Knowledge Graph

People

Discover Irish lives in the Knowledge Graph

Over 10,000 figures in the Knowledge Graph are drawn from the Dictionary of Irish Biography (DIB), a flagship research programme of the Royal Irish Academy, in partnership with the Virtual Treasury. The DIB tells Ireland’s story through the biographies of those born in Ireland, who came to prominence at home or overseas, and the noteworthy Irish careers of people born outside Ireland. Over time, historical figures from other sources will be added to the Graph, building a dynamic, expanding resource for people in Ireland’s past.

Medieval

(400–1499)

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Early Modern

(1500–1749)

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Modern

(1750–1922)

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Modern Post 1922

Modern Post 1922

(Post 1922)

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Medieval (400–1499)

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Image of Accused of witchcraft and sorcery

Alice Kyteler

c. 1320–1324

Accused of witchcraft and sorcery

Image of Magnate, justiciar, and lord of Connacht

Richard de Burgh

c. 1193–1243

Magnate, justiciar, and lord of Connacht

Image of King of Leinster

Art Mór MacMurrough Kavanagh

c. 1357–1417

King of Leinster

Image of Daughter of Richard de Clare (Strongbow)

Isabella Marshal

c. 1171–1220

Daughter of Richard de Clare (Strongbow)

Image of Queen of Leinster

Elizabeth Calf

c. 1365–1445

Queen of Leinster

Image of 1st earl of Ormond

James Butler

c. 1305–1338

1st earl of Ormond

Image of Magnate, daughter of William de Valence, lord of Wexford, earl of Pembroke

Agnes de Valence

c. 1250–1309

Magnate, daughter of William de Valence, lord of Wexford, earl of Pembroke

Image of Pretender, son of John Osbeck

Perkin Warbeck

c. 1474–1499

Pretender, son of John Osbeck

Image of Wealthy magnate, daughter of Gilbert de Clare

Elizabeth Clare

c. 1295–1360

Wealthy magnate, daughter of Gilbert de Clare

Image of King of Tyrone, eldest of the six sons and two daughters of Niall Mór O'Neill

Niall Óg O'Neill

c. 1350–1403

King of Tyrone, eldest of the six sons and two daughters of Niall Mór O'Neill

Image of Lord of Weobley, Herefordshire, and lord of Meath

Hugh de Lacy

c. 1130–1186

Lord of Weobley, Herefordshire, and lord of Meath

Image of Heiress of Ulster

Elizabeth de Burgh

c. 1332–1363

Heiress of Ulster

Image of Lawyer, papal secretary, and archbishop of Armagh

John Swayne

c. 1370–1442

Lawyer, papal secretary, and archbishop of Armagh

Image of Lord of the O'Byrnes, son of Bran O'Byrne

Donnchadh O'Byrne

c. 1370–1434

Lord of the O'Byrnes, son of Bran O'Byrne

Image of Dublin notary of Anglo-Irish extraction

James Yonge

c. 1380–1430

Dublin notary of Anglo-Irish extraction

Early Modern (1500–1749)

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Image of Earl and duke of Tyrconnell, army officer and lord deputy of Ireland

Richard Talbot

c. 1630 – 1691

Earl and duke of Tyrconnell, army officer and lord deputy of Ireland

Image of Countess of Cork

Catherine Boyle

c. 1588–1630

Countess of Cork

Image of Scientist and political writer

William Molyneux

c. 1656–1698

Scientist and political writer

Image of Jonathan Swift's ‘Stella’, daughter of Bridget Johnson, housekeeper to Sir William Temple

Esther Johnson

c. 1681–1728

Jonathan Swift's ‘Stella’, daughter of Bridget Johnson, housekeeper to Sir William Temple

Image of Historian, collector of manuscripts, and civil servant

James Ware

c. 1594–1666

Historian, collector of manuscripts, and civil servant

Image of Noblewoman and sea captain

Gráinne O'Malley

c. 1530–1603

Noblewoman and sea captain

Image of Earl of Essex and lord lieutenant of Ireland

Arthur Capel

c. 1632–1683

Earl of Essex and lord lieutenant of Ireland

Image of 2nd earl of Tyrone , the ‘Great O'Neill’

Hugh O'Neill

c. 1550–1616

2nd earl of Tyrone , the ‘Great O'Neill’

Image of First songster and star comedienne of British playhouse entertainment

Catherine Clive

c. 1711–1785

First songster and star comedienne of British playhouse entertainment

Image of Soldier, politician, and lord deputy of Ireland

Arthur Chichester

c. 1563–1625

Soldier, politician, and lord deputy of Ireland

Image of Duchess of Ormond and Lady Dingwall, noblewoman

Elizabeth Butler

c. 1615–1684

Duchess of Ormond and Lady Dingwall, noblewoman

Image of Church of Ireland archbishop of Armagh and of Dublin, and lord chancellor of Ireland

Adam Loftus

c. 1533–1605

Church of Ireland archbishop of Armagh and of Dublin, and lord chancellor of Ireland

Image of Soldier and administrator

Henry Cromwell

c. 1628–1674

Soldier and administrator

Image of Soldier of fortune, Russian army officer, governor of Livonia, and count of the Holy Roman Empire

George Browne

c. 1698–1792

Soldier of fortune, Russian army officer, governor of Livonia, and count of the Holy Roman Empire

Modern (1750–1922)

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Image of Foundress of the congregation of the Religious Sisters of Charity and of St Vincent's Hospital, Dublin

Mary Aikenhead

c. 1787–1858

Foundress of the congregation of the Religious Sisters of Charity and of St Vincent's Hospital, Dublin

Image of Poet and archivist

Samuel Ferguson

c. 1810–1886

Poet and archivist

Image of Philosopher, social reformer, and feminist

Frances Power Cobbe

c. 1822–1904

Philosopher, social reformer, and feminist

Image of Historian of astronomy and scientific writer

Agnes Mary Clerke

c. 1842–1907

Historian of astronomy and scientific writer

Image of Barrister, politician and nationalist leader

Daniel O'Connell

c. 1775–1847

Barrister, politician and nationalist leader

Image of Dancer and adventuress

Eliza Rosana Gilbert

c. 1820–1861

Dancer and adventuress

Image of Playwright, poet, and prose writer

Oscar Wilde

c. 1854–1900

Playwright, poet, and prose writer

Image of Poet, born 9 October 1772 in Dublin

Mary Tighe

c. 1772–1810

Poet, born 9 October 1772 in Dublin

Image of 1st Baron Heytesbury, 2nd Baronet, English diplomat and Conservative politician

William A'Court

c. 1779–1860

1st Baron Heytesbury, 2nd Baronet, English diplomat and Conservative politician

Image of Archer, born in January 1843 in Tunbridge Wells, Kent

Cecilia Maria Eleanor Betham

c. 1843–1913

Archer, born in January 1843 in Tunbridge Wells, Kent

Image of 1st Duke of Wellington, British statesman, soldier, and Tory politician

Arthur Wellesley

c. 1769–1852

1st Duke of Wellington, British statesman, soldier, and Tory politician

Image of Botanical artist, teacher, and poet

Lydia Shackleton

c. 1828–1914

Botanical artist, teacher, and poet

Discover Irish Lives at Home and Abroad

Use the ‘heat clusters’ to discover hundreds of locations capturing the births and deaths of notable people from Ireland’s past

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