Bellingham, Thomas
Bellingham, Thomas (1644/5–1721), army officer and landowner, was the son of Henry Bellingham (qv) (d. 1676) and his wife, Lucy, daughter of another Louth gentleman, William Sibthorpe of Dunany. Henry Bellingham was a cornet in the…...
Benson, Charles
Benson, Charles (1797–1880), physician, was born in Collooney, Co. Sligo, into an ancient family, son of Charles Benson, land agent, and Elizabeth Benson (née Gray). Educated at W. C. Armstrong's school in Sligo, he was then indentured (1815) to…...
Beresford, George Thomas
Beresford, George Thomas (1781–1839), politician and soldier, was born 12 February 1781, third son of George de la Poer Beresford (1734/5–1800), 2nd earl of Tyrone (1763–89) and 1st marquess of Waterford (cr. 1789), MP for Co. Waterford (1757–60) and for Coleraine (1761–3), and…...
Beresford, Lord Charles William de la Poer
Beresford, Lord Charles William de la Poer (1846–1919), admiral and MP, was born 10 February 1846 in Baronstown, Dundalk, Co. Louth, second son of the Rev. John de la Poer Beresford (1814–66), 4th marquis of Waterford, and Christiana Beresford (1820–1905; née Leslie). He was…...
Beresford, William Carr
Beresford, William Carr (1768–1854), soldier and MP, was born 2 October 1768 in Co. Waterford, illegitimate son of George de la Poer Beresford (1734/5–1800), 2nd earl of Tyrone (1763–89), 1st marquess of Waterford (cr. 1789), MP for Co. Waterford (1757–60) and Coleraine (1761–3),…...
Bermingham, William (‘Willie’) Patrick
Bermingham, William (‘Willie’) Patrick (1942–90), founder of ALONE, was born 29 March 1942 in Inchicore, Dublin, third among seven children of William Bermingham, bellman on a fuel cart, and Mary Bermingham (née Dalgarno). He was educated at St Michael's School, Inchicore, and…...
Bingham (Byngham), Sir George
Bingham (Byngham), Sir George (d. 1599), soldier, was fourth son of Robert Bingham of Melcombe Bingham, Dorset, and his wife Alice, daughter of Thomas Coker. A military man, he went to Connacht after the appointment of his brother…...
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,…...
Blakeney, Sir William
Blakeney, Sir William (1672?–1761), Baron Blakeney , soldier and MP, was born at Mount Blakeney, Co. Limerick, eldest of five sons of William Blakeney of Thomastown, Co. Limerick, country gentleman and MP for Kilmallock, Co. Limerick, and Elizabeth Blakeney (née Bowerman) of…...
Bligh, Thomas
Bligh, Thomas (1693–1775), soldier and MP, was born 14 August 1693, second among three sons of Thomas Bligh (1654–1710), of Rathmore, Co. Meath, country gentleman, privy counsellor, and MP for Athboy, Co. Meath (1692–3) and for Co. Meath (1695–9, 1703–10), and his wife Elizabeth (…...
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-…...
Bolton, Theophilus
Bolton, Theophilus (c.1678–1744), archbishop and benefactor, was born in Borisool, Co. Mayo, and graduated BA (1698), MA (1701), BD and…...
Borlase, Sir John
Borlase, Sir John (1575/1576–1648), lord justice and army officer, was probably the son of Edmund Borlase, mercer of London, and his wife Suzan, or Suzannah, née Isham. He may have matriculated from King's College, Cambridge in 1591 and he was admitted to the Middle Temple 19…...
Bourke, Theobald
Bourke, Theobald (c.1615?–1653), 3rd Viscount Mayo , soldier and politician, was son and heir of Miles Bourke (qv), 2nd Viscount Mayo, and Honora, daughter of Sir John Bourke of Derrymaclaghtny, Co. Galway.…...
Bourke, William
Bourke, William (1623–67), 5th Baron Castleconnell , soldier, was son and heir of Edmund Bourke and his first wife, Thomasine, daughter of Sir Thomas Browne of Hospital, Co. Limerick. Edmund held over 3,000 acres in Co. Limerick, primarily in the barony of Clanwilliam, alongside the…...
Boyd, John St Clair
Boyd, John St Clair (1858–1918), surgeon, Gaelic Leaguer and philanthropist, was born at Cultra House, Holywood, Co. Down, only son of John Kane Boyd, co-proprietor of the Blackstaff Mill. He was educated in Paris and Edinburgh before graduating from Queen's College, Belfast (QCB), and…...
Boyd, Robert
Boyd, Robert (1805–31), soldier and revolutionary, was born 7 December 1805 in Templemore, Co. Londonderry, the son of Archibald Boyd (d. c.1827), city treasurer, and his wife Annie (née MacNeil); he had three (possibly four) brothers and a sister. Educated at the Free…...
Boyle, Roger
Boyle, Roger (1621–79), 1st Baron Broghill and 1st earl of Orrery , soldier, politician, and writer, was born 25 April 1621 in Co. Waterford, twelfth child and third son to survive of Richard Boyle (qv), 1st earl of Cork, and his second wife…...
Brabazon, Reginald
Brabazon, Reginald (1841–1929), 12th earl of Meath , landowner, philanthropist, and disciplinarian, was born in London on 31 July 1841, the second son of William Brabazon, eleventh earl, and Harriet, second daughter of Sir Richard Brooke, sixth baronet, of Norton Priory, Cheshire…...
Brodrick, Albinia Lucy (Gobnaít Ní Bhruadair)
Brodrick, Albinia Lucy (Gobnaít Ní Bhruadair) (1861–1955), republican and nurse, was born 17 December 1861 at 23 Chester Square, Belgrave, London, the fifth daughter of William Brodrick (1830–1907), 8th Viscount Midleton, and his wife, Augusta Mary (née Freemantle), daughter of…...
Brush, Edward James Augustus Howard (‘Peter’)
Brush, Edward James Augustus Howard (‘Peter’) (1901–84), army officer, farmer, and loyalist, was born 5 March 1901 at Fermoy, Co. Cork, only child of Major George Howard Brush of Co. Down (who later fought on the Somme as a colonel in the Inniskilling Fusiliers) and his wife May…...
Bulkeley, Sir Richard
Bulkeley, Sir Richard (1660–1710), politician and eccentric philanthropist, was born 17 August 1660 in Dublin. His great-grandfather was Archbishop Lancelot Bulkeley (qv), while his father, Richard Bulkeley (1634–85), MP for…...
Burkitt, Denis Parsons
Burkitt, Denis Parsons (1911–93), surgeon and epidemiologist, was born 28 February 1911 at Lawnakilla, Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh, elder son among three children of James Parsons Burkitt (qv), county surveyor and ornithologist,…...
Butler, James
Butler, James (1665–1745), 2nd duke of Ormond, soldier, lord lieutenant of Ireland, and Jacobite, was born 29 April 1665 in Dublin castle, second but eldest surviving son of Thomas Butler (qv), 6th earl of Ossory, and his wife Emilia,…...
Butler, Pierce
Butler, Pierce (1744–1822), soldier, planter, slaveholder, delegate to the constitutional convention and US senator, was born in Ballintemple House, Co. Carlow on 11 July 1744, the third son of Sir Richard Butler, 5th baronet of Cloughgrenan and member of the Irish parliament, and his…...