Global Leaderboard 50 in view

Most Famous Irish Athletes

Sports 375
Ireland 1,143
5,568 RK Roy Keane Roy Keane Irish Football b. 1971
15,736 SR Stephen Roche Stephen Roche Irish Sport b. 1959
16,453 CM Conor McGregor Conor McGregor Irish Martial Art b. 1988
19,116 SG Shay Given Shay Given Irish Football b. 1976
23,690 DD Damien Duff Damien Duff Irish Football b. 1979
27,413 KD Kevin Doyle Kevin Doyle Irish Football b. 1983
28,749 SL Shane Long Shane Long Irish Football b. 1987
29,945 JW Jonathan Walters Jonathan Walters Irish Football b. 1983
30,264 TC Tony Cascarino Tony Cascarino Irish Football b. 1962
34,946 SC Séamus Coleman Séamus Coleman Irish Football b. 1988
48,068 MS Michelle Smith Irish Swimmer b. 1969
50,504 CS Cillian Sheridan Cillian Sheridan Irish Football b. 1989
53,578 PM Paul McShane (footballer) Paul McShane (footballer) Irish Football b. 1986
69,810 BM Barry McGuigan Barry McGuigan Irish Boxer b. 1961
76,613 SO Sonia O'Sullivan Sonia O'Sullivan Irish Runner b. 1969
80,243 PD Philip Deignan Philip Deignan Irish Sport b. 1983
93,078 ND Nonpareil Dempsey Nonpareil Dempsey Irish Boxer 1862–1895
93,198 GD Gary Doherty Gary Doherty Irish Football b. 1980
94,942 PB Packie Bonner Irish Football b. 1960
97,398 RB Rory Best Rory Best Irish Player b. 1982
104,628 JT Josh Taylor (boxer) Josh Taylor (boxer) Irish Boxer b. 1991
125,170 BT Bob Tisdall Bob Tisdall Irish Athletic 1907–2004
139,184 EB Emma Byrne Emma Byrne Irish Football b. 1979
145,061 JH John Hayes (rugby union) John Hayes (rugby union) Irish Player b. 1973
167,118 VM Velvet McIntyre Velvet McIntyre Irish Wrestler b. 1962
176,619 PO Paul O'Donovan Paul O'Donovan Irish Rower b. 1994
187,945 M( Mary (Lady Heath) Mary (Lady Heath) Irish Athletic 1896–1939
194,591 SB Shane Byrne (rugby union) Irish Player b. 1971
200,144 SM Sean Murray (footballer (Born 1993)) Sean Murray (footballer (Born 1993)) Irish Football b. 1993
201,479 MY Mark Yeates Mark Yeates Irish Football b. 1985
205,761 KL Kevin Lynch (hunger striker) Kevin Lynch (hunger striker) Irish Football 1957–1981
214,992 WH Willoughby Hamilton Willoughby Hamilton Irish Player 1864–1943
215,707 GO Gillian O'Sullivan Irish Athletic b. 1976
218,952 CM Carl McHugh Irish Football b. 1993
223,242 FM Frank Murphy (runner) Irish Runner 1947–2017
234,327 GL George Lyttleton-Rogers George Lyttleton-Rogers Irish Player 1906–1962
242,153 EO Eddie O'Sullivan Eddie O'Sullivan Irish Player b. 1958
258,509 CR Christy Ring Christy Ring Irish Hurler 1920–1979
259,404 PH Paul Hession Paul Hession Irish Sprint b. 1983
259,585 DS Daryl Smylie Irish Football b. 1985
273,760 MC Mabel Cahill Mabel Cahill Irish Player 1863–1905
277,876 GC Graham Carey Graham Carey Irish Football b. 1989
293,070 JB Jonah Barrington (squash player) Irish Player b. 1941
303,735 MK Michael Kinane Michael Kinane Irish Jockey b. 1959
305,956 AF Anthony Forde (footballer) Anthony Forde (footballer) Irish Football b. 1993
306,035 TB Tommy Bond (baseball) Tommy Bond (baseball) Irish Baseball 1856–1941
310,742 BJ Bernard Jackman Bernard Jackman Irish Player b. 1976
327,743 EK Eddie Keher Irish Hurler b. 1941
333,022 ED Eddie Dunbar Eddie Dunbar Irish Sport b. 1996
336,953 DM David McMillan (footballer) David McMillan (footballer) Irish Football b. 1988
See all 152,953 rankings →

Ranked by cross-verified academic notability — how it works

By the numbers

Inside Ireland Athletes

375 notable people in this slice of the dataset.

Through the Decades

One face per decade — the most globally famous ireland athletes born in each.

Notable Births by Decade

Notable births among Ireland Athletes peaked in the 1980s with 71 people.

What Ireland Athletes Are Known For

Click any row to drill into that filter.

Hurler are Ireland Athletes's biggest group — 38% of all notables (142).

Ireland Athletes over-index on hurler — 396.7× the global rate.

  1. Hurler142
  2. Football128
  3. Player24
  4. Gaelic Football21
  5. Sport12
  6. Boxer10
  7. Cricket7
  8. Athletic6
  1. Hurler142396.7×
  2. Gaelic Football21389.3×
  3. Player246.9×
  4. Boxer106.7×
  5. Football1283.7×
  6. Cricket72.3×
  7. Sport121.9×
  8. Athletic61.7×

City Hot Spots

Cities that over-produce Ireland Athletes compared to the world average — multiplier shows how much more.