Sir John William Byers (1853-1920) was an eminent medical professional who had a passion for Ulster language and folklore. In the course of his distinguished career, and in his travels around the country, he collected words, expressions and superstitions of the people and studied them for origin and meaning. In 1904 he published 'Sayings, Proverbs and Humour of Ulster' which was based on the text of a lecture delivered to the Belfast Natural History and Philosophical Society in the previous year and on a paper contributed to the 'Northern Whig' newspaper in May 1901. His sudden and untimely death prevented the publication of a much more substantial work that had been in preparation for some years.