54.5964° N, 5.9301° W

BELFAST

Most Famous People Born in Belfast, United Kingdom

Notable people
1,393
Peak decade
1950s
Median birth year
1949
Most distinctive
Loyalist 272.1×

A divided city whose most distinctive profession in the entire dataset, at more than two hundred times the global rate, is loyalist — paired with republican at more than thirty, the statistical footprint of the Troubles. Belfast's other distinctive shelves are boxers, rugby players (grouped as 'player'), footballers, and cricketers at concentrations that outpace every other city on the island. Van Morrison, George Best, Kenneth Branagh, and C.S. Lewis all grew up within walking distance of the Lagan, and the 19th-century shipbuilding establishment that built the Titanic anchors the older half of the bench.

Through the Decades

One face per decade — the most globally famous figure born in Belfast during each.

Notable Births by Decade

Click a decade to filter the list below. Peak: 1950s with 179 notable births.

What Belfast Is Known For

Click any row to filter the list of people below.

Football is Belfast's biggest profession — 23% of all notables (321).

Belfast over-indexes on loyalist272.1× the global rate.

Belfast under-produces painter — only 0.5× the global rate.

  1. Football321
  2. Politician160
  3. Actor77
  4. Player59
  5. Boxer36
  6. Cricket34
  7. Writer32
  8. Sport28
  1. Loyalist21272.1×
  2. Republican1632.3×
  3. Boxer366.5×
  4. Player592.2×
  5. Football3212.1×
  6. Cricket341.9×
  1. Painter180.5×
  2. Writer320.7×

Profession Mix Over Time

Each band shows a profession family's share of Belfast's notable births by decade. Hover the chart for the breakdown at any decade.

1700175018001850190019502000
  • Sports
  • Politics & Law
  • Film & TV
  • Writing
  • Science
  • Music
  • Other
All1,393
Sort By

1,393 notable people

0601 WRITER

Jack Holland (writer)

1947 - 2004

Preview
0602 JUDGE

Catherine McGuinness

Born 1934

Preview
0603 FOOTBALL

Jackie Brown (footballer)

1914 - 1990

Preview
0604 AUTHOR

Ralph Erskine (cryptologue)

-

Preview
0605 MUSIC

Kevin McAlea

Born 1949

Preview
0606 POLITICIAN

Billy McMillen

1927 - 1975

Preview
0607 JUDGE

Hiram Shaw Wilkinson

1840 - 1926

Preview
0608 NOVELIST

Seamus Finnegan

Born 1949

Preview
0609 CARTOONIST

George Morrow (illustrator)

1869 - 1955

Preview
0610 ACTOR

Gerard Jordan

-

Preview
0611 FOOTBALL

Sammy Morgan

Born 1946

Preview
0612 ACTOR

Harold Goldblatt

1899 - 1982

Preview
0613 FOOTBALL

Bert Manderson

1893 - 1946

Preview
0614 FILM

Garfield Kennedy

Born 1951

Preview
0615 ACTOR

Joan Turner

1922 - 2009

Preview
0616 POLITICIAN

Roy Bradford

1921 - 1998

Preview
0617 PRESENTER

Anne Gregg

1940 - 2006

Preview
0618 POET

Peter McDonald (critic)

Born 1962

Preview
0619 HORTICULTURIST

David Robinson (horticulturist)

1928 - 2004

Preview
0620 FOOTBALL

Fred Roberts (footballer, born 1905)

1905 - 1988

Preview
0621 PAINTER

Andrew Nicholl

1804 - 1886

Preview
0622 MUSIC

David Quinlan

Born 1968

Preview
0623 POLITICIAN

Margaret Daly

Born 1938

Preview
0624 FOOTBALL

Ryan Burns

Born 1992

Preview
0625 CRICKET

Clare Shillington

Born 1981

Preview
0626 MILITAR

William MacArthur (British Army officer)

1884 - 1964

Preview
0627 THEATRE

Cal McCrystal

Born 1959

Preview
0628 GEOLOGIST

Henry C. Gunning

1901 - 1991

Preview
0629 POLITICAL SCIENTIST

Ian McAllister (political scientist)

Born 1950

Preview
0630 AUDIO

Peter J. Devlin

-

Preview
0631 ENGINEER

John Robinson McClean

1813 - 1873

Preview
0632 FOOTBALL

Jason Mooney (Northern Irish footballer)

Born 1989

Preview
0633 BOXER

Davy Larmour (boxer)

Born 1952

Preview
0634 SCULPTOR

Deborah Brown

Born 1927

Preview
0635 PRIEST

Harold Miller (bishop)

Born 1950

Preview
0636 FOOTBALL

Gareth Graham

Born 1978

Preview
0637 ART CRITIC

Maria Fusco

Born 1972

Preview
0638 POLITICIAN

Rafton Pounder

1933 - 1991

Preview
0639 POLITICIAN

Séanna Breathnach

Born 1957

Preview
0640 POLITICIAN

Herbert Dixon, 1st Baron Glentoran

1880 - 1950

Preview
0641 PAINTER

Thomas Carr (artist)

1909 - 1999

Preview
0642 BADMINTON

Ciaran Chambers

Born 1994

Preview
0643 FOOTBALL

Gary Browne (footballer)

Born 1983

Preview
0644 MUSIC

Phil Solomon (music executive)

1924 - 2011

Preview
0645 TRADE UNION

Inez McCormack

1943 - 2013

Preview
0646 BOXER

Sam Storey

Born 1963

Preview
0647 SCREENWRITER

Bronágh Taggart

Born 1981

Preview
0648 BOXER

Martin Lindsay (boxer)

Born 1982

Preview
0649 REPUBLICAN

Daniel McCann

1957 - 1988

Preview
0650 POLITICIAN

Jackie McMullan

Born 1955

Preview
0651 MUSICIEN

David Hopkins

Born 1949

Preview
0652 SKIPPER

Charles Macleod-Robertson

1870 - 1951

Preview
0653 POLITICIAN

Dermot Nesbitt

Born 1947

Preview
0654 FOOTBALL

Sean O'Neill (footballer)

Born 1988

Preview
0655 DIPLOMAT

William Boyd McCleary

Born 1949

Preview
0656 PLAYER

Phil Whitlock (squash player)

Born 1962

Preview
0657 POLITICIAN

Sammy Smyth (loyalist)

1929 - 1976

Preview
0658 FOOTBALL

Billy Crone

1863 - 1944

Preview
0659 MILITAR

Frederick H. Crawford

1861 - 1952

Preview
0660 ARMY

Billy Reid (Irish republican)

1939 - 1971

Preview
0661 LAWYER

Seamus McCaffery

Born 1950

Preview
0662 SPORT

Ryan Seaton (sailor)

Born 1987

Preview
0663 POLITICIAN

Joe Hendron

Born 1932

Preview
0664 REPUBLICAN

Dolours Price

1951 - 2013

Preview
0665 ACTOR

Pat Bishop

1946 - 2000

Preview
0666 FOOTBALL

Andy Bothwell

1900 - 1928

Preview
0667 ATHLETE

Gillian Hamilton

Born 1969

Preview
0668 REPUBLICAN

Thomas Begley

1970 - 1993

Preview
0669 MUSIC

Peter Moore (trombonist)

Born 1996

Preview
0670 ARTIST

David Sandlin

Born 1956

Preview
0671 POLITICIAN

Robin Newton

Born 1945

Preview
0672 BROADCAST

Gerry Kelly (broadcaster)

Born 1948

Preview
0673 ACTOR

Niall Wright

Born 1991

Preview
0674 FOOTBALL

Cecil Allan

1914 - 2003

Preview
0675 PAINTER

Rita Duffy

Born 1959

Preview
0676 PLAYER

Colin Patterson (rugby union)

Born 1955

Preview
0677 REPUBLICAN

Larry Marley

1945 - 1987

Preview
0678 ENGRAVER

E.M.O'R. Dickey

1894 - 1977

Preview
0679 PLAYER

Thomas Gisborne Gordon

1851 - 1935

Preview
0680 VIOLIN

Darragh Morgan

Born 1974

Preview
0681 POLITICIAN

Billy Hutchinson

Born 1955

Preview
0682 GEOLOGIST

Henry Emeleus

1930 - 2017

Preview
0683 MINISTER

Ray Davey

1915 - 2012

Preview
0684 POLITICIAN

Martin Meehan (Irish republican)

1945 - 2007

Preview
0685 NOVELIST

Rosa Mulholland

1841 - 1921

Preview
0686 REPUBLICAN

Tom Hartley

Born 1945

Preview
0687 SPORT

Peter Hawkins (cyclist)

Born 1985

Preview
0688 ACTOR

J. G. Devlin

1907 - 1991

Preview
0689 HISTORIAN

J. C. Beckett

1912 - 1996

Preview
0690 PAINTER

James Ward (Irish artist)

1851 - 1924

Preview
0691 POLITICIAN

Alban Maginness

Born 1950

Preview
0692 BUSINESS

Stephen Fitzpatrick

-

Preview
0693 POLITICIAN

Herbert Kirk

1912 - 2006

Preview
0694 FOOTBALL

Conall Murtagh

Born 1985

Preview
0695 POLITICIAN

Andy Tyrie

Born 1940

Preview
0696 POLITICIAN

Michael Savage (politician)

Born 1960

Preview
0697 WRITER

John Morrow (writer)

1930 - 2014

Preview
0698 DRIVER

Richard Lloyd (racing driver)

1945 - 2008

Preview
0699 ACTOR

Hagan Beggs

1937 - 2016

Preview
0700 POLITICIAN

Brian McConnell, Baron McConnell

1922 - 2000

Preview
0701 THEATRE

Michael Boyd (theatre director)

Born 1955

Preview
0702 ACTOR

Harry Rosenthal

1893 - 1953

Preview
0703 MILITAR

Albert Stewart (rugby union)

1889 - 1917

Preview
0704 PRIEST

Paul McAleenan

Born 1951

Preview
0705 ACTOR

Holly Quin-Ankrah

Born 1987

Preview
0706 PHILOLOGIST

Frank Pierce

1915 - 1999

Preview
0707 PRIEST

Pat Storey

Born 1960

Preview
0708 FOOTBALL

Kevin Braniff

Born 1983

Preview
0709 FOOTBALL

Elliot Morris

Born 1981

Preview
0710 FOOTBALL

Kyle McClean

Born 1998

Preview
0711 FOOTBALL

Eric McMordie

Born 1942

Preview
0712 ACTOR

Rosena Brown

Born 1945

Preview
0713 PLAYER

David Hewitt (rugby union, born 1939)

Born 1939

Preview
0714 CARTOONIST

Malachy Coney

-

Preview
0715 BOTANIST

Arthur Wilson Stelfox

1883 - 1972

Preview
0716 POLITICIAN

Chris Lyttle

Born 1981

Preview
0717 FOOTBALL

Wayne Buchanan

Born 1982

Preview
0718 DESIGNER

Eva McKee

1890 - 1955

Preview
0719 BOXER

Jamie Conlan

Born 1986

Preview
0720 PHOTOGRAPHER

Marcus Robinson (artist)

Born 1959

Preview
0721 MUSIC

Robert Ehrlich

Born 1965

Preview
0722 STATISTICIAN

John Johnston (econometrician)

1923 - 2003

Preview
0723 POLITICIAN

Geraldine Smith

Born 1961

Preview
0724 FOOTBALL

Martin Maybin

Born 1992

Preview
0725 PHYSICIAN

William Tyrrell (RAF officer)

1885 - 1968

Preview
0726 PAINTER

James Bingham

1925 - 2009

Preview
0727 SINGER

Noel Burke

Born 1962

Preview
0728 SINGER

Eddie Friel

Born 1962

Preview
0729 POLITICIAN

Charles Harding Smith

1931 - 1997

Preview
0730 PAINTER

Maurice Canning Wilks

1910 - 1984

Preview
0731 POLITICIAN

Des O'Hagan

1934 - 2015

Preview
0732 MISSIONARY

Samuel Bill

1864 - 1942

Preview
0733 JAZZ

Anthony Kerr

Born 1965

Preview
0734 POLITICIAN

Jonathan Bell (politician)

Born 1970

Preview
0735 PRIEST

John Armstrong (archbishop of Armagh)

1915 - 1987

Preview
0736 ARTIST

Andy McMillan (designer)

Born 1987

Preview
0737 SINGER

H-Dhami

Born 1982

Preview
0738 PHILOSOPHER

Sydney Sparkes Orr

1914 - 1966

Preview
0739 RUNNER

Kevin Seaward

Born 1983

Preview
0740 PRESENTER

Stephen Nolan

Born 1973

Preview
0741 NOVELIST

Linda Leith

-

Preview
0742 FOOTBALL

Pat Reilly

1873 - 1937

Preview
0743 RACER

Walter Rusk

1910 - 1940

Preview
0744 FOOTBALL

Mark Dickson (footballer)

Born 1981

Preview
0745 BOXER

John Kelly (boxer)

1932 - 2016

Preview
0746 SURGEON

Ian Fraser (surgeon)

1901 - 1999

Preview
0747 FOOTBALL

Mick McDermott

Born 1974

Preview
0748 JUMPER

Edward Boyce (athlete)

1913 - 1938

Preview
0749 POLITICIAN

Thomas Moles

1871 - 1937

Preview
0750 TRADE UNION

Billy Hull

Born 1912

Preview
0751 PRESENTER

Gordon Burns

Born 1942

Preview
0752 REPUBLICAN

Patricia Black

1972 - 1991

Preview
0753 SPORT

Connor McConvey

Born 1988

Preview
0754 SINGER

Seamus Kennedy

Born 1964

Preview
0755 REPUBLICAN

Roy Magee

1930 - 2009

Preview
0756 GOLF

Norman Drew

Born 1932

Preview
0757 SINGER

Kaz Hawkins

Born 1973

Preview
0758 MILITAR

Jack Agnew

1922 - 2010

Preview
0759 BOXER

Paddy Maguire (boxer)

Born 1948

Preview
0760 LOYALIST

Mark Haddock

Born 1968

Preview
0761 ANNOUNCER

Julian Simmons

Born 1952

Preview
0762 POLICE

Charles Rafter

1860 - 1935

Preview
0763 ARCHITECT

George Browne (architect)

1811 - 1885

Preview
0764 FOOTBALL

Kim Turner (footballer)

Born 1985

Preview
0765 ACTOR

Omar Sani

Born 1969

Preview
0766 POLITICS

Billy Giles

1957 - 1998

Preview
0767 MAGIC

Billy McComb

1922 - 2006

Preview
0768 POLITICIAN

Michelle McIlveen

Born 1971

Preview
0769 SCULPTOR

Peter Turnerelli

1772 - 1839

Preview
0770 MUSIC

Denis Martin

1920 - 1988

Preview
0771 COMPOSER

Deirdre Gribbin

Born 1967

Preview
0772 FOOTBALL

Jude Winchester

Born 1993

Preview
0773 MANAGER

Harvey McGrath

Born 1951

Preview
0774 WRITER

Derek Fielding

1929 - 2014

Preview
0775 FOOTBALL

Kirk Millar

Born 1992

Preview
0776 SONGWRITER

Dave Lewis (Northern Irish musician)

Born 1951

Preview
0777 MISS

Gemma Garrett

Born 1981

Preview
0778 POLITICIAN

Elizabeth Weir

Born 1948

Preview
0779 PLAYER

Paddy Morgan

Born 1943

Preview
0780 ACTOR

Jonathan Harden

Born 1979

Preview
0781 ACTOR

Patrick O'Kane

Born 1965

Preview
0782 POLITICIAN

Dawn Purvis

Born 1966

Preview
0783 DRIVER

Kevin McGarrity

Born 1973

Preview
0784 POLITICIAN

Mervyn Storey

Born 1964

Preview
0785 THEOLOGIAN

Gregory Collins

Born 1960

Preview
0786 CRICKET

James Shannon (cricketer)

Born 1990

Preview
0787 FOOTBALL

Stephen Baxter (footballer)

Born 1965

Preview
0788 POLITICIAN

Andy Thompson (Canadian politician)

1924 - 2016

Preview
0789 PRODUCER

Ian Masterson

-

Preview
0790 FOOTBALL

Tommy Dickson

1929 - 2007

Preview
0791 POLITICIAN

Thomas Sinclair (politician)

1857 - 1940

Preview
0792 GEOLOGIST

Mary Andrews (geologist)

1854 - 1914

Preview
0793 ACTOR

Tara Lynne O'Neill

Born 1975

Preview
0794 TEACHER

Henry Reichel

1856 - 1931

Preview
0795 NAVY

Dean McFadden

Born 1957

Preview
0796 FOOTBALL

Billy Joe Burns

Born 1989

Preview
0797 HISTORIAN

Thomas Hamilton (university administrator)

1842 - 1926

Preview
0798 OFFICER

John Aiken (RAF officer)

1921 - 2005

Preview
0799 POLITICIAN

Jim Rodgers (politician)

Born 1950

Preview
0800 ACTOR

Paul Loughran

Born 1969

Preview
0801 POLITICIAN

Robin Glendinning

Born 1938

Preview
0802 CRICKET

Rory McCann (cricketer)

Born 1985

Preview
0803 POLITICIAN

Betty Sinclair

1910 - 1981

Preview
0804 PHOTOGRAPHER

Sarah Chinnery

1887 - 1970

Preview
0805 FOOTBALL

Archie Goodall

1864 - 1929

Preview
0806 POLITICIAN

Christopher Stalford

Born 1983

Preview
0807 JUDGE

Donald Murray (judge)

1923 - 2018

Preview
0808 BOXER

Jimmy Warnock

1912 - 1987

Preview
0809 MODEL

Kiera Gormley

-

Preview
0810 FOOTBALL

Gerry McMahon

Born 1973

Preview
0811 SPORT

Martin McKay

1937 - 2007

Preview
0812 ACTOR

Derek Lord

Born 1947

Preview
0813 BASEBALL

P. J. Conlon

Born 1993

Preview
0814 ACTOR

Brian Rooney (actor)

Born 1972

Preview
0815 FOOTBALL

Paddy Hasty

1934 - 2000

Preview
0816 FOOTBALL

Paul McKnight

Born 1977

Preview
0817 POLITICIAN

Dawson Bates

1876 - 1949

Preview
0818 PRODUCER

DJ Mog

Born 1984

Preview
0819 POLITICIAN

Henry Barniville

1887 - 1960

Preview
0820 SPORT

Francis Guy (cyclist)

1885 - 1947

Preview
0821 PRESENTER

Gary McCausland

Born 1968

Preview
0822 FOOTBALL

Billy McAdams

1934 - 2002

Preview
0823 BOXER

Paddy Gallagher (boxer)

Born 1989

Preview
0824 ARMY

Alan McKibbin

1892 - 1958

Preview
0825 NATURALIST

Edmund Getty

1799 - 1857

Preview
0826 FOOTBALL

Cecil Moore (soccer)

Born 1926

Preview
0827 SPORT

Joe Lavery

Died 1915

Preview
0828 THEOLOGIAN

Robin Boyd (theologian)

1924 - 2018

Preview
0829 OPERA

James Johnston (tenor)

1903 - 1991

Preview
0830 FOOTBALL

Jack Hastings

1858 - 1935

Preview
0831 POLITICIAN

Cedric Wilson

Born 1948

Preview
0832 SON

Walter Smiles

1883 - 1953

Preview
0833 SURGEON

Philip Caves

1940 - 1978

Preview
0834 HISTORIAN

William Christopher Atkinson

1902 - 1992

Preview
0835 SPORT

Andrew Watson (racing driver)

Born 1995

Preview
0836 HURDLER

Christine McMahon

Born 1992

Preview
0837 TRADE UNION

John Alexander McCullough

1860 - 1947

Preview
0838 MATHEMATICIAN

Muriel Kennett Wales

1913 - 2009

Preview
0839 ARTIST

Keith Drury (artist)

Born 1964

Preview
0840 BRIGADIER

Jackie McDonald

Born 1947

Preview
0841 SPORT

Séamus Herron

Born 1934

Preview
0842 FOOTBALL

Sam Irving

1893 - 1968

Preview
0843 FOOTBALL

Victor Moreland

Born 1957

Preview
0844 LOYALIST

Stephen McKeag

1970 - 2000

Preview
0845 ACTOR

Sean Caffrey

1940 - 2013

Preview
0846 POLITICIAN

James Patrick Gardner

1883 - 1937

Preview
0847 FOOTBALL

Chris McGrath (footballer)

Born 1954

Preview
0848 REPUBLICAN

Marian Price

Born 1954

Preview
0849 PAINTER

Mercy Hunter

1910 - 1989

Preview
0850 ARMY

Edward Selby Smyth

1819 - 1896

Preview
0851 POET

Elizabeth Shane

1877 - 1951

Preview
0852 REPUBLICAN

Joe McCann

1947 - 1972

Preview
0853 LOYALIST

Joe Bratty

1961 - 1994

Preview
0854 JOURNALIST

John Irvine (journalist)

-

Preview
0855 PLAYER

Dave Young (rugby union)

Born 1985

Preview
0856 ACTOR

John Fegan (actor)

1907 - 1981

Preview
0857 BRIGADIER

Jim Gray (UDA member)

1958 - 2005

Preview
0858 ATHLETIC

Jackie McKernan

Born 1965

Preview
0859 ARCHITECT

Isaac Hodgson (architect)

1826 - 1909

Preview
0860 LINGUIST

Proinsias MacCana

1926 - 2004

Preview
0861 FOOTBALL

Ian Lawther

1939 - 2010

Preview
0862 FOOTBALL

Billy Marshall

1936 - 2007

Preview
0863 BASEBALL

Irish McIlveen

1880 - 1960

Preview
0864 POLITICIAN

Thomas Loftus Cole

1877 - 1961

Preview
0865 ACTOR

Thelma Percy

1903 - 1970

Preview
0866 LOYALIST

Frankie Curry

1955 - 1999

Preview
0867 SPORT

W. F. Magee

-

Preview
0868 POLITICIAN

John White (loyalist)

Born 1950

Preview
0869 JUDGE

Thomas Joseph Campbell

1871 - 1946

Preview
0870 SENTENCED

Bobby Storey

Died 2020

Preview
0871 POLITICIAN

Andy Allen (politician)

Born 1988

Preview
0872 GUITAR

Gordon Blair (musician)

Born 1953

Preview
0873 FOOTBALL

James Sheridan (footballer)

1882 - 1960

Preview
0874 CRICKET

Robert Alexander (rugby union and cricket)

1910 - 1943

Preview
0875 PRIEST

John Hind (bishop in Fukien)

1879 - 1958

Preview
0876 DOUBLE AGENT

Brian Nelson (Northern Irish loyalist)

1949 - 2003

Preview
0877 POLITICIAN

Norman Boyd

Born 1961

Preview
0878 LOYALIST

William Marchant (loyalist)

1948 - 1987

Preview
0879 FOOTBALL

Billy Humphries

Born 1936

Preview
0880 REPUBLICAN

Paul Magee

Born 1948

Preview
0881 POLITICIAN

Alastair Ross

Born 1981

Preview
0882 ARMY

Ivan Neill

1906 - 2001

Preview
0883 ARTIST

John Byrne (Irish artist)

Born 1959

Preview
0884 FOOTBALL

Ronnie Briggs

1943 - 2008

Preview
0885 LOYALIST

Tommy Lyttle

1939 - 1995

Preview
0886 MILITAR

Walter Kirk

1887 - 1961

Preview
0887 ACTIVIST

Mo Courtney

Born 1963

Preview
0888 ROWER

Dave Lemon

Born 1969

Preview
0889 LOYALIST

Robert Bates (loyalist)

1948 - 1997

Preview
0890 POLITICIAN

Judith Cochrane

Born 1975

Preview
0891 ARTIST

Lycia Trouton

Born 1967

Preview
0892 FOOTBALL

Brian Close (footballer)

Born 1982

Preview
0893 PLAYER

Jack Siggins

1909 - 1995

Preview
0894 LIEUTENANT

Jackie Coulter (loyalist)

1954 - 2000

Preview
0895 FOOTBALL

Bill Collins (footballer, born 1920)

1920 - 2010

Preview
0896 POLITICIAN

Clare Bailey

Born 1970

Preview
0897 FOOTBALL

Chris Morrow

Born 1985

Preview
0898 PARATROOPER

Davy Payne

1949 - 2003

Preview
0899 FOOTBALL

Seamus Heath

Born 1961

Preview
0900 POLITICIAN

Joanne Bunting

Born 1974

Preview