William Annyas - Biography

In 1555 William Annyas (Anes) became the Mayor of Youghal in County Cork, he was the first person of the Jewish religion to hold such an elected position in Ireland or Britain. William Annyas was the grandson of Gil Anes of Belmonte, Portugal. Many of the first Jewish people to come to Ireland were Marrano merchants from the Iberian peninsula.

His daughter married Yacov Kassin (Shamus Ciosain) son of Yehuda Kassin (Juan Cassin) a Marrano merchant who had moved to Galway in Ireland.

His surname Annyas is sometimes written as Ãnes and anglicised to Ames, in some case the family may have used the surname Ennis.

There was a three-time Mayor of Youghal in 1569 and 1576 and 1581 called Francis Annyas, although the exact relation to William is unclear. He commanded the English garrison in Youghal during the Desmond Rebellions and had a colourful life working as a spy for Sir Francis Drake in the Azores.