Willcocks, Sir Richard
Willcocks, Sir Richard (1768–1834), yeomanry officer and policeman, was born in 1768 at Palmerston (Palmerstown) near Chapelizod, Co. Dublin. His parents' names are unknown and his own surname is variously given as Willcocks, Wilcox, or Wilcock. He became a Dublin police…...
Williams, Alexander
Williams, Alexander (1846–1930), artist, naturalist and singer, was born 21 April 1846 in the Diamond, Monaghan town, eldest of three sons of William Williams, hatter, of Drogheda, Co. Louth, and was educated at Drogheda Grammar School. His father moved in May 1860 to 19 Bayview Avenue…...
Williams, Charles Frederick
Williams, Charles Frederick (1838–1904), journalist and war correspondent, was born 4 May 1838 in Coleraine, Co. Londonderry. His parents' names are unknown, but he claimed to be descended paternally from Worcestershire yeomen (of Tenbury and Mamble), and maternally from Ulster Scots…...
Williams, Griffith
Williams, Griffith (c.1589–1672), Church of Ireland bishop of Ossory, was born about 1589 at Treflan in Caernarvonshire, Wales. He matriculated at Christ Church, Oxford, on 15 June 1604, but his studies were curtailed when his uncle refused to support him. Through the aid…...
Williams, Jane
Williams, Jane (1771–1845), silversmith, was born 2 December 1771 in Cork, the eldest of seven daughters and two sons born to Carden Terry , silversmith, and his wife Catherine (née Webb), daughter of Stonewell Webb, also a silversmith. Carden was born 1742 to John Terry, a burgess…...
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…...
Williamson, John William Patrick
Williamson, John William Patrick (1922–2005), presbyterian minister in England and advocate of ecumenism, was born 24 April 1922 in the manse at Ballyroney, Co. Down, son of Ernest Hamilton Williamson (1892–1958), at that time presbyterian minister in Ballyroney, and his wife Hedwig…...
Willoughby, Charles
Willoughby, Charles (c.1630–1694), physician, was born in Co. Cork, son of Sir Francis Willoughby, a major-general in the army of Charles I and member of the provincial council of Munster, who was appointed governor of Galway in 1636. Charles Willoughby seems to have studied…...
Wills, James
Wills, James (1790–1868), clergyman and author, was born 1 January 1790, younger son of Thomas Wills of Willsgrove, Co. Roscommon, and his second wife, a daughter of Capt. James Browne of Moyne, Co. Roscommon. He was educated at Dr Miller's school in Blackrock, Co. Dublin, and at…...
Wills, William Gorman
Wills, William Gorman (1828–91), playwright and painter, was born 28 January 1828 in Kilmurry, Co. Kilkenny, third child of the writer James Wills (qv) and his wife Katherine, daughter of the Rev. W. Gorman and niece of the chief justice…...
Wilmot, Sir Charles
Wilmot, Sir Charles (1570/71–1643/4), 1st Viscount Wilmot of Athlone , English soldier and governor of Connacht, was son and heir of Edward Wilmot of Culham, Oxfordshire, England, and his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Stafford of Bradfield, Berkshire. He matriculated at…...
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, Charles Henry
Wilson, Charles Henry (c.1755–1808), writer and linguist, was born in Bailieborough, Co. Cavan, son of an anglican clergyman; no other details are known of his family. He received a classical school education and attended TCD before…...
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, Katherine Anna Gifford (Katie)
This is a co-subject for the entry on DONNELLY, Helen Ruth (‘Nellie’) Gifford. View the original entry....
Wilson, Robert Arthur
Wilson, Robert Arthur (c.1820–75), journalist and poet, was born in Falcarragh, Co. Donegal, son of Arthur Wilson, a presbyterian coast guard from Donaghadee, Co. Down, and Catherine Wilson (née Hunter) of Islandmagee, Co. Antrim. He was educated in Raymunterdoney school…...
Windham, William
Windham, William (1750–1810), chief secretary for Ireland, was born 3 May 1750 in London, the only son of William Windham, landowner, and Sarah Windham (née Hicks). Educated at Eton, he entered Glasgow University (1766) and University College, Oxford (1767). A brilliant and…...
Wingfield, Mervyn Edward
Wingfield, Mervyn Edward (1836–1904), 7th Viscount Powerscourt , landowner, politician, and connoisseur, was born 13 October 1836 at Powerscourt Castle, near Enniskerry, Co. Wicklow, the eldest of the three sons of Richard Wingfield (1815–44), sixth viscount, and his wife, Lady…...
Wingfield, Theodosia
Wingfield, Theodosia (1800–36), Viscountess Powerscourt , evangelical religious writer, was a daughter of the Hon. Hugh Howard , gentleman landowner, and Catherine Howard (née Bligh), of Co. Wicklow. The Howards were one of a small group of closely…...
Winstanley, John
Winstanley, John (1677–1747), poet, was born in July 1677 on the north side of Dublin, probably in the vicinity of Inns Quay, eldest child of Richard Winstanley, lawyer, and his wife Dorothy Amas. He had two sisters who lived to maturity and several other siblings who died in…...
Witherow, Thomas
Witherow, Thomas (1824–90), presbyterian minister and historian, was born 29 May 1824 in his maternal grandfather's house at Ballycastle, near Limavady, Co. Londonderry, eldest in a family of four children of Hugh Witherow, a prosperous farmer and grazier from Aughlish, near…...
Woffington Margaret (‘Peg’)
Woffington Margaret (‘Peg’) (c.1720–1760), actress, was born in Dublin, elder of two daughters of John Woffington, bricklayer, and his wife, Hannah. Her funeral monument at St Mary's church, Teddington, Middlesex, claims she was born 18 October 1720, though it is quite…...
Wogan, William
Wogan, William (1678–1758), London agent of the Irish government, philanthropist, and religious writer, was born in Gumfreston in Pembrokeshire, a younger son of Ethelred Wogan (d. c.1685), rector of Gumfreston and vicar of Penally. His mother's first name is unknown, but…...
Wolfe, Arthur
Wolfe, Arthur (1739–1803), 1st Viscount Kilwarden , politician and judge, was born 19 January 1739, the fifth surviving son of John Wolfe (1700–60), owner of Forenaughts, Co. Kildare, and his wife Mary (d. 1804), only daughter of William Philpot, a Dublin merchant. After attending…...
Wolfe, Charles
Wolfe, Charles (1791–1823), clergyman and poet, was born 14 December 1791 in Dublin, one of eleven children and the youngest of eight sons of Theobald Wolfe, landowner, of Blackhall, Co. Kildare, and his wife Frances, daughter of the Rev. Peter Lombard. He was related to …...