Photo courtesy the Royal Dublin Society

George Johnston Stoney 1826-1911

Highlights of Stoney's life:

1826 Born Oakley Park, near Birr, Co. Offaly on 15 February

The family moved to Dublin and, despite hardship, George and his younger brother Bindon entered Trinity College Dublin and graduated with distinction

1848-52 Stoney spent two and a half years as the first astronomical assistant to the third Earl of Rosse

1852 Awarded the Madden prize for taking second place in the Fellowship examination at TCD

1852-57 Professor of Natural Philosophy in Queen's College, Galway

1856 Elected to membership of the Royal Irish Academy

1857-82 Secretary to the Queen's University in Dublin

1861 Elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of London.

1863 Married his cousin Margaret; they had two sons and three daughters. His wife died in 1872 and he moved in 1874 to Weston House, Dundrum where he lived for four years.

1874 At a scientific meeting in Belfast, he proposed that electricity existed as discrete particles; in 1891 he named these 'electrons'.

1871-81 As Honorary Secretary of the Royal Dublin Society, he guided the profound changes to the Society at that time.

1881-1911 Vice-President of the RDS

1893 Moved to London to give his daughters the opportunity of a university education.

1898-99 Vice-President of the Royal Sociey of London

1899 Awarded the first Boyle Medal of the Royal Dublin Society

1911 Died London on 5 July, aged 85. His ashes were interred in the graveyard of St Nahi's church, Dundrum