Top 10 famous Irish People


 

It is said that the Irish are born creative. Whether myth or fact, this list of the top 10 famous Irish people has many creatives. Irish people (as with most groups) enjoy their own customs, cuisine, language, music, sports, and other ways of life unique to them. Lets explore Irish people known within and outside of their borders that also sheds light onto the people of Ireland.

1. Ian Paisley

Ian Paisley- Wikimedia Commons

Northern Ireland has had its troubles, mostly around factional conflict, and Ian Paisley was a well-known controversial Irish politician during this time. He was the first Minister of Northern Ireland and also the founder and leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP); he was famous for the latter.

Ian Paisley is a classic example of church and politics integration- he was successful at politics as he was in church leadership- Paisley was an ordained minister of the Baptist church. He founded the Martyrs Memorial Free Presbyterian Church in Belfast and his leadership in politics and religion was relevant at a time when many Irish Protestants were uncertain about their constitutional identity and feared for their physical security.

This revolutionary leader had a large following. He used parliamentary opposition and extra-parliamentary street protests to achieve his agendas. Paisley resigned from active politics and church leadership and became a life peer.

2. Sharon Shannon

Sharon Shannon-Wikimedia Commons

Sharon Shannon’s fiddle technique is revered in folk music circles. She is a Celtic folk musician with incomparable talent with the button accordion. Shannon won the award for the best- selling album of traditional Irish music ever released in Ireland, in 1991. She also won the 2009 lifetime achievement Meteor Award.

An accomplished musician in Ireland, Sharon Shannon also plays the tin whistle and melodeon, instruments with unique tones and effects. Her career began at the tender age of 8 with performances as part of a band.

3. Michael Collins

Michael Collins- by Agence Meurisse- Wikimedia Commons

Michael Collins is arguably the most influential person in Irish history. He was an Irish statesman who was part of 1916 Irish rising which resulted in his becoming the Director of Intelligence for the IRA, Minister for Finance, Commander in Chief of the National Army, and Chairman of the Provisional Government. These many titles and responsibilities are a testament to Collins’ capabilities.

Michael Collins died in 1922 in the Irish Civil War but his legacy still lives on. He is considered a hero of the Irish struggle for independence. His strategy and tact directing guerrilla warfare during the intensification of the 1919 to 1921 Anglo Irish war ensured he forever remains an important part of Irish history.  He also held various government positions.

4. Mary Robinson

Mary Robinson- Wikimedia Commons

Mary Robinson holds the prestigious title of Ireland’s first female president- she was Ireland’s 7th president, a lawyer and diplomat. Perhaps it came naturally that she would be interested in, and take the presidency given her interest in politics and career path. She was a proponent of human rights- the first president to visit Somalia after the civil war and famine, as well as Rwanda after the genocide.

Robinson’s walk to the presidency was characterized by her mobilization of a liberal constituency and merging it with a more conservative one. As president, she was lauded for positively contributing to the transformation of Ireland into a modern country. She took on a more prominent role as president, than her predecessors did.

5. Conor McGregor

Conor McGregor- Wikimedia Commons

McGregor is one of the world’s famous professional mixed martial arts fighters. He began boxing at a young age and made his debut in martial arts and in professional boxing at ages 18 and 19 respectively. McGregor’s wins throughout his career are mostly via knockout or technical knockout, also considered his best skill. He is a left-handed fighter, inspired by Muhammad Ali, the great as well as Bruce Lee.

One of Conor McGregor’s famous and richest fights that was watched by many in the world was that against the undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr. Despite Mayweather’s win via knockout, McGregor held his own in this fight.

Conor McGregor has many titles, wins, and awards to his name such as those by the World MMA Awards that crowned him fighter of the year and international fighter of the year. He was named one of the top 100 most influential people in 2017 by Time magazine, Fox Sports’ fighter of the year among other accolades by sporting institutions.

6. Katie Taylor

Katie Taylor- Wikimedia Commons

She is the most famous female boxer in the world who started boxing at age 11, thanks to her fathers’ coaching- he was a senior light heavyweight champion boxer. Taylor is one of only eight boxers in history, female or male, to hold all four major world titles in boxing at the same time.

Katie Taylor is credited with putting women’s boxing in Ireland and in the world on the map, and has a colorful boxing career. She is an aggressive boxer who is yet to lose a fight. She won five consecutive gold medals at the Women’s World Championship and won gold five times at the European Union Championships. Additionally, Taylor walked away with gold six times at the European Championships- she bore Ireland’s flag at the 2012 London Olympics opening ceremony.

7. Paul David Hewson

Bono- by Web Summit- Wikimedia Commons

Popularly known by his stage name, Bono, Paul David Hewson is an Irish Musician that was the lead lyricist for his band U2. Amongst his titles is singer, songwriter, philanthropist, activist, actor, and businessman.

Perhaps one of Bono’s greatest honors is the 2007 NBC Nightly News honor- he was regarded as being someone making a difference in the world. His work around ending world poverty and hunger made him more than a regular artist. He has a man of Peace award to his name as well as honors from the government.

Bono’s musical journey began when he was in high school when he joined the band U2- he was the lead singer. It is through this platform that Bono has aided causes such as AIDS and world poverty.

8. James Joyce

James Joyce- by Harris-Ewing collection- Wikimedia Commons

James Joyce is one of the most important and influential writers in Ireland. He is also world-renowned and is regarded as one of the most important writers of the 20th century. He explored new frontiers in writing- he experimented with language in his writing and also explored new literary methods in his works of fiction.

Despite a difficult childhood in a poverty-stricken family, Joyce was smart. He studied widely and prided himself on reading widely. His first literary work was published when he was only 18 years old. He traveled widely as he tried to make ends meet and build a career, and tried his hand at several diverse professions.

James Joyce has been an inspiration to Irish writers that came after him as well as other international writers.

9. Oscar Wilde

Oscar Wilde- by Sarony Napoleon- Wikimedia Commons

Oscar Wilde is an Irish renowned playwright and poet whose works are celebrated around the world. One of his works, a novel, drew a lot of attention to him. It was as good as it was controversial! He might have gotten his creative streak from his mother who was a poet and linguist. His father was a respected doctor; Wilde came from a prominent family.

Most of Wilde’s literary work was done towards the end of the 1880s. ‘The Happy Prince and Other Tales”, “Intentions” as well as his big one “The picture of Dorian Gray” were all done in this period.

Wilde was also stylish and stood out in his everyday wear. He loved knee-breeches, black stockings in silk, and velvet jackets. He did leave quite an impression in America and took his experience in America to Great Britain.

Oscar Wilde was nothing conventional in his work nor life. Of life, one of Wilde’s sayings is “We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.”

10. Maeve Binchy

Maeve Binchy- Wikimedia Commons

Her humorous depiction of life in Ireland in the small towns in her writing made her such an epic and relatable writer. The surprise endings in her stories were the icing on the cake. She was Ireland’s sweetheart where writing was involved and a treasure. Internationally recognized, Binchy made it to the New York Times bestseller list and on the prestigious Oprah’s Book Club. She also achieved numerous awards for her work such as the British Book Award for Lifetime Achievement. People of the Year Award, and Irish Book Award for Lifetime Achievement, among others.

Binchy was bold- she once wrote to the then-president requesting to be received! She wrote this during her time at The Irish Times in London. She was hard to miss as a person and more importantly as a writer.

These top 10 famous Irish people were respected and are remembered for their craft, way of life, and impact on Irish history. From art, politics, literature, and many more spheres, Irelands famous people are truly inspirational.

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