Walton, Ernest Thomas Sinton
Walton, Ernest Thomas Sinton (1903–95), scientist, educator, and Nobel prize laureate, was born 6 October 1903 in Abbeyside, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford, elder of two children of the Rev. John Arthur Walton and Anna Elizabeth Walton (née Sinton). His father, a methodist minister, was born…...
Ward, Mary
Ward, Mary (1827–69), artist, naturalist, and astronomer, was born 27 April 1827 in Ballylin, near Ferbane, King's Co. (Offaly), youngest among three daughters and one son of the Rev. Henry King (1799–1857) of Ballylin, and Harriette King (née Lloyd), of Gloster, King's Co. Her…...
Warnock, John Edmund
Warnock, John Edmund (1887–1971), barrister and politician, was born 8 May 1887 in Belfast, son of John Warnock, commercial traveller, and Mary Warnock (née McDonnell). He was educated at Methodist College, Belfast, and TCD, where he…...
Watts, William Arthur ('Bill')
Watts, William Arthur ('Bill') (1930–2010), scientist and provost of TCD, was born on 26 May 1930 in Upper Mayor Street, in Dublin's East Wall area, his maternal grandparents' home. His mother, Bess Dickinson, had moved to Dublin from England as a child, and in 1925 married William…...
Wayman, Patrick Arthur
Wayman, Patrick Arthur (1927–98), astronomer, was born 8 October 1927 in Bromley, Kent, England, one of twin boys and an elder son of Lt-col. Lewis John Wayman and Mary Wayman (née Palmer). Educated at the City of London School (1937–45) and Emmanuel College, Cambridge (1945–8), he…...
Webb, David Allardice
Webb, David Allardice (1912–94), botanist and marine biologist, was born 12 August 1912 in Dublin, only son of George Randolph Webb (d. 1929), mathematician, philosopher, and fellow of TCD, and his wife Ella (née Ovenden) (…...
Went, Arthur Edward James
Went, Arthur Edward James (1910–80), fisheries biologist and historian, was born 21 January 1910 in London, first child and only son of Edward B. Went and Louisa A. Went of Mitcham, Surrey. He left school at the age of 15 to work in a chemical laboratory but in his spare time…...
Werner, Louis Joseph
Werner, Louis Joseph (c.1858–1936), ophthalmologist, was born in Dublin, one of the three sons of the French artist and portrait painter Louis Wernerife. The Franco–Prussian War had forced the emigration of his parents from Alsace to Ireland, via London. Setting up a…...
Weston, Robert
Weston, Robert (d. 1573), lord chancellor of Ireland, was the third son of John Weston of Lichfield, Staffordshire, and his wife Cecilia, who was a sister to Ralph Neville, 4th earl of Westmorland. Educated at Oxford, he was a fellow of All Souls college in 1536, and became dean…...
West, Sir Raymond
West, Sir Raymond (1832–1912), Indian civil servant and judge, was born 18 September 1832 at Ballyloughrane, Co. Kerry, son of Frederick Henry West, journalist, and his wife Frances, daughter of Richard Raymond of Ballyloughrane. His father neglected his own career, the family…...
West, Trevor
West, Trevor (1938–2012), mathematician, politician and sportsman, was born on 8 May 1938 in Cork, the eldest of four sons of Timothy Roberts West, headmaster of Midleton College, Co. Cork, and Dorothy Trevor West (née McNeill), of Charleston, Ballinacurra, Co. Cork, who was CEO of…...
Wheeler, Thomas Sherlock
Wheeler, Thomas Sherlock (1899–1962), chemist, was born 10 April 1899 at 48 Clonliffe Road, Dublin, eldest son of Martin Redmond Wheeler, clerk (MA), and Bridget Wheeler (née Sherlock). He received his early education in the O'Connell Schools,…...
White, (Herbert) Terence de Vere
White, (Herbert) Terence de Vere (1912–94), solicitor and writer, was born 29 April 1912 in Dublin, where his family lived at 61 Marlborough Road, Donnybrook. His father, Frederick Sutton Darley de Vere White, LLD, was then a junior solicitor…...
Whiteside, James
Whiteside, James (1804–76), lawyer and politician, was born 12 August 1804 at Delgany, Co. Wicklow, the second son of William Whiteside, minister of the Church of Ireland, and his wife, Anne (née Robinson). After William Whiteside's death in 1806 his family lived in reduced…...
White, Sir Nicholas
White, Sir Nicholas (d. 1593), lawyer and master of the rolls of Ireland, was born in Waterford city, son of James White of Waterford, who was steward to James Butler (qv), 9th earl of Ormond, and who died along with the 9th earl of food…...
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…...
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…...
Wikeford (Wickford, Wykeford), Robert
Wikeford (Wickford, Wykeford), Robert (d. 1390), archbishop of Dublin, archdeacon of Winchester, and chancellor of Ireland, was a scholar of Merton College, Oxford 1340/41, was admitted as a fellow (c.1344), received an MA (1349), and…...
Willes, Edward
Willes, Edward (1704–68), judge, the eldest son of Edward Willes of Newbold Comyn, Leamington, Warwickshire, and his wife, Bridget Willes (née Murcott) of Cubington, Warwickshire, was born at Newbold Comyn. Willes's grandfather, Peter Willes, achieved a measure of renown and wealth…...
Willes, Sir James Shaw
Willes, Sir James Shaw (1814–72), judge, was born 13 February 1814 in Cork, eldest among six children of James Willes, physician, and his wife, Elizabeth Aldworth, daughter of John Shaw, mayor of Cork in 1792. Educated at Dr Porter's school in Cork and…...
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…...
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, Daniel Martin
Wilson, Daniel Martin (1862–1932), lawyer and politician, was born in Limerick, son of the Rev. Dr David Wilson (1819–94), moderator of the presbyterian general assembly 1865–7. His father was married twice: first (1845) to a daughter of William McFurran, and secondly to Jessie…...
Wilson, John
Wilson, John (1626–1695/6), playwright and lawyer, was the eldest son of Dr Aaron Wilson (1583–1643) and his wife Mary. He was born in London and baptised 27 December 1626 in the parish of St Stephen, Walbrook, where his father was rector. Aaron Wilson, a native of Carmarthen, was…...
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.…...