Co. Londonderry

Smallwoods, Raymond Robert (‘Ray’) (1950–94), loyalist paramilitary and politician, was born in Derry city. In the early 1970s he moved to the Belfast area, where he worked in a mill and as a delivery man. He joined the UDA, acquiring…

Stevenson, Hilary (Mary Hill) (1947–94), food scientist, was born 12 January 1947 at Coleraine, Co. Londonderry, the only daughter of James Stewart Morrison , of a farming family, and Elizabeth Morrison (née Martin) of Coleraine. Her childhood was spent at Drumadaun, Seacon Road, in…

Thompson, William Marcus (1857–1907), journalist, barrister, and radical, was born 24 April 1857 in Derry city, second son among four sons and four daughters of Moses Thompson, customs official, and Elizabeth Thompson (née Smith). Educated privately, he worked as a solicitor's clerk…

Thomson, Charles (1729–1824), radical leader in pre-revolutionary Philadelphia, and secretary of the continental congress and of the US congress, was born 29 November 1729 in the townland of Gorteade, in the parish of Maghera, Co. Londonderry, third child among five sons and a daughter…

Thomson, Hugh (1860–1920), illustrator, was born 1 June 1860 in Coleraine, Co. Londonderry, the eldest of the two boys and one girl of John Thomson (1822–1894), a tea merchant, and his wife, Catherine, née Andrews (d. 1871). His father later remarried and moved to Kilrea, Co.…

Tillie, William (1822–1904), shirt manufacturer, was born in October 1822 in Crookston Mains, in the parish of Stow, Midlothian, Scotland, son of John Tillie and his wife Jannet Tillie (née Brown), who were substantial farmers; he had at least two brothers and a sister. Until Tillie…

Torrens, David Smyth (1897–1967), professor of physiology and amateur horologist, was born 10 September 1897 in the Carragh district of Culnaman townland, Moneydig, Garvagh, Co. Londonderry, eldest son among three sons and a daughter of David Torrens, farmer, and Margaret Torrens…

Torrens, Robert (1774–1856), judge, was born 14 October 1774, near Dungiven, Co. Londonderry, second son of the Rev. Thomas Torrens (1741–c.1780) of Londonderry and his wife Elizabeth (d. early 1780s), daughter of Sir Samuel Curry. It is likely that he accompanied his…

Torrens, Sir Henry (1779–1828), British army general, was born in Derry city, fourth son of the Rev. Thomas Torrens and Elizabeth Torrens (née Curry). His brothers were the Ven. John Torrens (1761–1851), archdeacon of Dublin; Capt. Samuel Torrens, killed at Ferrol (1800); and the…

Toye, Edward Joseph (1857–1932), architect, was born in Aghadowey, Co. Londonderry, son of Richard Toye, from Derry city, and his wife Mary, eldest daughter of Bernard Dempsey of Mullaghmore, Aghadowey. Mary Toye died, aged 28, at her father's house in April 1859. Edward was…

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.…

Ua Lochlainn (Mac Lochlainn), Domnall (1048/9–1121), son of Ardgar and overking of Leth Cuinn (the northern half of Ireland), was an early representative of the Mac Lochlainn family line within the Northern Uí Néill dynasty of Cenél nÉogain. Domnall's father Ardgar (d. 1064) had…

Vaughan, Sir John (d. 1643), servitor, was born in Wales. He arrived in Ireland in early 1599 as a lieutenant in reinforcements sent from the Low Countries. In May 1600 he landed in Lough Foyle as part of an expedition to Ulster led by Sir…

Vesey, John (1638–1716), Church of Ireland archbishop of Tuam, was born 10 March 1638 in Coleraine, the eldest son of the Rev. Thomas Vesey (see below). He was educated at Westminster School and was apparently ordained deacon and priest under the protectorate (and thus while under…

This is a co-subject for the entry on Vesey, John. View the original entry.

Wakeman, William Frederick (1822–1900), antiquary and artist, was born 12 August 1822 in Dublin, the son of W. F. Wakeman, originally from Nottingham, England, bookseller and publisher in D'Olier St., Dublin. By the age of 15 William was a drawing pupil of…

Walsh, Edward (1805–50), translator, poet, and schoolteacher, was born in Derry city, where his father, an evicted small farmer who became a sergeant in the north Cork militia was posted during the Napolelonic period; his mother was from a more genteel background. After the battle of…

Walsh, Louis Joseph (1880–1942), author and district justice, was born in Maghera, Co. Londonderry, son of Louie Walsh, owner of a local hotel, and Elizabeth Walsh (née Donnelly) of Maghera. Educated at St Columb's College, Derry, he went to Dublin to study law at…

Welch, Robert Anthony ('Bob') (1947–2013), academic, poet, critic and writer, was born on 25 November 1947 in Cork City, to Patrick Welch, a factory worker at the Dunlop Rubber Company, and Kathleen Welch (née Kearney). He was educated by the Presentation Brothers at Coláiste…

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…

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…

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…