Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Edgeworth, Richard Lovell

(Encyclopedia)Edgeworth, Richard Lovell, 1744–1817, Anglo-Irish educational theorist, b. Bath, England, educated at Trinity College, Dublin, and at Oxford; father of Maria Edgeworth. A member of the literary cote...

Kenneth I

(Encyclopedia)Kenneth I (Kenneth mac Alpin), d. 858, traditional founder of the kingdom of Scotland. He succeeded his father, Alpin, as king of Dalriada (the kingdom of the Gaelic Scots in W Scotland) and c.843 obt...

Swilly, Lough

(Encyclopedia)Swilly, Lough lŏkh swĭlˈē [key], inlet of the Atlantic Ocean, c.25 mi (40 km) long, Co. Donegal, NW Republic of Ireland. It is narrow and irregular in shape, with numerous islands. There is a ligh...

Carnarvon, Henry Howard Molyneux Herbert, 4th earl of

(Encyclopedia)Carnarvon, Henry Howard Molyneux Herbert, 4th earl of, 1831–90, British statesman. As colonial secretary (1866–67) under the earl of Derby he introduced the British North America Act, which made C...

Blake, Edward

(Encyclopedia)Blake, Edward, 1833–1912, Canadian Liberal party leader, b. Upper Canada (Ontario). A prominent constitutional lawyer, he was elected to the House of Commons in 1867. In 1871 he became premier of On...

Faulkner, Brian

(Encyclopedia)Faulkner, Brian fôkˈnər [key], 1921–77, Northern Irish politician. A Protestant businessman, he was elected to the Northern Ireland Parliament as a Unionist in 1949. As minister of home affairs (...

Hume, John

(Encyclopedia)Hume, John, 1937–2020, Northern Irish political leader. A moderate Catholic, he devoted his career to the peaceful settlement of sectarian conflicts in his homeland. Hume began by seeking to improve...

Man, Isle of

(Encyclopedia)Man, Isle of, island and dependency of the British crown (2015 est. pop. 83,000), 227 sq mi (588 sq km), off Great Britain, in the Irish Sea. The coast is rocky with precipitous cliffs; the Calf of Ma...

Thorfinn Karlsefni

(Encyclopedia)Thorfinn Karlsefni thôrˈfĭn kärlˈsĕvnē [key], fl. 1002–15, Norse leader of an attempt to colonize North America. He appeared in Greenland in 1002 and married Gudrid, widow of one of the sons ...

Achill

(Encyclopedia)Achill ăkˈĭl [key] [Irish,=eagle], island, 56 sq mi (145 sq km), Co. Mayo, W Republic of Ireland; the largest island of Ireland. It is connected with the mainland by a bridge over Achill Sound. The...

Browse by Subject