List of Irish people
This is a list of famous Irish people.
It covers
- People who were born on the island of Ireland and/or who have lived there for most of their lives.
- People who, though not necessarily ever having been born or lived in Ireland, have been raised as Irish, and/or have adopted Irish citizenship (e.g., Daniel Day-Lewis).
Use of the term "Irish". It should be remembered that not everyone born on the island of Ireland sees themselves as Irish, as is commonly assumed by outsiders. Particularly in Northern Ireland, some also regard themselves as British or do not regard themselves as Irish at all. In Northern Ireland in particular, there is no common consensus on what the term "Irish" entails. Because Northern Ireland is part of the UK, those born in the province are automatically entitled to British and/or Irish citizenship.
It should not be assumed that all individuals on this list consider themselves "Irish".
- See also: Demographics and politics of Northern Ireland
- See also: Northern Ireland
Perhaps because of the extent of Irish emigration, talented people of Irish birth or descent have become known throughout the world.
See also List of Northern Irish people.
Art
Main list of visual artists: List of Irish artists
Architecture
- George Ashlin
- George Drumgoole Coleman
- Sir Thomas Drew
- James Gandon
- Eileen Gray
- James Hoban, designer of White House
- Francis Johnston
- James Joseph McCarthy
- Thomas Parke
- Edward Lovett Pearce
- Kevin Roche
- Michael Scott
Actors
- Jonas Armstrong, star of the BBC series Robin Hood
- Patrick Bergin
- Stephen Boyd, Actor
- Kenneth Branagh - Actor
- George Brent Hollywood actor
- Pierce Brosnan
- Gabriel Byrne
- Catherine Cusack
- Cyril Cusack, born in South Africa
- Niamh Cusack
- Sorcha Cusack
- Daniel Day-Lewis, British-born Oscar winner
- Roma Downey, actress best known for her role as Monica in the TV series Touched By An Angel
- Hilton Edwards, co-founder of the Gate Theatre, born in UK
- Colin Farrell
- Barry Fitzgerald, Abbey Theatre actor turned Hollywood star
- Fionnuala Flanagan, Actress
- Brenda Fricker, Oscar winner
- Bronagh Gallagher, Actress
- Sir Michael Gambon
- Brendan Gleeson, actor
- Klara McDonnell, actress
- Richard Harris, (actor)
- Evanna Lynch (actress), Cast as Luna Lovegood in [[Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
- Joe Lynch, TV
- Susan Lynch, actress appeared in Nora, Secret of Roan Inish, Waking Ned
- Micheál MacLiammóir, co-founder of the Gate Theatre, born in UK
- Patrick McGoohan, actor and creator of The Prisoner
- Colm Meaney, Actor
- Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Actor
- Charles Mitchel
- Cillian Murphy, Actor
- Devon Murray actor (Seamus Finnigan in Harry Potter 1-5)
- Liam Neeson, Actor
- Jim Norton, character actor
- Ardal O'Hanlon actor/comedian
- Maureen O'Hara, Actress
- Milo O'Shea, Actor
- Maureen O'Sullivan, actor and mother of Mia Farrow
- Peter O'Toole, Oscar winner
- Glenn Quinn, Actor
- Stephen Rea, Actor
- Fiona Shaw, Actress
- Arthur Shields, Actor (older brother of Barry Fitzgerald)
- Stuart Townsend, actor and boxer
Comedians
See also [Category:Irish comedians]
- Ed Byrne, Comedian
- Andrew Maxwell, Comedian
- Dara O'Briain, Comedian
- Conan O'Brien, Comedian
- Dylan Moran, Comedian
- Tommy Tiernan, Comedian
- Sean Hughes, Comedian
- Ardal O'Hanlon, Comedian
- David O'Doherty, Comedian
- Kathy Griffin, Comedian
Music
Individuals
A - C
- Michael William Balfe, composer
- Gerald Barry, Aosdána
- Derek Bell, harpist
- Mary Bergin, tin whistler
- Wallis Bird, singer, songwriter
- Frances Black, singer
- Mary Black, singer
- Paul Brady, singer
- Big Tom, lead singer of Big Tom And The Mainliners
- Bono (real name: Paul Hewson), lead singer of
U2 - Ciaran Bourke, singer/guitarist
- Joe Burke, accordionist
- Kevin Burke, fiddler
- Eamonn Campbell, guitarist/producer
- Vivian Campbell, co-lead guitarist of Def Leppard
- Sean Cannon, singer/guitarist
- Paddy Casey, singer/songwriter
- Patrick Cassidy, composer
- Willie Clancy, uilleann piper
- Julia Clifford, traditional fiddle player
- Michael Coleman, fiddler
- Finghin Collins, pianist
- Tadhg Cooke, singer
- Phil Coulter, composer
D - K
- Damien Dempsey, singer/songwriter
- Dana Rosemary Scallon, MEP - singer turned politician
- Chris de Burgh
- Ronnie Drew, singer/guitarist
- Séamus Ennis, uilleann piper
- Enya (real name: Eithne Ní Bhraonáin), singer/songwriter
- Órla Fallon - Singer, Harpist
- Ciarán Farrell, Composer
- Angela Feeney, Opera Singer
- John Field, composer (creator of the nocturne)
- Jem Finer, banjoist and guitarist
- Gavin Friday
- Mark Geary
- Bryan Keary, Guitarist
- W. H. Grattan Flood, Author and Renowned Musicologist
- Rory Gallagher, blues/rock guitarist
- James Galway, flautist
- Frankie Gavin, fiddler
- Bob Geldof, songwriter, singer of the Boomtown Rats, activist
- Marc Gunn, autoharper and singer/songwriter of the Brobdingnagian Bards
- Carmel Gunning, tin whistler
- Lisa Hannigan, singer/songwriter
- Hamilton Harty, composer and arranger
- Catherine Hayes, Opera Singer
- Gemma Hayes
- Brian Irvine, composer
- Fergus Johnston, Aosdána
- Dolores Keane, singer
- Ronan Keating, singer/songwriter
- Paddy Keenan, uilleann piper
- Luke Kelly, singer
- Brian Kennedy, singer
- Paddy Killoran, fiddler
- Dave King, singer/songwriter
- David Kitt
L - P
- Damien Leith, singer/songwriter, winner of Australian Idol 2006
- Josef Locke, singer
- Johnny Logan, singer/songwriter
- Cora Venus Lunny, violinist
- Dónal Lunny
- Phil Lynott, Thin Lizzy frontman
- Mickey McConnell, singer/songwriter
- Shane MacGowan, English born singer/songwriter
- Sean Mackin, Backup Vocals and Violinist of Yellowcard
- Sarah Makem, singer
- Tommy Makem, singer-songwriter
- Enda Markey, Singer
- Johnny Marr (real name: John Maher), guitarist/keyboardist/songwriter, formerly of The Smiths
- Philip Martin, pianist, Aosdána
- John Count McCormack, singer
- Klara McDonnell, singer/songwriter
- Eleanor McEvoy
- Barney McKenna, banjo player
- Christy Moore, singer/songwriter
- Van Morrison, singer/songwriter
- Lee Mulhern, singer/songwriter, member of Streetwize
- Samantha Mumba, singer
- Mundy, singer/songwriter
- Ruby Murray, singer
- Turlough O'Carolan, 17th century harpist and composer ("Last of the Bards")
- Maura O'Connell, singer
- Martin O'Connor, accordionist
- Robert O'Connor, singer/songwriter
- Sinéad O'Connor, singer
- Daniel O'Donnell, country-and-western singer
- Mary O'Hara, harpist/singer
- Liam O'Flynn, uilleann piper
- Seán Ó Riada, composer & musician
- Dolores O'Riordan, singer/songwriter/guitarist
- Gilbert O'Sullivan, Pop singer/songwriter/pianist
- Tommy Peoples, fiddler
Q - Z
- Carmel Quinn, singer
- Paddy Reilly, singer/guitarist
- Damien Rice, singer-songwriter
- Leo Rowsome, uilleann piper
- Sharon Shannon, traditional musician
- John Sheahan fiddler
- Chris Singleton, singer-songwriter
- Patsy Touhey, piper
- Paddy Tunney, singer
- Andy White, singer/songwriter
- Ian Wilson, Aosdána
- James Wilson, Aosdána
Groups
A - C
- Abaddon Incarnate
- Afro-Celt Sound System
- Agnelli & Nelson
- Altan
- An Emotional Fish (cf Jerry Fish and the Mudbug Club)
- An Góilín
- The Answer
- Anúna
- Aosdána
- Ash
- Aslan
- The Bachelors
- Bad Habitz
- Bad Haggis
- Barley Bree
- Bell X1
- Bellefire
- Black 47
- Blink
- The Blizzards
- Blue in Heaven
- The Boomtown Rats
- Boss Volenti
- The Bothy Band
- The Boys of the Lough
- Boyzone, boy band
- The Brent Flood
- The Brilliant Trees
- Brobdingnagian Bards
- Bulraga
- B*Witched
- Cactus World News
- Celtic Legacy
- Celtic Tenors
- Celtic Woman
- Ceoltóirí Chualann
- The Chalets
- Channel One
- Cherish the Ladies
- The Chieftains, traditional music group
- The Clancy Brothers, Irish folk band
- Clannad
- The Commitments
- Compulsion
- The Conway Sisters
- The Corrs
- The Cranberries
- Cruachan
- Cyclefly
D - K
- Dagda
- Danú
- The Daze
- Déanta
- Director
- The Divine Comedy
- Dr. Strangely Strange
- D:Ream
- Dropkick Murphys
- The Dubliners, singers/songwriters
- The East Coast Angels
- Energy Orchard
- The Fat Lady Sings
- Fatima Mansions
- Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band
- Flogging Molly
- Fish Go Deep
- Flook
- Foster & Allen
- Four Men and a Dog
- The 4 Of Us
- Four to the Bar
- The Frames
- The Fureys
- Future Kings of Spain
- Geasa
- God Talking Soul
- The Golden Horde
- Gráda
- The Groovin' Reels
- Hal
- The High Llamas
- The Hitchers
- Horslips
- Hothouse Flowers
- Kerbdog, rock band
- InFOCUS
- In Tua Nua
- The Irish Ninjas
- The IRS
- JJ72
- Jerry Fish and the Mudbug Club
- Jetplane Landing
- The Johnstons
- Kíla
L - P
- Language of Flowers
- LeperKhanz
- Lluther
- Lúnasa
- Mama's Boys
- Marxman
- The Mascara Story
- Mellow Candle
- Microdisney
- The Middlewich Paddies
- Minor Detail
- Mixtwitch
- The Moondogs
- Mourning Beloveth
- Moving Hearts
- The Mumbles
- My Bloody Valentine
- Na Casaidigh
- Nightnoise
- The Nolans
- Oppenheimer
- OTT, boyband
- Owen's, frenchirish band
- The Outcasts
- Panda Kopanda
- Pangur Bán
- Patrick Street
- Pay*Ola
Planxty - The Pogues
- The Popes
- Poor Man's Fortune, traditional Irish band
- Power of Dreams
- Primordial
- The Punters
Q - Z
- The Radiators From Space
- Rare
- Real Friends Break Chairs
- The Redneck Manifesto
- Republic of Loose
- Rodrigo y Gabriela
- Rollerskate Skinny
- Ryan's Fancy
- Sack
- St. Laurence O'Toole Pipe Band
- The Saw Doctors
- Self Aid
- Seraphim
- Six
- Sixstarhotel
- Skara Brae
- Skelpin
- Skid Row
- Skindive
- Snow Patrol, rock band
- Solas (group)
- Solas (liturgical)
- Something Happens
- Stalag 17
- The Starjets
- Stiff Little Fingers, punk band
- Stockton's Wing
- The Sultans Of Ping FC
- Surly
- Sweeney's Men
- Sweet Savage
- Tamalin
- Taste
- Téada
- That Petrol Emotion
- Them
- Therapy?
- The Thrills
- Those Nervous Animals
- Thin Lizzy
- Tír na nÓg
- Toasted Heretic
- Toxic Waste
- Trinití
- Turn
- The Undertones
U2 - Venus Envy
- The Answer
- The Vipers
- The Virgin Prunes
- The Waterboys
- The Watertower Conspiracy
- Waylander
- Wendimiller
- Westlife, boy band
- Whipping Boy
- Whoopsadaisies
- Wilt
- Wolfe Tones
- Wreck of the Hesperus
Dance
- Jean Butler, Irish Dancer
- Lola Montez (Eliza Gilbert), dancer, courtesan
- Dame Ninette de Valois, ballet
- Bill Whelan, composer
Writing
See also: List of Irish novelists
A - C
- Cecelia Ahern
- Cecil Frances Humphreys Alexander
- William Allingham, poet
- John Banville, novelist
- George Barrington
- Sebastian Barry, novelist, Aosdána
- Samuel Beckett, Saoi
- Brendan Behan, playwright, novelist
- Dermot Bolger, novelist, Aosdána
- Clare Boylan, Aosdána
- Patrick Brontë, poet
- J. B. Bury, historian
- William Carleton, novelist
- Marina Carr, Aosdána
- Seathrún Céitinn (Geoffrey Keating)
- Austin Clarke
- Brian Coffey, poet
- Eoin Colfer, author
- Eoghan Corry, journalist and author
- Anthony Cronin, Aosdána
D - K
- Seamus Deane, Aosdána
- Eamon Delaney
- Denis Devlin, poet
- Roddy Doyle, novelist
- Margaretta Eagar, memoirist
- Garth Ennis, comic writer
- Sir Samuel Ferguson, poet
- Roderick Flanagan, Historian
- Brian Friel, playwright, Aosdána
- Oliver Goldsmith, novelist and dramatist
- Oliver St. John Gogarty
- Augusta, Lady Gregory, playwright and founder of the Abbey Theatre
- Veronica, Guerin, journalist
- Hugo Hamilton, author
- Dermot Healy, Aosdána
- Randolph Healy, Poet
- Seamus Heaney, Saoi of Aosdána, Nobel Laureate
- Aidan Higgins, Aosdána
- Pat Ingoldsby, poet, playwright, etc.
- Jennifer Johnston, Aosdána
- Neil Jordan, author, film director, Aosdána
- James Joyce, novelist
- Trevor Joyce, poet
- Herminie Templeton Kavanagh, author
- Patrick Kavanagh,poet
- Benedict Kiely, Saoi of Aosdána
- Caitlín R. Kiernan, American novelist and paleontologist
- Sister Mary Frances Cusack, the "Nun of Kenmare", patriot and controversialist
L - P
- Mary Lavin, Saoi of Aosdána
- Francis Ledwidge, poet
- Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu, gothic novelist
- C. S. Lewis (author of the Chronicles of Narnia)
- Michael Longley, Aosdána
- Walter Macken, novelist
- James Clarence Mangan, poet
- Malachi Martin, horror writer
- Edward Martyn, playwright, art patron and political activist
- Frank McCourt, writer
- Martin McDonagh, playwright
- John McGahern, novelist, Aosdána
- Frank McGuinness, Aosdána
- Gerard McKeown, writer
- John Montague, poet
- Thomas Moore, poet
- Paul Muldoon, poet
- Richard Murphy, poet, Aosdána
- Christopher Nolan, poet, Aosdána
- Edna O'Brien, novelist, Aosdána
- Seán O'Casey, playwright
- Frank O'Connor, short story writer
- Ulick O'Connor, Aosdána
- Máirtín Ó Díreáin, great Irish-language poet,Aosdána
- Seán Ó Faoláin, Saoi of Aosdána
- Liam O'Flaherty, novelist, short story writer
- Brian O'Nolan (aka Myles na gCopaleen, Flann O'Brien), novelist/columnist
- James Plunkett, Aosdána
R - Z
- George William Russell, (known under the pen-name AE), writer and critic
- Maurice Scully, poet
- George Bernard Shaw, novelist, playwright
- Richard Brinsley Sheridan, playwright
- James Simmons poet
- Michael Smith, poet
- Geoffrey Squires, poet
- Laurence Sterne, novelist
- Bram Stoker, author of Dracula
- Francis Stuart, Saoi of Aosdána
- Jonathan Swift, Dean of St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, novelist and satirist
- John Millington Synge, dramatist
- William Trevor, writer, Aosdána
- William Wall, novelist, poet
- Oscar Wilde, novelist, poet, satirist
- William Butler Yeats, poet and Nobel laureate
Business
- Donie Cassidy, businessman and TD
- Niall FitzGerald, honorary
KBE , chief executive Unilever - Arthur Guinness - brewer
- Eddie Hobbs, financial guru, presenter of Show Me the Money and Rip-Off Republic
- Pat McDonagh, founder of Supermac's
- Dermot Mannion, CEO of Aer Lingus
- Denis O'Brien, highly successful entrepreneur and founder of Esat Telecom
- Michael O'Leary, colourful CEO of Ryanair
- Anthony J F O'Reilly - Independent Newspapers and head of Heinz, 1979-1996
- Seán Quinn - multi-millionaire entrepreneur
- Ciaran Paul Roche - Internet Entrepreneur and Cofounder of Connect America
- Tony Ryan, founder of Ryanair and Guinness Peat Aviation
- Peter Sutherland, Chairman of BP Plc, and Chairman of Goldman Sachs International and formerly Ireland's representative at the European Commission
Politics
Main list: List of Irish politicians Drew Cameron Holden
Science, Education and Technology
Main list: List of Irish scientists, engineers and inventors
Sport
- See also: List of footballers (Gaelic football)
- Packie Bonner, footballer
- Andre Botha (cricketer)
- Jeremy Bray (cricketer)
- Andrew Bree, swimmer
- John Pius Boland - double Olympic medal-winner/tennis,1896
- Kenny Carroll, cricketer
- Michael Carruth, Olympic gold medal winner/boxing
- Eamonn Coghlan, runner
- Liam Daish, footballer
- Gordon D'Arcy, rugby player
- Paul Darragh - showjumper
- Ronnie Delany - Olympic medal winner/athletics
- Ken Doherty, former World Snooker champion
- Mick Doyle - rugby player
- Mick Doyle - Muay Thai and kickboxing
- Damien Duff, footballer
- Eamon Dunphy, former soccer player, media commentator and broadcaster
- Seamus Elliott, professional cyclist
- Dave Finlay, current WWE wrestler
- Sharon Foley, track and field athlete
- Mick Galwey, rugby player and coach
- Shay Given, footballer
- Johnny Giles, footballer
- Peter Gillespie, cricketer
- Pádraig Harrington, golfer
- Elizabeth Hawkins-Whitshed, 19th century mountaineer
- Denis Hickie, rugby player
- Ellen Hutchins, botanist
- Eddie Jordan, racing driver and Formula 1 team owner
- Trent Johnston, cricketer
- Robbie Keane, footballer
- Roy Keane, footballer
- Seán Kelly, cyclist
- John Fitzgerald Kennedy, thirty-fifth President of the United States
- Andy Keogh, footballer
- John Fitzgerald Kennedy, thirty-fifth President of the United States
- Michael Kinane, jockey
- Ham Lambert - rugby and cricket player
- Dave Langford-Smith, cricketer
- Alan Lewis, rugby referee
- Eddie Macken, horse showjumper
- Dave McAuley, boxer
- Kevin McBride, boxer
- Willie John McBride - rugby player
- Kyle McCallan, cricketer
- Mick McCarthy - former Republic of Ireland football manager
- Wayne McCullough - Olympic Silver Medalist/Boxing
- Paul McGinley, golfer
- Paul McGrath, footballer
- Barry McGuigan, boxer
- Catherina McKiernan, athlete
- Jimmy McLarnin, boxer
- John Mooney (cricketer)
- Paul Mooney (cricketer)
- Eoin Morgan, cricketer
- Geordan Murphy - rugby player
- Kevin O'Brien (cricketer)
- Niall O'Brien (cricketer)
- Pat O'Callaghan - Olympic gold medal/hammer, 1928, 1932
- Patrick O'Connell - Real Betis/FC Barcelona manager, 1930s
- Paul O'Connell, rugby player
- Cian O'Connor - show jumper who had Olympic gold medal taken from him
- Brian O'Driscoll - rugby player
- Ronan O'Gara, rugby player
- Malcolm O'Kelly, rugby player
- Jonjo O'Neill, jockey
- Tony O'Reilly - rugby player
- William Porterfield, cricketer
- Peter O'Sullevan - horse racing commentator
- Sonia O'Sullivan, Olympic silver medalist
- Niall Quinn, footballer
- Boyd Rankin, cricketer
- Stephen Roche, cyclist
- Alain Rolland, rugby referee
- Glenn Ross, Strongman
- Tom Sharkey, boxer
- Michelle Smith - Multi gold medalist 1996 Olympics
- Des Smyth - golfer.
- Steve Staunton, footballer
- Jim Stynes - Champion Australian rules footballer
- Bob Tisdall - Olympic gold medal/400mH, 1932
- John Treacy - Olympic silver medal/marathon, 1984
- Ruby Walsh, jockey
- Andrew White (cricketer)
- Keith Wood, rugby player
- Eddie Irvine - Formula 1 Pilot
Other
- St. Aidan of Lindisfarne
- Eamonn Andrews - TV personality, producer and businessman
- Todd Andrews - civil servant
- Sir Alfred Chester Beatty
- George Berkeley - philosopher
- Seán Brady - Roman Catholic Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland
- St. Brigid - Irish saint and bishop
- Gay Byrne - broadcaster and presenter of the Late Late Show (1962-1999)
- Nellie Cashman, gold prospector in the United States; born in County Cork
- Harry Clarke - stained glass artist
- Desmond Connell - Roman Catholic Cardinal of Ireland
- Jose de Ribas, Imperial Russian Admiral, wars with Ottomans
- Bishop James Doyle known as 'JKL'.
- Jim Duffy - Irish advisor to Australia's Republic Advisory Committee
- Margaretta Eagar - Limerick Born Governess to the last Russian Royal Family
- Robin Eames - Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland
- Johannes Scotus Erigena - theologian (b. 810)
- Michael Anthony Fleming - Bishop of St. John's, Newfoundland
- Lady Mary Heath - early aviator
- Sir William Johnson
- Pat Kenny - broadcaster & presenter of the Late Late Show (1999-present)
- Lord Killanin, former head of the International Olympic Committee
- Peter Lacy - Russian Field Marshal
- James Larkin - labour leader
- Eliza Lynch, mistress of Francisco López, Paraguayan dictator
- Catherine McAuley - founder the Sisters of Mercy
- Dubhaltach MacFhirbhisigh
- Catherine McGuinness - Justice of the Supreme Court of Ireland, President of the Law Reform Commission - [1]
- Edward McLysaght - Chief Herald of Ireland, 1943-54
- Martin Maher - Famed cadet instructor at United States Military Academy at West Point