Robinson, Thomas Romney
Robinson, Thomas Romney (1793–1882), astronomer and mathematical physicist, was born 23 April 1793 in St Anne's parish, Dublin, eldest son of Thomas Robinson, an English portrait painter, and Ruth Robinson (née Buck). He was named after his father's painting master, George Romney.…...
Salmon, George
Salmon, George (1819–1904), mathematician and theologian, was born 25 September 1819 and baptised at St George's church, Temple Street, Dublin on 28 September 1819. He was the only son of Michael Salmon, linen merchant at the Linen Hall, Dublin, and subsequently at 80 Grand Parade, Cork…...
Scott, Robert Henry
Scott, Robert Henry (1833–1916), meteorologist and mineralogist, was born 28 January 1833 in Dublin, youngest son among five sons and one daughter of James Smyth Scott, lawyer, and his wife Louisa, daughter of Charles Brodrick (qv),…...
Stokes, George Gabriel
Stokes, George Gabriel (1819–1903), 1st baronet, mathematician, physicist, and scientific administrator, was born 13 August 1819 in Skreen, Co. Sligo, youngest child among five sons and three daughters of Gabriel Stokes (1761–1834), rector of Skreen, and his wife Elizabeth,…...
Symner, Miles
Symner, Miles (d. 1686), clergyman, mathematician, astronomer, and military engineer, is of unclear parentage, but considering his education at TCD, he was probably of Anglo-Irish or English descent. He entered TCD as a scholar in…...
Synge, Edward Hutchinson
Synge, Edward Hutchinson (1890–1957), physicist, was born on 1 June 1890 in south Dublin, eldest child of Edward Synge and his wife Ellen (née Price). He had two brothers, Victor Millington Synge (qv) and…...
Synge, John Lighton
Synge, John Lighton (1897–1995), mathematician and theoretical physicist, was born 23 March 1897 in Dublin, youngest among one daughter and three sons of Edward Synge (1859–1939), then land agent in Kingscourt, Co. Cavan, and his wife Ellen Frances (1861–1935), daughter of the…...
Talbot, James
Talbot, James (c.1768–1850),3rd Baron Talbot of Malahide , diplomat and spy, was born at Malahide Castle, Co. Dublin, second son among seven sons and five daughters of Richard Talbot, soldier, and Margaret Talbot (née O'Reilly). Educated at…...
Tollet, George
Tollet, George (d. c.1721/2), mathematician and early scientist, had (although details of his parents and date of birth are unknown) three brothers, Charles, John, and Thomas, and a sister, Mary. All of his siblings were married, and had children: Charles had a son named…...
Townsend, Richard
Townsend, Richard (1821–84), mathematician, was born 3 April 1821 at Baltimore, Co. Cork, eldest son among six sons and two daughters of Thomas Townsend of Smithville, near Castletownsend, and his wife Helena, daughter of John Freke of Baltimore, deputy governor of Co. Cork during…...
Traill, Anthony
Traill, Anthony (1838–1914), provost of TCD, was born 1 November 1838 at Ballylough, Co. Antrim, eldest son among three sons and three daughters of William Traill, who had a medical degree and owned an estate at Ballylough, and his wife Louisa, daughter of Robert Ffrench of…...
Ussher, Henry
Ussher, Henry (1741–90), astronomer, was fourth son of the Rev. Samuel Ussher (1695–1771), rector of Dunganstown, Co. Wicklow, and Frances Ussher (née Walsh). His grandfather, John Ussher of Mount Ussher, Co. Wicklow, was a master in chancery and third son of William Ussher of…...
Ussher, Richard John
Ussher, Richard John (1841–1913), ornithologist and speleologist, was born 6 April 1841, the only child that survived infancy of Richard Kiely Ussher (1778–1854) of Cappagh, Co. Waterford, and his second wife, Isabella Ussher, daughter of Col. Jasper Grant, of Kilmurray, Co. Cork…...
Van Homrigh (Vanhomrigh), Esther (Hester)
Van Homrigh (Vanhomrigh), Esther (Hester) (1688–1723), Jonathan Swift's (qv) ‘Vanessa’, was born 14 February 1688 in Dublin, eldest of the four children of Bartholomew Van Homrigh (qv),…...
Wade, Walter
Wade, Walter (c.1740–1825), botanist, was born in Dublin, son of John Wade (d. 1799), chemist and apothecary, and Katherine Wade. In 1767 John Wade's proposal, sanctioned by (Royal) King and Queen's College of Physicians Ireland ((R)K&QCPI; forerunner of RCPI), to establish…...
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…...
Whaley, Thomas (‘Buck’)
Whaley, Thomas (‘Buck’) (1766–1800), politician and rake, was born 15 December 1766, son of Richard Chapel Whaley (1700–69) a wealthy landowner, of Whaley Abbey, Co. Wicklow, and the only son of Richard Whaley (a. 1663–1725) and his wife Susanna, daughter of John Whaley…...
Whalley, John
Whalley, John (1653–1724), quack, astrologer, and compiler of almanacs, was born 20 April 1653, son of a Cromwellian adventurer; no further details of his parents are known. Working as a cobbler in England before arriving in Dublin (March 1682), he compiled his first almanac the…...
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…...
Whitton, Eleanor Constance
Whitton, Eleanor Constance (1879–1956), campaigner for animal welfare, was born in Co. Longford, the daughter of the Rev. Alexander Beatty, Church of Ireland minister. She appears to have been educated locally. In 1902 she married Henry M. Whitton, registrar of the court of appeal…...
Wickham, William
Wickham, William (1761–1840), chief secretary for Ireland and British spymaster, was born November 1761 in England, first son of Henry Wickham, lieutenant-colonel in the British army, and Elizabeth Wickham (née Lamplugh). Educated at Winchester and Harrow, he entered Christ Church…...
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…...
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…...
Wright, Edward Perceval
Wright, Edward Perceval (1834–1910), naturalist, was born 27 December 1834 in Dublin, eldest of five sons in a family of ten children of Edward Thomas Wright (1810–81), barrister, and Charlotte (née Wright), his wife and cousin. He was educated at home, and at 16 became a clerk in…...
Wright, Sir Almroth Edward
Wright, Sir Almroth Edward (1861–1947), bacteriologist, was born at Middleton Tyas, near Richmond, Yorkshire, England, second of five sons of the Rev. Charles Wright (qv), an Irish clergyman, and his Swedish wife Eva…...