Co. Wexford

Annesley, Richard (1693–1761), 5th Baron Altham, 7th Viscount Valentia, 7th Baron Mountnorris, and 6th earl of Anglesey , was probably born in Exeter, Devonshire, in November 1693 and was baptised there on 26 November, second son of Richard Annesley (d. 1701), dean of Exeter, and…

Aylward, Alfred (1843–89), Fenian, was born in New Ross, Co. Wexford, son of a school inspector based in Enniscorthy. A police report later stated that his father died in Westport, Co. Mayo, in 1847. During the course of his life, Aylward used numerous aliases and told many exotic…

Barry, John (1845–1921), Fenian and MP, was born at Bannow, Co. Wexford, son of a local coastguard, who was later transferred to the north of England. He lived from an early age at Newcastle upon Tyne. In the 1860s he was chief commercial traveller for a large Scottish firm of…

Barry, John (1745–1803), United States Navy captain, was born at Ballysampson, Tacumshane parish, Co. Wexford, son of John Barry, clerk and small farmer, and Catherine Barry (née Kelly). After his family were evicted, they moved to Rosslare and the young Barry went to sea as a cabin boy…

Barry, Mother Mary Gonzaga (1834–1915), pioneer Loreto sister in Australia, was born Mary on 24 July 1834 in Wexford town, the eldest of seven children of John Barry, bank manager, and Elizabeth Barry (née Cowan). Mamie, as she was known, lived with her maternal grandmother and…

Beirne, Bryan Patrick (1918–98), entomologist and pest control expert, was born 22 January 1918 in Ballygeary, Co. Wexford, the elder son of Patrick Beirne, tax inspector with UK Customs and Excise and later the Irish Revenue Commissioners, and his wife Mabel, daughter of…

Brennan, Robert (1881–1964), republican, journalist, writer, and diplomat, was born in Co. Wexford on 22 July 1881, second child and eldest son among four children of Robert Brennan (d. 1919), cattle dealer, and Bridget Brennan (née Kearney; d. 1938), dressmaker. He was educated…

Brennan, Seamus Anthony (‘Shay’) (1937–2000), soccer player, was born 6 May 1937 in Manchester, England, one of four sons and three daughters of Jim Brennan and Mary Brennan (née Whelan), both originally from Co. Carlow. Educated locally, Brennan joined Manchester United as an…

Browne, Kathleen Anne (1878–1943), agriculturist, writer, and politician, was born 1 October 1878 in Wexford, eldest among five children of Michael Browne, farmer, shopkeeper, and local politician, of Rathronan Castle, Bridgetown, Co. Wexford, and his wife (and cousin) Mary…

Burgess, Henry Givens (1859–1937), transport administrator, was born 6 April 1859 at Finnoe House, near Borrisokane, Co. Tipperary, son of George Burgess, land steward of the Waller family; his mother's maiden name was Givens. His father farmed in an area so ‘troubled’ by…

Butler, Piers (d. 1652), soldier and politician, was eldest son of Edward Butler, 1st Viscount Galmoy (cr. 1646), and Anne, daughter of Edmund Butler, 2nd Viscount Mountgarret. Piers entered Gray's Inn in 1623 and on his return to Ireland married Margaret Netterville, daughter of…

Byrne, Miles (1780–1862), United Irishman, French army officer, and author, was born 20 March 1780 at Ballylusk, Monaseed, Co. Wexford, the eldest son of Patrick Byrne, a middling catholic farmer, and Mary (née Graham). He joined the United Irishmen in the spring of 1797, and…

Carr, George Whitmore (1780–1849), clergyman and temperance pioneer, was born in New Ross, Co. Wexford, eldest son of the Rev. Edward Carr, rector (1802–15) of Kilmacow, Co. Kilkenny, and Sarah Carr (née Foster) of Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny. Educated at the John Ivory endowed…

Carroll, Sir James (d. 1639), landowner and state official, was eldest son of Thomas Carroll, a Dublin merchant (probably descended from the O'Carrolls of Ely), and his first wife Alice Mountfield. James is first recorded on his appointment as chief chamberlain of the exchequer on 26…

Carty, Francis (1899–1972), revolutionary, journalist, and author, was born 29 March 1899 in Wexford town, eldest child of Francis Carty, shopkeeper, and Margaret Carty (née Storey). Educated at CBS, Wexford, he contributed stories…

Carty, James (1900–59), historian, librarian, and bibliographer, was born in Wexford on 7 August 1900, one of the four sons of Francis Carty, a barber, and his wife, Margaret (née Storey). In 1920, while he was still a student at UCD…

Caulfield, James (c.1732–1814), catholic bishop of Ferns, was born at Saltmills, Co. Wexford. He was educated at a classical school at Saltmills conducted by a Church of Ireland minister under the patronage of Caesar Colclough…

Cleary, Henry William (1859–1929), catholic bishop of Auckland, was born 15 January 1859 at Oulart, Co. Wexford; he was baptised William Henry. His catholic father, Robert Cleary, a farmer, came from the neighbouring county of Wicklow and settled in Wexford after marrying Susan…

Cloney, Seán (1926–99), farmer, central figure of the Fethard-on-Sea controversy, and historian, was born 5 September 1926 in Co. Wexford, the only child of Michael Cloney (1866–1934), steward of Dungulph estate, and his second wife, Ellen (née Cavanagh), of Templederry, Gorey, Co.…

Cloney, Sheila (1926–2009), protagonist in the Fethard-on-Sea boycott, was born Sheila Kelly on 6 May 1926 in Fethard-on-Sea, a village on the Hook peninsula of south-western Co. Wexford, daughter of Thomas Kelly, cattle dealer, of John's Hill (just outside Fethard), and his wife Sheila…

Colclough, John Henry (1769–1798), insurgent leader, was born 15 June 1769, the son of Thomas Francis Colclough and his wife Catherine McMahon, of Ballyteigue, Bargy, Co. Wexford. He worked as a physician, leased a substantial landed estate, and was one of the county's most…

Colclough, Sir Vesey (1745–94), politician, was born 1 July 1745 at Tintern Abbey, Co. Wexford, posthumous son of Vesey Colclough (1724–45) of Mocurry and Mary Colclough, daughter of Sir John Bingham of Castlebar, Co. Mayo. His title came from a supposed right; the baronetcy had…

Conway, Arthur William (1875–1950), academic and president of UCD, was born 2 October 1875 in Main St., Wexford town, the only son of Myles and Teresa Conway (née Harris). He had one sister. His father died, aged 34, when Arthur was only two, and his mother married again, to a…

Corish, Brendan (1918–90) politician, was born 19 November 1918 in Wexford, the fourth of six children (five sons and a daughter) of Richard Corish (qv), trade unionist and politician, and his wife Catherine Bergin, daughter of Daniel Bergin…

Corish, Patrick Joseph (1921–2013), priest and historian, was born on 17 March 1921 in Ballytarsna near Ballycullane, Co. Wexford, the son of Peter William Corish, a schoolteacher, and his wife Brigid (née O’Shaughnessy). Patrick had five brothers and one sister, and remained close to…