. View the original entry....
Bewley, Henry Theodore
Bewley, Henry Theodore (1860–1945), physician and lecturer, was born 25 June 1860 at Willow Park, Booterstown, Co. Dublin, into a leading quaker family, only surviving son of Henry Bewley (qv), businessman, and Anne Bewley (née Pike). He…...
Bewley, Joseph
This is a co-subject for the entry on Bewley, Samuel. View the original entry....
Bewley, Samuel
Bewley, Samuel (1764–1837), silk merchant, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, was born 21 April 1764 into a quaker family, youngest son of Thomas Bewley (1719–95) of Mountmellick, Queen's Co. (Laois), and Susanna Bewley (née Pim). He was probably apprenticed to a silk merchant in…...
Bewley, Victor Ernest Henry
Bewley, Victor Ernest Henry (1912–2000), quaker businessman and philanthropist, was born on 24 May 1912, at Danum, the family estate in Rathgar, one of five children to Ernest Bewley (qv) and Susan Emily Bewley (née Clarke) from Doncaster.…...
Bhreatnach, Lucy
This is a co-subject for the entry on Breatnach, Deasún. View the original entry....
Biggart, Sir John Henry
Biggart, Sir John Henry (1905–79), pathologist, was born 17 November 1905 in Templepatrick, Co. Antrim, elder son of John Henry Biggart, headmaster of Templepatrick national school, and Mary Biggart (née Gault), also a teacher. He was brilliantly successful in the Royal Belfast…...
Bigger, Joseph Warwick
Bigger, Joseph Warwick (1891–1951), doctor, was born in Belfast 11 September 1891, only son of Sir Edward Coey Bigger (qv) and Maude Coulter Bigger (née Warwick), and nephew of …...
Bigger, Sir Edward Coey
Bigger, Sir Edward Coey (1861–1942), medical doctor and politician, was born in Belfast, sixth son of Joseph Bigger and Mary Jane Bigger (née Arderry) of Airdrie (Ardrigh), Belfast. Educated at the Liverpool Institute High School, QUB…...
Binks, J. Harold
Binks, J. Harold (1911–86), trade unionist, was born in Portadown, Co. Armagh, one of several sons of Thomas J. Binks (who was probably the Thomas James Binks, carpenter, resident at 66 Hanover Street, married to Annie S. Binks (née Kelly)). He attended a mixed-denominational…...
Birmingham, John
Birmingham, John (1816–84), astronomer, polymath, and landowner, was born at Millbrook, near Tuam, Co. Galway in May 1816, the only son of Edward Birmingham (d. 1833, the youngest son of John (Sean Rua) Birmingham of Dalgin, a landowner with interests in the West Indies) and his wife,…...
Blachford, Theodosia
Blachford, Theodosia (1744–1817?), philanthropist and leading methodist, was born at her father's residence in Rosanna, Co. Wicklow, only daughter of William Tighe (qv), landowner and MP, and Lady Mary Tighe of Rathmore, Co. Meath,…...
Black, Joseph
Black, Joseph (1728–99), chemist, was born 16 April 1728 in Bordeaux, France, ninth child among eight sons and five daughters of John Black (1681–1767), wine-merchant from Belfast, whose family originally came from Scotland, and his wife Margaret, daughter of Robert Gordon of…...
Black, Samuel
Black, Samuel (1763/4–1832), physician, was born at Marymount in the townland of Lurganbane, Dromore, Co. Down, son of James Black (1719–1803), a minor landowner who was engaged in the linen industry, and Mary Black (née Cullen) (1724–1810). He had five brothers and a sister and was…...
Blackwood, Hariot Georgina (Rowan-Hamilton)
Blackwood, Hariot Georgina (Rowan-Hamilton) (1843–1936), marchioness of Dufferin and Ava , philanthropist and author, was born 5 February 1843, eldest of seven children of Archibald Rowan and Catherine Rowan-Hamilton (née Caldwell) of Killyleagh Castle, Co. Down. She married (23…...
Blease, William John ('Billy')
Blease, William John ('Billy') (1914–2008), Baron Blease of Cromac, trade unionist and politician, was born 28 May 1914 in Gosford Street, off the Ormeau Road, Belfast, eldest of three sons and one daughter of William John Blease (1886–1954), restaurant chef and trade-union activist,…...
Blomfield, Sara Louisa
Blomfield, Sara Louisa , Lady (1859–1939), Bahá'í pioneer and humanitarian, was born in Knockanevin, Borrisoleigh, near Thurles, Co. Tipperary, the daughter of Matthew (Matthias) John Ryan and his wife Emily (née Crowe). Religious tension between her catholic father and anglo-…...
Boate (De Boote, Boet, Bootius, Botius), Arnold
Boate (De Boote, Boet, Bootius, Botius), Arnold (1606–53) and , Gerard (1604–50), physicians and authors, were brothers, born in Gorinchem in the Netherlands, the sons of Godefroy de Boot and his wife Christina van Loon. Medical graduates of the University of Leiden, they settled…...
Boate, Gerard
This is a co-subject for the entry on Boate (De Boote, Boet, Bootius, Botius), Arnold. View the original entry....
Bolton, Theophilus
Bolton, Theophilus (c.1678–1744), archbishop and benefactor, was born in Borisool, Co. Mayo, and graduated BA (1698), MA (1701), BD and…...
Boole, Alicia
Boole, Alicia (1860–1940), amateur mathematician, was born 8 June 1860 in Cork into an intellectually gifted family, third of five daughters of English parents: Prof. George Boole (qv) of QCC,…...
Boole, George
Boole, George (1815–64), mathematician, was born 2 November 1815 at Lincoln, the first of four children of John Boole (1777–1848), a cobbler, and Mary Boole (1780–1854). Early life and first publications Boole received only a simple education, but with the…...
Boole, Lucy Everest
This is a co-subject for the entry on Boole, Alicia. View the original entry....