51.8981° N, 8.4688° W

CORK

Most Famous People Born in Cork, Ireland

Notable people
813
Peak decade
1980s
Median birth year
1951
Most distinctive
Camogie 305.7×

One of the purest GAA fingerprints on the site. The Camogie, Hurler and Gaelic Football counts run at roughly three hundred, two hundred and one hundred and fifty times the global baseline respectively — the county's century-long rivalries with Kilkenny and Tipperary rendered as statistics. Off the pitch, a thick Author bench carries Frank O'Connor and the Munster short-story tradition.

Through the Decades

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

Notable Births by Decade

Click a decade to filter the list below. Peak: 1980s with 110 notable births.

What Cork Is Known For

Click any row to filter the list of people below.

Hurler is Cork's biggest profession — 20% of all notables (164).

Cork over-indexes on camogie — 305.7× the global rate.

Cork under-produces actor — only 0.5× the global rate.

  1. Hurler164
  2. Football153
  3. Politician70
  4. Player64
  5. Camogie27
  6. Actor23
  7. Writer16
  8. Sport16
  1. Camogie27305.7×
  2. Hurler164232.4×
  3. Gaelic Football16148.4×
  4. Player644.0×
  5. Judge82.1×
  6. Football1531.7×
  7. Author111.6×
  8. Militar151.5×
  1. Actor230.5×
  2. Writer160.6×

Profession Mix Over Time

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

160016501700175018001850190019502000
  • Sports
  • Politics & Law
  • Writing
  • Film & TV
  • Art & Design
  • Military
  • Other
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Showing 41 of 813 notable people

0003 ACTOR

Edward Mulhare

1923 - 1997

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0022 ARTIST

Danny La Rue

1927 - 2009

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0058 FOOTBALL

Frank O'Farrell

Born 1927

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0059 DRIVER

Duncan Hamilton (racing driver)

1920 - 1994

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0071 ACTOR

Niall Tóibín

1929 - 2019

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0097 POLITICIAN

Peter Barry

1928 - 2016

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0105 ACTOR

Patrick Galvin

1927 - 2011

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0125 CHEF

Myrtle Allen

1924 - 2018

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0140 POET

Seán Ó Tuama

1926 - 2006

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0284 TELEVISION

Liam Ó Murchú

1929 - 2015

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0302 POLITICIAN

Pearse Wyse

1928 - 2009

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0321 WRITER

W. Howard Baker

1925 - 1991

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0325 FOOTBALL

Don Donovan

1929 - 2013

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0341 PLAYER

Jim McCarthy (rugby)

1925 - 2015

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0358 POLITICIAN

John N. Ross

1920 - 2011

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0483 PLAYER

Bertie O'Hanlon

Born 1924

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0497 HURLER

Seán Condon

1923 - 2001

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0516 HURLER

John Lyons (hurler)

1923 - 2005

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0525 HURLER

Mick Kennefick

1924 - 1982

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0539 FOOTBALL

Tommy Moroney

1923 - 1981

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0540 HURLER

Tom Mulcahy

1923 - 2009

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0569 SPORT

Karl McCarthy

Born 1928

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0579 JUDGE

Niall McCarthy (judge)

1925 - 1992

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0589 HURLER

Vincy Twomey

1929 - 1993

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0599 FOOTBALL

Jackie O'Driscoll

1921 - 1988

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0609 HURLER

Paddy Hayes (hurler)

Born 1921

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0613 HURLER

Joe Kelly (hurler)

1923 - 1994

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0618 FOOTBALL

Freddie Kearns

1927 - 1987

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0622 FOOTBALL

Peter Desmond

1926 - 1990

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0641 HURLER

Mossy O'Riordan

1926 - 2008

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0645 HURLER

Jimmy Lynam

Born 1925

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0658 HURLER

Jim Morrison (hurler)

Born 1923

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0672 HURLER

Josie Hartnett

1927 - 2005

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0714 HURLER

Bernie Murphy

Born 1923

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0737 KATHOLISCHER

Thomas Kevin O’Brien

1923 - 2004

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0752 HURLER

Seán O'Brien (hurler)

Born 1926

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0755 CAMOGIE

Lil Kirby

1921 - 1987

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0766 PLAYER

Mick Lane (rugby union)

Born 1926

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0772 HURLER

Derry Hayes

1920 - 2005

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0807 HURLER

Jerry O'Riordan

1925 - 1987

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0810 WRITER

Martin Collins (Autor)

Born 1928

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