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,…...
Boland, James (‘Jim’)
Boland, James (‘Jim’) (1856–95), IRB and GAA member, was born 6 October 1856 in Manchester, son of Patrick Boland, labourer, originally from Fuerty, Co. Roscommon, and Eliza Boland (née Kelly), from Mount Bellew, Co. Galway, a first cousin of the Fenian…...
Boland, John Mary Pius
Boland, John Mary Pius (1870–1958), politician, lawyer, and tennis player, was born on 16 September 1870 at 135 Capel Street, Dublin, the second son of Patrick Boland (1840–1877), a prosperous milling merchant, and his wife Mary Donnelly. After beginning his education at the Catholic…...
Bolton, Mary
Bolton, Mary (1920–96), counsellor, was born 16 September 1920 in Co. Donegal. An orphan, she was adopted by a farming couple in Co. Tyrone. As a young woman she settled in London, where she became an alcoholic. Recovering from her addiction as a result of treatment under Dr Max…...
Booth, Eva Selina Gore-
Booth, Eva Selina Gore- (1870–1926), poet, mystic, trade unionist and suffragist, was born on 22 May 1870 at Lissadell, Co. Sligo, the second of three daughters (and two sons) of Sir Henry Gore-Booth, 5th baronet and Arctic explorer, and his wife, Georgina (née Hill) of Tickhill castle…...
Boran, Nicholas (Nixie)
Boran, Nicholas (Nixie) (1903–72), trade unionist, was born in 1903 at Massford in the colliery district north of Castlecomer in Co. Kilkenny, the second in a family of four born to George Boran, a small farmer and coal carter, and his wife, Mary (née Maher). Nicholas attended…...
Boucher, James Chrysostom (‘Jimmy’)
Boucher, James Chrysostom (‘Jimmy’) (1910–95), cricketer, was born in Dublin on 22 December 1910. He was the only son and one of three children of James Boucher, a quarter-master sergeant in the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, who died in 1918, having been invalided out two years…...
Bowles, John Joseph
Bowles, John Joseph (1879–1949), handball player, was born 5 September 1879 in Clare St., Thomondgate, Limerick, son of Joseph Bowles, cooper, and Lisa Bowles (née Cusack). Although he gained initial recognition as an oarsman with Shannon Rowing Club, he achieved fame through…...
Bowman, Alexander
Bowman, Alexander (1855–1924), trade unionist, was born 16 March 1855 at Dromara, Co. Down, eldest child among three sons and two daughters of William McKeown, farmer and weaver, and his wife Elizabeth (née Rodgers). McKeown was a catholic; Rodgers, a presbyterian, had been previously…...
Boyd, Alexander (‘Alex’)
Boyd, Alexander (‘Alex’) (fl.1902–1923), trade-union and independent Orange leader, was born in Belfast, where he was employed as a stoker in the gasworks. By 1902 he was organiser of Belfast's Municipal Employees’ Association (MEA), recruiting among the largely protestant…...
Boyd, Thomas William (‘Tom’)
Boyd, Thomas William (‘Tom’) (1903–91), socialist and trade unionist, was born 13 April 1903 in Woodstock Road, east Belfast, one of nine children of James Boyd, shipyard clerk, and Mary Boyd (née McCully), both originally from Co. Down. He left Ravenscroft national school,…...
Bracken, Joseph K.
Bracken, Joseph K. (1852–1904), monumental sculptor and builder, local politician, and a founder in 1884 of the ‘Gaelic Association for the Preservation and Cultivation of National Pastimes’ which evolved to become the Gaelic Athletic Association (…...
Bradshaw, Harry
Bradshaw, Harry (1913–90), professional golfer, was born 9 October 1913 in Killincarrig, Co. Wicklow, eldest among four sons and two daughters of Edward ‘Ned’ Bradshaw, golf caddie and later golf professional, and Elizabeth Bradshaw (née Walsh) of Killincarrig. He was educated locally.…...
Branigan, James Christopher (‘Jim’, ‘Lugs’)
Branigan, James Christopher (‘Jim’, ‘Lugs’) (1910–86), garda, was born 6 January 1910 in the South Dublin Union, James St., eldest among three sons and a daughter of John Alick Branigan (d. 1957), South Dublin Union official, originally of Borrisokane, Co. Tipperary, and Ellen Branigan…...
Brennan, Seamus Anthony (‘Shay’)
Brennan, Seamus Anthony (‘Shay’) (1937–2000), soccer player, was born 6 May 1937 in Manchester, England, one of four sons and three daughters of Jim Brennan and Mary Brennan (née Whelan), both originally from Co. Carlow. Educated locally, Brennan joined Manchester United as an…...
Breslin, Mary (‘Maura’)
Breslin, Mary (‘Maura’) (1914–84), trade unionist and feminist, was born 29 December 1914 in Dublin. She began working life as a staff nurse in Grangegorman mental hospital, and began her lifelong activism in trade unionism by joining the Irish Women Workers Union (IWWU), founded (…...
Bresnihan, Barry (Finbar Patrick Kevin)
Bresnihan, Barry (Finbar Patrick Kevin) (1944–2010), rheumatologist and rugby player, was born on 13 March 1944 at 15 Lower Hatch Street, Dublin, the only son (as well as three daughters) of Dr Con Bresnihan (d. 1974), GP, chief medical officer to the civil service, and medical…...
Brodie, Malcolm
Brodie, Malcolm (1926–2013), sports journalist, was born on 27 September 1926 in Dumbarton Road, Partick West, Glasgow, the elder of two sons of John Brodie, shipyard worker, and his wife Sarah (née Walker). Raised in a Dumbarton Road tenement, he followed the Glasgow Rangers football…...
Brosnahan, Seán
Brosnahan, Seán (1911–87), teacher and trade unionist, was born 26 August 1911 in Killaloe, Co. Clare, one of nine children of John Brosnahan, RIC sergeant, and Norah Brosnahan (née Ryan) (d. 1946). One of his brothers was Thomas J.…...
Brosnan, Cornelius (‘Con’)
Brosnan, Cornelius (‘Con’) (1900–75), Gaelic footballer, was born 27 December 1900 in Newtownsandes (now Moyvane), Co. Kerry, son of Jeremiah Brosnan, shopkeeper and creamery manager, and Ellie Brosnan (née Nolan). Educated at Newtonsandes N.S. and St. Michael's College, Listowel,…...
Brosnan, Patrick (‘Paddy Bawn’)
Brosnan, Patrick (‘Paddy Bawn’) (1917–95), Gaelic footballer, was born 16 November 1917 at Strand St., Dingle, Co. Kerry, son of Timothy Brosnan, fisherman, and Ellie Brosnan (née Johnson). He was educated at Dingle national school and the local…...
Brown, George
Brown, George (1906–37), communist and trade unionist, was born 5 November 1906 in Ballyhale, Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny, son of Francis Brown, a farrier with the Manchester Railway Company and an active trade unionist, originally from Inistiogue, Co. Kilkenny, and Mary Brown (née…...
Brownlow, Charles
Brownlow, Charles (1831–82), 2nd Baron Lurgan and sportsman, was born 10 April 1831 in Eaton Place, London, elder son of Charles Brownlow, 1st Baron Lurgan, and his second wife, Jane, daughter of Roderick Macneill of Barra. He had a younger brother, a sister, and a half-sister. He…...
Bruen, James O'Grady (‘Jimmy’)
Bruen, James O'Grady (‘Jimmy’) (1920–72), amateur golfer, was born 8 May 1920 in Belfast, only child of James Bruen (d. 1950), bank official and company secretary, and Margaret Bruen (née Shepperson Cooke). The family moved to Blackrock, Cork, when he was very young. Throughout his…...
Buckley, Din (Den) Joe
Buckley, Din (Den) Joe (1919–2009), hurler, was born Denis Joseph Buckley at the family home in Roman Street, Cork city, on 19 March 1919, the sixth of eleven children of Timothy Buckley, shop assistant, and his wife Elizabeth (née Falvey). The working-class Blackpool district in…...