James Bayley Butler

James Bayley Butler MBE MRIA (8 April 1884 – 21 February 1964) was an Irish biologist and academic, and was considered the foremost expert on the fungus which causes dry rot.

Life James Bayley Butler was born in Secunderabad, India, on 8 April 1884. Along with three sisters, he was the only son of Col. James William Butler and Henrietta Butler (née Bayley). Col. Butler was an administrator with the East India Company. Upon the family's return from India, Butler was educated at St George's College, Weybridge, Surrey, Clongowes Wood College, County Kildare, and St Mary's College, Rathmines, Dublin. He then went on to the Catholic University of Ireland medical school, graduating with a BA in science in 1905 and an MB in medicine in 1909 from the Royal University of Ireland. During his time as a student, Butler was appointed dissector in anatomy to Professor Ambrose Bermingham.

Butler built his own home called Glenlion at Baily, Howth, County Dublin over a period of 30 years. It was built to his own design as a replica of a classical Roman villa. The building at its surrounds feature a roof garden, floral sundial, and moondial. He incorporated stone which was salvaged from The Custom House and the Four Courts following their partial destruction in the 1920s, as well as fragments from original Butt Bridge, the Roman Forum, and the Baths of Caracalla. Butler would open the gardens at the house every year to raise money for the Jubilee Nurses' Fund. For his service, he was awarded an MBE.

He was a promoter of fieldwork at UCD, organising trips to the Dublin Mountains, Glendalough and The Burren. The first UCD marine field station at Coal Harbour, Dún Laoghaire, and later at Coliemore Harbour, Dalkey, was initiated by Butler and continued by a former student of his, Carmel Humphries. Butler founded the UCD Natural History Club, which later became the Biological Society of UCD, and served as its first president. In 1962 he presented a cup to the Society to be awarded annually to the best student paper, which was later renamed the Bayley Butler trophy.

Glenlion was later purchased by disgraced solicitor Michael Lynn before being repossessed and sold in 2008.

Well known horticulturalist David Robinson lived in the nearby house Earlscliffe also in the Baily area of Howth on Ceannchor Road.

Irish architect Andrew Devane also lived two doors down from Glenlion in the famous house he designed, Journey's End.