List of Limerick people
This is a list of notable people who are from Limerick city or county , Ireland , or have strong associations with either.
Arts
Malachy McCourt
Catherine Hayes, soprano
G. E. M. Anscombe , English philosopher and theologian , born in Limerick
Kevin Barry , author, born in Limerick in 1969
Tomás de Bhaldraithe (1916–1996), Irish language scholar and lexicographer
David Noel Bourke , screenwriter and film director
Máire Bradshaw , poet and publisher
Vincent Browne , journalist and broadcaster
Mairead Buicke , opera singer
Jimmy Carr , comedian and writer
Denise Chaila , rapper
David Chambers , aka Blindboy Boatclub, satirist, musician, podcaster, author, and TV presenter
Tony Clarkin , actor of stage, television, radio, film; voice-over artist
Michael Curtin , author
Cliodhna Cussen , sculptor
Lawrence Doheny , writer, producer, director of Six Million Dollar Man and Magnum PI
Desmond FitzGerald, 29th Knight of Glin , President of the Irish Georgian Society
David Gleeson , writer and director of the feature films Cowboys & Angels and The Front Line
Richard Graves , theological scholar and author
Gerald Griffin (1803–1840), novelist, poet and playwright
Richard Harris , actor
Catherine Hayes , soprano
Mike Hogan , member of pop band The Cranberries
Noel Hogan , member of pop band The Cranberries
Celia Holman Lee , model agent and TV presenter
Richard D. James aka Aphex Twin, electronic musician
Charles Johnstone , novelist
Patrick Weston Joyce , historian, music-collector, onomastician, and lexicographer
Robert Dwyer Joyce , poet, song-writer, Fenian, and physician
Sean Keating , painter
Jon Kenny , member of D'unbelievables comedy duo; regular member of the Father Ted series
Emma Langford , folk singer-songwriter
Fergal Lawler , member of pop band The Cranberries
Gearóid Mac Eoin , academic whose studies have focused on aspects of Irish language, literature and history
Ciaran MacMathuna , broadcaster and musicologist
Alphie McCourt , author of A Long Stones Throw , Heartscald (The Soulswimmer , US title)
Frank McCourt , author of Angela's Ashes , 'Tis and Teacher Man
Malachy McCourt , actor and writer
Conor McNamara , sports commentator
Tyron Montgomery , Oscar-winning film director
Leanne Moore , singer and TV presenter
Ruth Negga , film and TV actress
Kate O'Brien , author
Emma O'Driscoll , member of pop band Six ; television presenter
Críostóir Ó Floinn , poet and playwright
Daragh O'Malley , leading stage and TV actor, star of ITV's Sharpe TV series.
Dolores O'Riordan , member of pop band The Cranberries
Matthew Potter , author
Arthur Quinlan , local journalist formerly based at Shannon Airport for the Irish Times
Liam Redmond , stage, TV and film actor, active from the 1940s to the 1970s
The Rubberbandits , comedy hip-hop duo
Darren Shan , internationally published children's author
Sharon Slater , author
Constance Smith , Hollywood actress of the 1950s
Bill Whelan , Grammy Award-winning composer of Riverdance and many other works
Terry Wogan , presenter on BBC radio and television
Business
Sir Thomas Cleeve
Science
Laurence Cussen , East India Company surveyor who triangulated the Auckland Province (1876), photographed Māori (1884) and published research in the colony of New Zealand .[ 1]
William Henry Harvey , algae botanist, born Summerville, County Limerick[ 2]
Lady Mary Heath , pioneering aviator who flew from Cape Town to London (1928) and set records for altitude in a light aircraft (1927). The first female to complete a mechanic qualification in the US, parachute from an aeroplane (1927) and have a commercial pilot licence in Britain (1927)
John Philip Holland , invented the submarine (1881).
Mary McCoy , Irish nurse who served during the American Civil War at the Battle of Fair Oaks and met President Lincoln .
Cliona O’Farrelly , immunologist at Trinity College Dublin
Sylvester O'Halloran , invented cataract surgery (1750)
Michael O'Shaughnessy , designed the San Francisco streetcar system (1927), the O'Shaughnessy Dam (1923) and the Hetch Hetchy Aqueduct (1923).
William Brooke O'Shaughnessy , early anaesthetist who introduced the therapeutic use of cannabis to Western medicine (1838), pioneered intravenous fluid therapy to treat cholera (1831) and established a telegraph system in India (1852).
Politics
Michael D. Higgins
Serena Armstrong-Jones, Countess of Snowdon , wife of the Earl of Snowdon , and member, by marriage, of the extended British Royal Family
James P. Boyd , businessman and politician in Ontario, Canada
Kathleen Clarke (1878-1972), First Lady Mayoress of Dublin, widow of Tom Clarke
Niall Collins , Irish politician
Stephen Coughlan (Labour ), TD 1961–77; Mayor of Limerick 1951–52, 1969–70
Pat Cox , TD 1992–94; MEP 1989–2004; President of the European Parliament 2002–04
Éamon de Valera (Fianna Fáil ), TD ; Taoiseach ; President of Ireland ; raised in Bruree , County Limerick
Frances Fitzgerald
Michael D. Higgins , elected President of Ireland in 2011.
Jim Kemmy (Labour and Democratic Socialist Party ), TD 1981–1982, 1987–1997; Mayor of Limerick 1991–92, 1995–96
Michael Lipper (Labour ), TD 1977–81; Mayor of Limerick 1973–74
Michael Noonan (Fine Gael ), TD 1981–present; former Leader of Fine Gael ; Minister for Justice , Minister for Health
Dan Neville
Tom Neville
Willie O'Dea (Fianna Fáil), TD , 1982–present; Minister for Defence
Kieran O'Donnell
Desmond O'Malley (Fianna Fáil and Progressive Democrats ), TD , 1968–2002; founder and Leader of the Progressive Democrats
Donogh O'Malley (Fianna Fáil), TD 1954–1968; Minister for Health and Minister for Education
Tim O'Malley (Progressive Democrats ), TD 2002–2007, Minister of State for Health
Jan O'Sullivan (Labour ), TD 1998–present; Mayor of Limerick 1993–94
Peter Power , TD for Limerick East (2002–2011), Overseas Development minister (2008–2011), born in Limerick
Patrick L. Quinlan (1883–1948), Irish-American radical journalist and political activist, born in Limerick
Sport
Steve Finnan
Paul O'Connell
Tim Ahearne , athlete; Olympic gold medallist with Great Britain and Ireland – triple jump (1908)
Tom Aherne , soccer player; Limerick FC ; Luton Town FC ; Republic of Ireland (16 Caps)
Richie Bennis , hurler ; Patrickswell ; Limerick ; 1 GAA All Stars Awards ; 1 All-Ireland – 1973
Ciarán Carey , hurler; Patrickswell; Limerick; 3 GAA All Stars Awards;
Peter Clohessy , rugby player; Young Munster ; Munster ; Ireland (54 Caps)
Eamonn Cregan , hurler; Claughan; Limerick; 3 GAA All Stars Awards; 1 All-Ireland – 1973
Tim Cuneen , soccer player; Limerick FC; Coleraine FC ; Republic of Ireland (1 Cap)
Sean Cusack , soccer player; Limerick FC; Republic of Ireland (1 Cap)
Keith Earls , rugby player; Young Munster; Munster; Ireland (65 Caps); British and Irish Lions
Leonard Enright , hurler; Patrickswell; Limerick; 3 GAA All Stars Awards
Connie Finnan , darts player; Garryowen; World Grand Prix Last 16: 2013
Steve Finnan , soccer player; Liverpool F.C. ; Republic of Ireland (50 Caps)
Al Finucane , soccer player; Limerick FC; Waterford United FC ; Republic of Ireland (11 Caps)
Kevin Fitzpatrick , soccer player; Limerick FC; Republic of Ireland (1 Cap)
John Flanagan , athlete; 3 time Olympic gold medallist with the US in the hammer throw (1900, 1904, 1908)
Jerry Flannery , rugby player; Shannon RFC ; Munster; Ireland (21 Caps)
Anthony Foley , rugby player; Shannon RFC; Munster Rugby; Ireland (62 Caps); European Rugby Cup winning captain – Munster, 2006
Mark Foley , hurler; Adare ; Limerick; 2 GAA All-Stars Awards
Seán Foley , hurler; Patrickswell; Limerick; 1 All-Ireland – 1973; 1 GAA All Stars Awards
Johnny Gavin , soccer player; Limerick FC; Norwich City FC ; Tottenham Hotspur FC ; Watford FC ; Crystal Palace FC ; Republic of Ireland (7 Caps)
Tommy Gaynor , soccer player; Limerick FC; Shamrock Rovers FC ; Dundalk ; Nottingham Forest ; Millwall ; Cork City ; Bohemians ; Athlone Town ; Kilkenny City ; PFAI Player of the Year 1984/85
Don Givens , soccer player; Irish international 1969–81
Eamonn Grimes , hurler; South Liberties ; Limerick; 2 GAA All Stars Awards; All-Ireland winning captain 1973; Texaco Hurler of the Year, 1973
Pat Hartigan , hurler; South Liberties; Limerick; 1 All-Ireland – 1973; 5 GAA All Stars Awards
John Hayes , rugby player; Bruff RFC ; Shannon RFC; Munster; Ireland (84 Caps)
Willie Hayes , soccer player; Limerick FC; Torquay United FC ; Wrexham FC ; Republic of Ireland (1 Cap)
Marcus Horan , rugby player; Shannon RFC; Munster; Ireland (56 Caps)
Mike Houlihan , hurler; Kilmallock ; Limerick; 2 GAA All-Stars Awards
Des Kennedy , soccer player; Limerick FC; Galway United FC
Gary Kirby , hurler; Patrickswell; Limerick; 4 GAA All Stars Awards
Con Leahy , athlete, Olympic Medallist with Great Britain & Ireland – high jump silver (1908)
Patrick Leahy , athlete, Olympic Medallist with Great Britain & Ireland – high jump silver (1900), long jump bronze (1904)
Andy Lee , boxer ; St. Francis' Boxing Club; European Amateur Boxing Championships – bronze (2002), silver (2004), WBO Middleweight Champion
Becky Lynch , professional wrestler; currently signed under WWE in the Raw brand
Sam Lynch , rower ; St. Michael's Rowing Club; Ireland; World Champion Single Sculler 2000 & 2001
John Mackey , hurler; Ahane ; Limerick; 3 All-Irelands – 1934, 1936 and 1940
Mick Mackey , hurler; Ahane; Limerick; 3 All-Irelands – 1934, 1936 and 1940; GAA Hurling Team of the Millennium
Ger McDonnell , mountaineer; first Irishman to summit K-2
Joe McKenna , hurler; South Liberties; Limerick; 1 All-Ireland – 1973; 6 GAA All Stars Awards
Conor Murray , rugby player; Munster; Ireland; British and Irish Lions
Conor Niland , tennis player; international professional tennis player
Jim O'Brien , hurler; Bruree; Limerick; 1 All-Ireland – 1973; 1 GAA All Stars Award
Paul O'Connell , rugby player; Young Munster; Munster; Ireland (52 Caps); British and Irish Lions; European Rugby Cup winning captain – Munster, 2008
William O'Connor , darts player; Cappamore; World Grand Prix Last 32: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015
Liam O'Donoghue , hurler; Mungret; Limerick; 1 All-Ireland – 1973; 1 GAA All Stars Award
Frank O'Mara , athlete; World Indoor 3000m champion
Jackie Power , hurler; Ahane; Limerick; 2 All-Irelands – 1936 and 1940; All-Ireland winning manager 1973
Joe Quaid , hurler; Murroe-Boher; Limerick; 2 GAA All-Star Awards
Tommy Quaid , hurler; Feohanagh; Limerick; 1 GAA All Stars Awards
Patrick Ryan , athlete, Olympic gold medallist with the US in the hammer throw (1920)
Paddy Waldron , first-class cricketer
David Wallace , rugby player; Garryowen ; Munster; Ireland (46 Caps); British and Irish Lions
Paul Wallace , rugby player; Garryowen; Saracens ; Munster; Ireland (45 Caps); British and Irish Lions
Richard Wallace , rugby player; Garryowen; Munster; Ireland (29 Caps); British and Irish Lions
Johnny Walsh , soccer player; Limerick FC; Republic of Ireland (1 Cap)
Military
Walter Burke purser on HMS Victory , held Lord Nelson when he died (1736–1815)
Nathaniel Burslem , recipient of the Victoria Cross
Cornelius Colbert , Irish rebel and pioneer of Fianna Éireann
Michael Colivet , Irish rebel, Commandant of 1916 Rising in Limerick and first TD for Limerick in Dáil Éireann
Edward Daly , Commandant of 1916 Rising – Four Courts
John Danaher , recipient of the Victoria Cross
Tiede Herrema , Dutch businessman based in Limerick, abducted by the IRA in 1973
Peter Lacy , Russian Field Marshal
Sir Thomas Myles , surgeon, sailor, Home Ruler and gun-runner (1857–1937)
Michael O'Rourke , recipient of the Victoria Cross
Seán South , IRA volunteer killed on active service in 1957
Historical
Religion
See also
Topics Education Regions Streets Landmarks Politics History Media Sport Culture & Venues Transport
References