List of Limerick people
From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
This is a list of notable people who are from Limerick city or county, Ireland, or have strong associations with either.
Arts
- G. E. M. Anscombe, English philosopher and theologian, born in Limerick
- Kevin Barry, author, born in Limerick in 1969
- David Noel Bourke, screenwriter and film director
- Vincent Browne, journalist and broadcaster
- Mairead Buicke, opera singer
- Jimmy Carr, comedian and writer
- Tony Clarkin, actor of stage, television, radio, film; voice-over artist
- Johnny Fean, lead guitarist with the Horslips
- 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 and former Munster Rugby player
- 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
- Sean Keating, painter
- Jon Kenny, member of D'unbelievables comedy duo; regular member of the Father Ted series
- Fergal Lawler, member of pop band The Cranberries
- Ciaran MacMathuna, broadcaster and musicologist
- 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
- Kate O'Brien, author
- Emma O'Driscoll, member of pop band Six and television presenter
- Críostóir Ó Floinn, poet and playwright
- Daragh O'Malley, leading actor in ITV's Sharpe TV series; son of politician Donogh O'Malley
- Dolores O'Riordan, member of pop band The Cranberries
- 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
- 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
Politics
- James P. Boyd, businessman and politician in Ontario, Canada
- 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, Co. Limerick
- Michael D. Higgins, elected President of Ireland in 2011, born in Limerick
- 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
- Willie O'Dea (Fianna Fáil) - TD, 1982–present); Minister for Defence
- 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
- Tom Aherne (soccer) - Limerick FC; Luton Town FC; Republic of Ireland (16 Caps)
- Richie Bennis (hurling) - Patrickswell; Limerick; 1 GAA All Stars Awards; 1 All-Ireland - 1973
- Ciarán Carey (Hurling) - Patrickswell; Limerick; 3 GAA All Stars Awards;
- Peter Clohessy (Rugby) - Young Munster; Munster; Ireland (54 Caps)
- Eamonn Cregan (Hurling) - Claughan; Limerick; 3 GAA All Stars Awards; 1 All-Ireland - 1973
- Tim Cuneen (soccer) - Limerick FC; Coleraine FC; Republic of Ireland (1 Cap)
- Sean Cusack (soccer) - Limerick FC; Republic of Ireland (1 Cap)
- Keith Earls (rugby) - Young Munster; Munster; Ireland (5 Caps); British and Irish Lions
- Leonard Enright (hurling) - Patrickswell; Limerick; 3 GAA All Stars Awards
- Steve Finnan (soccer) - Liverpool F.C.; Republic of Ireland (50 Caps)
- Al Finucane (soccer) - Limerick FC; Waterford United FC; Republic of Ireland (11 Caps)
- Kevin Fitzpatrick (soccer) - Limerick FC; Republic of Ireland (1 Cap)
- Jerry Flannery (rugby) - Shannon RFC; Munster; Ireland (21 Caps)
- Anthony Foley (rugby) - Shannon RFC; Munster Rugby; Ireland (62 Caps); European Rugby Cup winning captain - Munster, 2006
- Mark Foley (hurling) - Adare; Limerick; 2 GAA All-Stars Awards
- Seán Foley (hurling) - Patrickswell; Limerick; 1 All-Ireland - 1973; 1 GAA All Stars Awards
- Johnny Gavin (soccer) - Limerick FC; Norwich City FC; Tottenham Hotspur FC; Watford FC; Crystal Palace FC; Republic of Ireland (7 Caps)
- Tommy Gaynor (soccer) - Limerick FC; Shamrock Rovers FC; Dundalk; Nottingham Forest; Millwall; Cork City; Bohemians; Athlone Town; Kilkenny City; PFAI Player of the Year 1984/85
- Eamonn Grimes (hurling) - South Liberties; Limerick; 2 GAA All Stars Awards; All-Ireland winning captain 1973; Texaco Hurler of the Year, 1973
- Pat Hartigan (hurling) - South Liberties; Limerick; 1 All-Ireland - 1973; 5 GAA All Stars Awards
- John Hayes (rugby) - Bruff RFC; Shannon RFC; Munster; Ireland (84 Caps)
- Willie Hayes (soccer) - Limerick FC; Torquay United FC; Wrexham FC; Republic of Ireland (1 Cap)
- Marcus Horan (rugby) - Shannon RFC; Munster; Ireland (56 Caps)
- Mike Houlihan (hurling) - Kilmallock; Limerick; 2 GAA All-Stars Awards
- Des Kennedy (soccer) - Limerick FC; Galway United FC
- Gary Kirby (hurling) - Patrickswell; Limerick; 4 GAA All Stars Awards
- Andy Lee (boxing) - St. Francis' Boxing Club; European Amateur Boxing Championships - bronze (2002), silver (2004), WBO Middleweight Champion
- Sam Lynch (rowing) - St. Michael's Rowing Club; Ireland; World Champion Single Sculler 2000 & 2001
- John Mackey (hurling) - Ahane; Limerick; 3 All-Irelands - 1934, 1936 and 1940
- Mick Mackey (hurling) - Ahane; Limerick; 3 All-Irelands - 1934, 1936 and 1940; GAA Hurling Team of the Millennium
- Ger McDonnell (mountaineering) - first Irishman to summit K-2
- Joe McKenna (hurling) - South Liberties; Limerick; 1 All-Ireland - 1973; 6 GAA All Stars Awards
- Conor Niland (tennis) - international professional tennis player
- Jim O'Brien (hurling) - Bruree; Limerick; 1 All-Ireland - 1973; 1 GAA All Stars Award
- Paul O'Connell (rugby) - Young Munster; Munster; Ireland (52 Caps); British and Irish Lions; European Rugby Cup winning captain - Munster, 2008
- Liam O'Donoghue (hurling) - Mungret; Limerick; 1 All-Ireland - 1973; 1 GAA All Stars Award
- Jackie Power (hurling) - Ahane; Limerick; 2 All-Irelands - 1936 and 1940; All-Ireland winning manager 1973
- Joe Quaid (hurling) - Murroe-Boher; Limerick; 2 GAA All-Star Awards
- Tommy Quaid (hurling) - Feohanagh; Limerick; 1 GAA All Stars Awards
- David Wallace (rugby) - Garryowen; Munster; Ireland (46 Caps); British and Irish Lions
- Paul Wallace (rugby) - Garryowen; Saracens; Munster; Ireland (45 Caps); British and Irish Lions
- Richard Wallace (rugby) - Garryowen; Munster; Ireland (29 Caps); British and Irish Lions
- Johnny Walsh (soccer) - 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
- Peter Lacy, Russian Field Marshal
- Sir Thomas Myles, surgeon, sailor, Home Ruler and gun-runner (1857–1937)
- William Nash, recipient of the Victoria Cross
- Michael O'Rourke, recipient of the Victoria Cross
- Seán Sabhat, IRA volunteer killed on active service in 1957
Historical
- Kathleen Clarke, First Lady Mayoress of Dublin, widow of Tom Clarke [1878-1972]
- Mary Jane Kelly, Jack the Ripper victim
- Gearóid Mac Eoin, academic whose studies have focused on aspects of Irish language, literature and history
- William Monsell, 1st Baron Emly (1812–1894), statesman and reformer
- John T. Mullock, Roman Catholic bishop of St. John's, Newfoundland (1850–1869)
- Sylvester O'Halloran, pioneering surgeon
- William Brooke O'Shaughnessy, introduced the therapeutic use of cannabis to Western medicine
Other
- Serena Armstrong-Jones, Viscountess Linley, wife of Viscount Linley, and member, by marriage, of the extended British Royal Family
- Sir Thomas Cleeve, founder and chairman of the Condensed Milk Company of Ireland, High Sheriff of Limerick city (1899, 1900, and 1908)
- Tomás de Bhaldraithe (1916–1996), Irish language scholar and lexicographer
- Margaretta Eagar (1863–1936), governess to the last Russian Royal Family
- Dermot FitzGerald, businessman and philanthropist
- Lady Mary Heath, 1920s aviation pioneer
- Tiede Herrema, Dutch businessman based in Limerick, abducted by the IRA in 1973
- JP McManus, businessman, entrepreneur and philanthropist
- Arthur Quinlan, local journalist formerly based at Shannon Airport for the Irish Times
