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".

Art

Architecture

Actors

Jonas Armstrong, star of the BBC series Robin Hood
Patrick Bergin, Film actor
Stephen Boyd, Film actor
Kenneth Branagh, Actor on stage, film and TV, The Harry Potter movies
George Brent, Hollywood actor
Pierce Brosnan, best known as James Bond from 1994 to 2005
Gabriel Byrne, TV and film actor
Elaine Cassidy, Film Actress
Catherine Cusack, stage and TV actor, daughter of Cyril Cusack
Cyril Cusack, actor of stage, film and TV (born in South Africa)
Niamh Cusack, TV actress, daughter of Cyril Cusack
Sinéad Cusack, stage, film and TV actress, daughter of Cyril Cusack, married to Jeremy Irons
Sorcha Cusack, Film and TV actress, daughter of Cyril Cusack
Daniel Day-Lewis, British-born Oscar winner
Patrick Dempsey best known for his role in Grey's Anatomy
Alison Doody, Actress best known for her role in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Roma Downey, Actor 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, Hollywood Actor
Barry Fitzgerald, Abbey Theatre actor turned Hollywood star
Fionnula Flanagan, Actress
Brenda Fricker, Oscar winner
Bronagh Gallagher, Actress
Sir Michael Gambon, Theatre, TV and film actor, e.g. Harry Potter films
Brendan Gleeson, Actor, e.g. Harry Potter films
Richard Harris, Actor, e.g. Harry Potter films
David Kelly, Actor
Evanna Lynch, Actress, Luna Lovegood in ''Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Joe Lynch, TV actor
Susan Lynch, Actor, appeared in Nora, The 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
Barry McGovern, Stage, Film and TV actor
Colm Meaney, Hollywood actor
Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Film and TV actor
Charles Mitchel, Actor and Newsreader
Cillian Murphy, Actor
Devon Murray, Actor, Seamus Finnigan in the first five Harry Potter movies
Liam Neeson, Actor
Jim Norton, Character actor
Ardal O'Hanlon Actor/comedian
Maureen O'Hara, Actress
Milo O'Shea, Actor
Maureen O'Sullivan, Actor, mother of Mia Farrow
Peter O'Toole, Oscar winner
Jason Priestley Actor
Glenn Quinn, Actor
Stephen Rea, Actor
Fiona Shaw, Actress, The Harry Potter movies
Arthur Shields, Actor (younger brother of Barry Fitzgerald)
Niall Toibin, Actor and comedian
Stuart Townsend, actor and boxer
Joanne King, Actress

Comedians

Music

Music - Individuals

Music - Individuals - A to C

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
Brídín Brennan, singer
Moya Brennan, musician
Joe Burke, accordionist
Kevin Burke, fiddler
Nicky Byrne, singer of Westlife, songwriter
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

Music - Individuals - D to K

Damien Dempsey, singer/songwriter
Dana Rosemary Scallon, MEP-singer turned politician
Chris de Burgh
Joe Derrane, button & piano accordions
Ronnie Drew, singer/guitarist
Kian Egan, singer of Westlife, songwriter
Séamus Ennis, uilleann piper
Enya (real name: Eithne Ní Bhraonáin), singer/songwriter
Órla Fallon - Singer, Harpist
Ciarán Farrell, Composer
Mark Feehily, singer of Westlife, songwriter
Angela Feeney, Opera Singer
John Field, composer (creator of the nocturne)
Shane Filan, singer of Westlife, songwriter
Jem Finer, banjoist and guitarist
Mick Flannery, singer/songwriter
John Fogerty, singer/songwriter best known for his work with Creedence Clearwater Revival
John Francis, singer/songwriter - (full name John Francis Maher)
Gavin Friday
Mark Geary
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
Bernadette Greevy, mezzo-soprano
Marc Gunn, autoharper and singer/songwriter of the Brobdingnagian Bards
Carmel Gunning, tin whistler
Lisa Hannigan, singer/songwriter
Glen Hansard, Oscar winning singer/songwriter
Hamilton Harty, composer and arranger
Catherine Hayes, Opera Singer
Gemma Hayes
Christie Hennessy Singer/Songwriter
Paul David Hewson, also know as Bono, lead singer and principal lyricist of U2
Brian Irvine, composer
Markéta Irglová, Oscar winning singer/songwriter
Fergus Johnston, Aosdána
Dolores Keane, singer
Ronan Keating, singer/songwriter
Paddy Keenan, uilleann piper
Lisa Kelly, singer
Luke Kelly, singer
Brian Kennedy, singer
Paddy Killoran, fiddler
Dave King, singer/songwriter
David Kitt

Music - Individuals - L to P

John Lennon (originally 0'Leannain), singer/songwriter, and founding member of The Beatles
Lil Wyte born Patrick Lanshaw
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
Sean Maguire, violinist
Sarah Makem, singer
Tommy Makem, singer-songwriter
Enda Markey, Singer
Philip Martin, pianist, Aosdána
Paul McCartney singer/songwriter and founding member of The Beatles
John Count McCormack, singer
Eleanor McEvoy, singer/songwriter
Brian McFadden, singer/songwriter
Barney McKenna, banjo player
John McKenna, Finance Executive
John McSherry (musician), Uilleann piper
Paul McSherry, Guitarist
Patrick Monahan, Singer/songwriter, solo artiest/member of Train
Christy Moore, singer/songwriter
Gary Moore, guitarist/singer/songwriter
Jim Morrison, singer/songwriter of The Doors
Van Morrison, singer/songwriter
Lee Mulhern, singer/songwriter, member of Streetwize
Samantha Mumba, singer
Mundy, singer/songwriter
Ruby Murray, singer
Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh, musician
Philip Noone, Songwriter
Turlough O'Carolan, 17th century harpist and composer ("Last of the Bards")
Maura O'Connell, singer
Martin O'Connor, accordionist
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

Music - Individuals - 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
Carly Smithson, singer
Patsy Touhey, piper
Paddy Tunney, singer
Mark Underwood, singer/songwriter/guitarist of Yeti
Andy White, singer/songwriter
Ian Wilson, Aosdána
James Wilson, Aosdána
Martin Wynne, fiddler

Music - Groups

Music - Groups - A to C

Abaddon Incarnate
Afro-Celt Sound System
Agnelli & Nelson
Alan Anderson
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

Music - Groups - D to K

Music - Groups - L to P

Language of Flowers
LeperKhanz
Lluther
Vyvienne Long
Lucid Druid
Lúnasa
Mama's Boys
Marxman
The Mascara Story
Mellow Candle
Microdisney
The Middlewich Paddies
Minor Detail
Mooncoyne
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
Patrick Street
Pay*Ola
Planxty
Podracer
The Pogues
The Popes
Poor Man's Fortune, traditional Irish band
Power of Dreams
Primordial
The Punters

Music - Groups - Q to Z

Dance

Jean Butler, Irish Dancer
Michael Flatley Irish/American step dancer
Gene Kelly, Irish/American dancer, actor, singer, director, choreographer
Lola Montez (Eliza Gilbert), dancer, courtesan
Dame Ninette de Valois, ballet
Bill Whelan, composer

Writing

Writing - A to C

Business

Donie Cassidy, businessman and TD
Niall FitzGerald, honorary KBE, chief executive Unilever
Veronica Guerin, journalist, murdered by drug-dealers in 1996
Arthur Guinness, brewer
Eddie Hobbs, financial guru, presenter of Show Me the Money and Rip-Off Republic
Phil Kelly,multi-millionaire entrepreneur, Author " Asia 360 -The Culture of Building Business in Asia"
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
David J. O'Reilly, CEO of Chevron
Anthony J F O'Reilly - Independent Newspapers and head of Heinz, 1979-1996
Seán Quinn - multi-millionaire entrepreneur
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

Science, Education and Technology

Henry Ford , Designer of the automobile in America and redesigner of the assembly line that dramatically changed American industry forever.
Thomas Andrews, chemist & physicist
Vincent Barry (1908-1975), led a team that discovered a treatment for leprosy
Francis Beaufort (1774-1857), hydrographer, developed a scale for classifying wind strength
John Stewart Bell (1928-1990), atomic physicist, 'Bell's Inequalities'
John Desmond Bernal (1901-1971), X-ray crystallography
George Boole (1815-1864), inventor of Boolean algebra
Robert Boyle (1627-1691), pioneer scientist, 'Boyle's Law'
Louis Brennan (1852-1932), principle of a guided missile, wire-guided torpedo
Pádraig de Brún (1889-1960), scholar and mathematician
Lucien Bull (1876-1972), high speed photography, modern electrocardiogram (ECG)
Jocelyn Bell Burnell (1943- ), discovered pulsars
Nicholas Callan (1799-1864), inventor of the induction coil and discoverer the principle of the dynamo (See link: http://chem.ch.huji.ac.il/~eugeniik/history/callan.html)
Aeneas Coffey (1780-1852), heat exchanger, inventor of the Coffey still
William Monad Crawford, entomologist
William Dargan, railway engineer
Frederick G. Donnan, chemist
James J. Drumm, chemist, inventor of the Drumm nickel-zinc battery
Michael Everson, expert in writing systems and Unicode, born in USA
Henry George Ferguson, engineer, designer of the modern farm tractor, inventor of the three-point hitch
George Francis FitzGerald (1851-1901), theoretical physicist, 'Fitzgerald-Lorenz Contraction'
John Robert Gregg (1868-1948), Gregg shorthand system
Sir John Purser Griffith (1848-1938) Chief engineer for Dublin port and Irish Free State senator (1922-1936)
William Rowan Hamilton, quaternions; mathematical physics
John Phillip Holland (1841-1914), submarine designer
Ellen Hutchins (1785-1815), botanist
John Joly (1857-1933), photometer, colour photography
Lord Kelvin - see William Thomson
Richard Kirwan (1733-1812), meteorologist
Robert Mallet (1810-1881), seismology
Sir James Martin (1893-1981), aircraft ejector seat
Alexander Mitchell (1780-1868), lighthouse and marine engineer
David Murray (1983-), beep club
Richard O'Keefe, computer scientist
Frank Pantridge, Inventor of the mobile defibrilator
Francis Rynd (1811-1861), doctor and inventor of the hypodermic needle and syringe
George Stokes (1819-1903), mathematician, physicist, 'Stokes Theorem' and Stokes-Navier Equations'
George Johnstone Stoney (1826-1911), atomic physicist, named the 'electron' and measured its charge
John Lighton Synge (1897-1995), mathematician
William Thomson, Lord Kelvin (1824-1907), physicist
John Tyndall (1820-1893), physicist
Ernest Thomas Sinton Walton, physicist, 1951 Nobel Prize in Physics
Mary Ward (1827-1869), microscopist
John Walker (1841-1910), principle and forerunner of the caterpillar track
John Richardson Wigham (1829-1906), inventor and lighthouse engineer

Sport

Packie Bonner, footballer
George Best, footballer
Andre Botha (cricketer)
Tom Brady quarterback for the New England Patriots of the NFL
Jeremy Bray (cricketer)
Andrew Bree, swimmer
Brian Burke, general manager of the Anaheim Ducks (National Hockey League)
John Pius Boland - double Olympic medal-winner/tennis,1896
Nicky Byrne, footballer, singer of Westlife
Kenny Carroll, cricketer
Michael Carruth, Olympic gold medal winner/boxing
Eamonn Coghlan, runner
Liam Daish, footballer
Gordon D'Arcy, rugby union player
Paul Darragh - showjumper
Ronnie Delany - Olympic medal winner/athletics
Ken Doherty, former World Snooker champion
Mick Doyle - rugby union 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
Edmond Gibney, equestrian
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
Andy Keogh, footballer
Michael Kinane, jockey
Ham Lambert - rugby union and cricket player
Dave Langford-Smith, cricketer
Alan Lewis, rugby referee
Eddie Macken, horse showjumper
Owen Madden (footballer)
Daniel Martin (cyclist)
Dave McAuley, boxer
Kevin McBride, boxer
Willie John McBride - rugby union player
Kyle McCallan, cricketer
David McCann, cyclist
Mick McCarthy - former Republic of Ireland football manager
Wayne McCullough - Olympic Silver Medalist/Boxing
John McEnroe, former World's No. 1 tennis player
Paul McGinley, golfer
Paul McGrath, footballer
Barry McGuigan, former world Featherweight boxing champion
Catherina McKiernan, athlete
Jimmy McLarnin, boxer
John Mooney (cricketer)
Paul Mooney (cricketer)
Eoin Morgan, cricketer
Geordan Murphy - rugby union player
Kevin O'Brien (cricketer)
Niall O'Brien (cricketer)
Vincent O'Brien - Voted Greatest horse trainer of all time by Racing Post
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 union player
Ronan O'Gara, rugby union player
Malcolm O'Kelly, rugby union player
Jonjo O'Neill, jockey
Tony O'Reilly - rugby union player
Derval O' Rourke- World Indoor Champion and European Silver Medalist
William Porterfield, cricketer
Peter O'Sullevan - horse racing commentator
Gillian O' Sullivan, World Championships Silver Medalist
Sonia O'Sullivan, Olympic silver medalist
Niall Quinn, footballer
Boyd Rankin, cricketer
Nicholas Roche, cyclist
Stephen Roche, cyclist
Alain Rolland, rugby referee
Glenn Ross, Strongman
Mark Scanlon, cyclist
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 union player
Eddie Irvine - Formula 1 driver

Criminals

Martin Brennan - member of The Gopher Gang
James J. Bulger - mobster and fugitive
Frank James Burke - mobster son of Jimmy Burke
Jimmy Burke - mobster associate in New York
John Connolly - FBI agent turned mobster associate
James Coonan - leader of The Westies
Vincent Coll - mobster assassin
Danny Greene - mobster associate
Henry Hill mobster associate of Jimmy Burke*Cornelius Hughes - mobster
Owney Madden - mobster and Al Capone rival
William H. Bonney - better known as Billy the Kid
George McLaughlin - brother of Edward, mobster
Edward McLaughlin- brother of George, mobster
Hughie Mulligan - member of The Westies
Bernard "Bernie" McLaughlin- brother of George and Edward, mobster
Russell Nicholson - ex-cop turned reputed mobster
Mickey Spillane - independent Irish mobster
William Walker - member of The Westies
Kevin Weeks - Irish mobster
Howie Winter - leader of the Winter Hill Gang

Others

St. Aidan of Lindisfarne
Sean Murphy Of 5th year, Largy College
Steve Allen - Irish/American musician, comedian, writer and first host of The Tonight Show
Eamonn Andrews - TV personality, producer and businessman
Todd Andrews - civil servant
Sir Alfred Chester Beatty
George Berkeley - philosopher
Jim Boyle
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)
Erica Campbell
Nellie Cashman, gold prospector in the United States; born in County Cork
Harry Clarke - stained glass artist
Desmond Connell - Roman Catholic Cardinal of Ireland
Tom Crean - explorer
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
Brian Gibbons
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 -
Edward McLysaght - Chief Herald of Ireland, 1943-54
Martin Maher - Famed cadet instructor at United States Military Academy at West Point
Diarmuid Martin - Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin and Primate of Ireland
Edward Martyn - co-founder of the Irish Literary Theatre
Michael Moore - Oscar winning Irish/American documentary filmmaker
Dermot Morgan - satirist and star of Father Ted
Kevin Murphy, Ombudsman and Information Commissioner
Graham Norton - TV personality and actor
Grace O'Malley - Granuaile, pirate queen
Dermot O'Neill, magazine editor, author of gardening books, presenter of TV gardening shows
Emily O'Reilly - journalist, Ombudsman and Information Commissioner
Kitty O'Shea - mistress of Charles Stewart Parnell
St. Patrick - British born Irish patron saint
Sir Horace Plunkett - founder of co-operative movement
Ernest Shackleton - explorer
Gerard Slevin - Chief Herald of Ireland, 1954-81
Ed Sullivan - Irish/American entertainment writer and television host
Timothy Smiddy - academic, economist, Ireland's first ambassador
Philip Treacy - milliner
Ryan Tubridy - entertainer
Terry Wogan - TV and radio "personality"
Nina Williams - An assassin from the Tekken series.