Robert Boyle (1627 - 1691), considered by many to be the Father of Chemistry, was born on this day in Lismore Castle in Waterford.
Lismore Castle
For those experiencing a throwback moment to school chemistry, Boyle was the author of the eponymous law, which described the inverse relationship between a gas' pressure and the volume it occupies.
Boyle's Law Schematic
In 1661, Boyle published The Sceptical Chymist; this publication proposed a new notion of elements rather than the four proposed by Aristotle: earth, air, fire, and water. This notion established Boyle as the Father of Chemistry and presaged the Periodic Table, which is fundamental to education in Chemistry.
The Skeptical Chymist - published 1661
You can read more about Robert Boyle and his approach to science at the Dictionary of Irish Biography: Boyle bio