Co. Antrim

Thomson, Samuel (1766–1816), poet, was born 25 May 1766 near Templepatrick, Co. Antrim. Nothing is known of his family or early life; his father could have been a James Thompson who signed a document in Templepatrick in 1771. Thomson was presbyterian, and made a living as a…

Towb, Harry (1925–2009), actor, was born Harris Towb in Larne, Co. Antrim, on 27 July 1925, the second child of Jack (or Jacob) Towb and his wife Bessie (Amelia) Towb (née Sergai). Bessie Towb had been born to a Jewish family in Belfast, while Jack was born in a shtetl (town),…

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…

Traill, William Acheson (1844–1933), civil engineer, was born in Ballylough House, Bushmills, Co. Antrim, third son of William Traill, landed gentleman of Bushmills, and his wife Louisa, daughter of Robert Ffrench of Monivea Castle, Co. Galway. After private schooling, William A.…

This is a co-subject for the entry on Turnly, Francis. View the original entry.

Varian, Elizabeth Willoughby (‘Finola’) (née Treacy) (1821–96), poet and nationalist, was born in Ballymena, Co. Antrim, one of four children (three girls and a boy) of John Treacy (d. 1843) a protestant landowner of Brigadie House, Ballymena, and his wife Anne Treacy (whose previous…

Waddell, Hugh (1734–73), colonial general in America, was born in Lisburn, Co. Antrim, son of Hugh Waddell, a prosperous farmer, and Isabella Waddell (née Brown). His father killed a man in a duel and was forced to flee the country; emigrating to America, Hugh was educated in Boston,…

Webb, Maria (1804–73), philanthropist and author, was born at Peartree Hill, near Lisburn, Co. Antrim, youngest child among two sons and one daughter of Thomas Lamb and his wife Dorothy, both members of the Religious Society of Friends. She was largely self-educated. In 1828 she…

White, James Robert (‘Jack’) (1879–1946), soldier and anarchist, was born in May 1879 in Broughshane, near Ballymena, Co. Antrim, only son among five children of Field-marshal Sir George Stuart White, an Anglo-Irish landowner and distinguished soldier, and his wife Amy, daughter of…

Wilson, Florence Mary (née Addy ) (1874–1946), poet, was born in August 1874 in Island Mill, Lisburn, Co. Antrim, the second child and eldest daughter among three daughters and two sons of Robert Charles Addy, son of a primitive methodist preacher from Loughgall, Co. Armagh, and…

Wilson, Thomas (1916–2001), economist, was born on 23 June 1916 on the family farm at Ballylagan, Ballynure, Co. Antrim, the only child of John Bright Wilson (d. 1948), and his wife Margaret (née Ellison). His father, while keeping the farm, established a grocery and animal feed…

Wilson, Thomas George (1901–69), surgeon, was born 1 July 1901 in Maryville Park, Belfast, Co. Antrim, the second son of Robert Charles Wilson, manufacturer, and Frances Lucinda Wilson (née Kellett). His older brother Charles Herbert Wilson and his sister Frances Edna Wilson also…

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.…

Wright, William (‘Billy’) (1960–97), loyalist paramilitary, was born in July 1960 in Wolverhampton in the west midlands of England, son of David Wright and his wife, both originally from Portadown, Co. Armagh. The Wrights had moved to England because of harassment after David…

Wylie, Samuel Brown (1773–1852), presbyterian minister, and oriental and classical scholar, was born 21 May 1773 at Moylarg, Co. Antrim, son of Adam Wylie, a prosperous farmer, and Margaret Wylie (née Brown). Educated locally, he entered the University of Glasgow, where he…

Young, Ella (1867–1956), poet, republican, and mystic, was born 26 December 1867 in the townland of Fenagh, near Ballymena, Co. Antrim, eldest of at least five daughters of James Bristow Young and his wife, Matilda (née Russell), whose family were from Fenagh and who was a Reformed…

Young, James (‘Jimmy’) (1918–74), comedian and actor, was born in Ballymoney, Co. Antrim. Shortly after his birth, his family moved to Fernwood St. in the Ormeau district of Belfast, where his father had secured a job looking after the stables for Inglis's bakery. On leaving school…

Young, Rose Maud (Ní Ó hÓgain, Róis) (1865–1947), Irish-language scholar, was born 30 October 1865 in Galgorm Castle, near Ballymena, Co. Antrim, fifth daughter among seven daughters and five sons of John Young (1826–1915) and his first wife, Grace (née Savage). John Young was a…