Global Leaderboard 100 in view

Most Famous People from Ireland

All 152,953
Ireland 1,143
246 JJ James Joyce James Joyce Irish Poet 1882–1941
630 PB Pierce Brosnan Pierce Brosnan Irish Actor b. 1953
735 PO Peter O'Toole Peter O'Toole Irish Actor 1932–2013
859 WB W. B. Yeats W. B. Yeats Irish Poet 1865–1939
1,344 RH Richard Harris Richard Harris Irish Actor 1930–2002
1,423 SO Sinéad O'Connor Sinéad O'Connor Irish Singer b. 1966
1,508 MF Michael Fassbender Michael Fassbender Irish Actor b. 1977
1,594 MO Maureen O'Hara Maureen O'Hara Irish Film 1920–2015
1,609 RB Robert Boyle Robert Boyle Irish Physicist 1627–1691
1,730 BS Bram Stoker Bram Stoker Irish Writer 1847–1912
1,749 GB George Berkeley George Berkeley Irish Philosopher 1685–1753
2,025 E Enya Enya Irish Singer b. 1961
2,260 SH Seamus Heaney Seamus Heaney Irish Playwright 1939–2013
2,312 MC Michael Collins (Irish leader) Michael Collins (Irish leader) Irish Politician 1890–1922
2,517 CM Cillian Murphy Cillian Murphy Irish Actor b. 1976
2,738 BG Bob Geldof Bob Geldof Irish Singer b. 1951
2,747 SP Saint Patrick Saint Patrick Irish Cleric 385–461
2,827 DO Dolores O'Riordan Dolores O'Riordan Irish Music 1971–2018
5,033 LH Lafcadio Hearn Lafcadio Hearn Irish Writer 1850–1904
5,265 SM Spike Milligan Spike Milligan Irish Screenwriter 1918–2002
5,286 RG Rory Gallagher Rory Gallagher Irish Singer 1948–1995
5,300 MO Maureen O'Sullivan Irish Actor 1911–1998
5,450 MR Mary Robinson Mary Robinson Irish Lawyer b. 1944
5,568 RK Roy Keane Roy Keane Irish Football b. 1971
5,614 NH Niall Horan Niall Horan Irish Singer b. 1993
6,562 LS Laurence Sterne Laurence Sterne Irish Writer 1713–1768
7,403 CS Charles Stewart Parnell Charles Stewart Parnell Irish Politician 1846–1891
7,437 MM Martin McGuinness Martin McGuinness Irish Politician 1950–2017
7,449 LM Lola Montez Lola Montez Irish Dancer 1821–1861
7,470 AC Andrea Corr Andrea Corr Irish Singer b. 1974
7,478 DO Daniel O'Connell Daniel O'Connell Irish Politician 1775–1847
7,755 LC Liam Cunningham Liam Cunningham Irish Actor b. 1961
7,877 JB John Banville John Banville Irish Screenwriter b. 1945
7,996 C Columba Columba Irish Monk 521–597
8,035 JS John Scotus Eriugena John Scotus Eriugena Irish Philosopher 810–877
8,071 NJ Neil Jordan Neil Jordan Irish Film b. 1950
8,279 OG Oliver Goldsmith Oliver Goldsmith Irish Novelist 1728–1774
8,969 CT Colm Tóibín Colm Tóibín Irish Poet b. 1955
8,991 B Brendan Brendan Irish Saint 484–578
9,380 CD Chris de Burgh Chris de Burgh Irish Singer b. 1948
9,789 RM Róisín Murphy Róisín Murphy Irish Singer b. 1973
10,085 KM Katie McGrath Katie McGrath Irish Actor b. 1983
11,574 C Columbanus Columbanus Irish Monk 542–615
12,057 H( Hozier (musician) Irish Singer b. 1990
12,203 JM John Millington Synge John Millington Synge Irish Playwright 1871–1909
12,237 SM Shane MacGowan Shane MacGowan Irish Music b. 1957
12,295 BO Brigid of Kildare Brigid of Kildare Irish Nun 451–525
12,310 BB Brian Boru Brian Boru Irish King 941–1014
12,345 ST Stuart Townsend Stuart Townsend Irish Actor b. 1972
12,719 MB Maeve Binchy Irish Writer 1940–2012
13,243 AT Aidan Turner Aidan Turner Irish Actor b. 1983
13,729 CC Cyril Cusack Irish Actor 1910–1993
13,738 EL Evanna Lynch Evanna Lynch Irish Actor b. 1991
13,963 RC Richard Cantillon Irish Economist 1680–1734
14,164 RS Robert Sheehan Robert Sheehan Irish Actor b. 1988
14,300 DH Douglas Hyde Douglas Hyde Irish Poet 1860–1949
14,759 JL Johnny Logan (singer) Johnny Logan (singer) Irish Singer b. 1954
15,234 A( Augusta (Lady Gregory) Augusta (Lady Gregory) Irish Drama 1852–1932
15,356 EO Edna O'Brien Edna O'Brien Irish Screenwriter b. 1930
15,694 WT William Trevor Irish Screenwriter 1928–2016
15,736 SR Stephen Roche Stephen Roche Irish Sport b. 1959
16,055 BO Brian O'Nolan Irish Writer 1911–1966
16,453 CM Conor McGregor Conor McGregor Irish Martial Art b. 1988
16,499 EW Ernest Walton Ernest Walton Irish Physicist 1903–1995
16,656 EK Enda Kenny Enda Kenny Irish Politician b. 1951
17,236 JO Jason O'Mara Jason O'Mara Irish Actor b. 1972
17,343 JM Joseph Murphy (author) Irish Writer 1898–1981
17,672 ME Maria Edgeworth Maria Edgeworth Irish Writer 1768–1849
17,736 AB Anne Bonny Anne Bonny Irish Pirate 1702–1782
18,640 EC Elaine Cassidy Elaine Cassidy Irish Actor b. 1979
19,116 SG Shay Given Shay Given Irish Football b. 1976
19,123 GB George Brent George Brent Irish Actor 1899–1979
19,636 RM Richard Montgomery Richard Montgomery Irish Officer 1738–1775
19,801 GO Grace O'Malley Grace O'Malley Irish Pirate 1530–1603
20,350 MG Maud Gonne Irish Revolutionary 1866–1953
21,087 GM George Moore (novelist) George Moore (novelist) Irish Poet 1852–1933
21,518 LH Lisa Hannigan Lisa Hannigan Irish Singer b. 1981
22,408 GF Garret FitzGerald Garret FitzGerald Irish Politician 1926–2011
22,474 LO Liam O'Flaherty Liam O'Flaherty Irish Screenwriter 1896–1984
23,448 WO William Orpen William Orpen Irish Painter 1878–1931
23,690 DD Damien Duff Damien Duff Irish Football b. 1979
24,344 KC Kerry Condon Kerry Condon Irish Actor b. 1983
24,428 JT John Toland John Toland Irish Philosopher 1670–1722
24,559 PK Patrick Kavanagh Patrick Kavanagh Irish Writer 1904–1967
25,872 ND Ninette de Valois Ninette de Valois Irish Ballet 1898–2001
26,413 MM Mary Mallon Mary Mallon Irish Cook 1869–1938
27,413 KD Kevin Doyle Kevin Doyle Irish Football b. 1983
28,371 PH Patrick Hillery Patrick Hillery Irish Politician 1923–2008
28,749 SL Shane Long Shane Long Irish Football b. 1987
29,389 BC Brian Cowen Brian Cowen Irish Politician b. 1960
29,845 DA Dave Allen (comedian) Dave Allen (comedian) Irish Actor 1936–2005
29,945 JW Jonathan Walters Jonathan Walters Irish Football b. 1983
30,264 TC Tony Cascarino Tony Cascarino Irish Football b. 1962
30,619 JL John Lynch (actor) John Lynch (actor) Irish Screenwriter b. 1961
30,657 WB William Brown (admiral) William Brown (admiral) Irish Militar 1777–1857
30,941 SL Seán Lemass Seán Lemass Irish Politician 1899–1971
31,160 AP Art Parkinson Irish Actor b. 2001
31,473 GW George William Russell Irish Poet 1867–1935
32,339 CM Christy Moore Christy Moore Irish Singer b. 1945
32,380 OP Oliver Plunkett Oliver Plunkett Irish Priest 1629–1681
See all 152,953 rankings →

Ranked by cross-verified academic notability — how it works

By the numbers

Inside Ireland

1,143 notable people in this slice of the dataset.

Through the Centuries

One face per century — the most globally famous figure born in Ireland during each.

Notable Births by Decade

Notable births in Ireland peaked in the 1940s with 98 people.

What Ireland Is Known For

Click any row to drill into that filter.

Sports is Ireland's biggest group — 33% of all notables (375).

Ireland over-indexes on sports — 1.5× the global rate.

Ireland under-produces art & design — only 0.4× the global rate.

  1. Sports375
  2. Politics & Law211
  3. Writing106
  4. Religion87
  5. Film & TV86
  6. Music84
  7. Other72
  8. Science43
  1. Sports3751.5×
  1. Art & Design250.4×
  2. Science430.5×
  3. Military290.6×

Profession Mix Over Time

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

  • Sports
  • Politics & Law
  • Writing
  • Religion
  • Film & TV
  • Music
  • Other

Datelines

The biggest birthplaces of fame — every city is a doorway.