100 Notable alumni of
University College Dublin
Updated:
University College Dublin is 165th in the world, 54th in Europe, and 1st in Ireland by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 100 notable alumni from University College Dublin sorted by their wiki pages popularity. The directory includes famous graduates and former students along with research and academic staff.
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James Joyce
- Enrolled in University College Dublin
- Studied in 1898-1902
- Occupations
- authorwriterprose writerlibrettistliterary critic
- Biography
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James Augustine Aloysius Joyce was an Irish novelist, poet, and literary critic. He contributed to the modernist movement and is regarded among the most influential and important writers of the 20th century. Joyce's novel Ulysses (1922) is a landmark in which the episodes of Homer's Odyssey are paralleled in a variety of literary styles, particularly stream of consciousness. Other well-known works are the short-story collection Dubliners (1914) and the novels A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man (1916) and Finnegans Wake (1939). His other writings include two books of poetry, a play, correspondence, and occasional journalism.
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Gabriel Byrne
- Occupations
- stage actoractorauthortelevision actorwriter
- Biography
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Gabriel James Byrne is an Irish actor. He has received a Golden Globe Award as well as nominations for a Grammy Award, two Primetime Emmy Awards and two Tony Awards. Byrne was awarded the Irish Film and Television Academy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018 and was listed at number 17 on The Irish Times list of Ireland's greatest film actors in 2020. In 2009 The Guardian named him one of the best actors never to have received an Academy Award nomination.
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Chris O'Dowd
- Occupations
- stage actorGaelic football playeractorcomediantelevision actor
- Biography
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Christopher O'Dowd is an Irish actor and comedian. He received wide attention as Roy Trenneman, one of the lead characters in the Channel 4 comedy The IT Crowd, which ran for four seasons from 2006 to 2010. He has starred in films including Frequently Asked Questions About Time Travel (2009), Gulliver's Travels (2010), Bridesmaids, Friends with Kids (both 2011), The Sapphires (2012) for which he won an AACTA Award, Cuban Fury (2014), Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (2016) and The Cloverfield Paradox (2018). He created and starred in the Sky 1 television series Moone Boy, which aired from 2012 to 2015 and brought him Irish Film and Television Award nominations for acting, writing and directing.
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Carroll O'Connor
- Enrolled in University College Dublin
- In 1952 graduated with undergraduate degree
- Occupations
- film producertelevision actorscreenwriterfilm actortelevision producer
- Biography
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John Carroll O'Connor was an American actor whose television career spanned over four decades. He found widespread fame as Archie Bunker (for which he won four Emmy Awards), the main character in the CBS television sitcoms All in the Family (1971–1979) and its continuation, Archie Bunker's Place (1979–1983). He later starred in the NBC/CBS television crime drama In the Heat of the Night (1988–1995), where he played the role of police chief William "Bill" Gillespie. In the late 1990s, he played Gus Stemple, the father of Jamie Buchman (Helen Hunt) on Mad About You. In 1996, O'Connor was ranked number 38 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Stars of All Time. He won five Emmys and one Golden Globe Award.
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Katie Taylor
- Occupations
- association football playerboxer
- Biography
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Katie Taylor is an Irish professional boxer and former footballer. She was the undisputed and undefeated lineal world lightweight champion from 2019 to 2024, and has held the unified and lineal world super lightweight championship since 2023. Hugely popular in Ireland, she is credited with raising the profile of women's boxing at home and abroad, and is regarded as the outstanding Irish athlete of her generation. She is considered by many to be the greatest female boxer of all time.
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Ali Hewson
- Occupations
- businessperson
- Biography
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Alison Hewson is an Irish activist and businesswoman. She is married to singer and musician Paul Hewson, known as Bono, from the rock band U2.
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Mako Komuro
- Enrolled in University College Dublin
- 2010-2010 studied English
- Occupations
- researcheraristocrat
- Biography
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Mako Komuro, formerly Princess Mako of Akishino (眞子内親王, Mako Naishinnō), is a Japanese art historian and a former member of the Japanese imperial family. She is the eldest child of Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Kiko, niece of Emperor Naruhito, and granddaughter of Emperor Emeritus Akihito and his wife, Empress Emerita Michiko. In October 2021, upon her marriage to a commoner, Princess Mako formally lost her title, as required by the Imperial Household Law.
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Eoin Macken
- Occupations
- screenwriterfilm directormodelactorfilm actor
- Biography
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Eoin Christopher Macken is an Irish actor, director, and model.
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Paul Rusesabagin
- Occupations
- humanitarianautobiographerhotel managerentrepreneur
- Biography
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Paul Rusesabagina is a Rwandan human rights activist and former hotelier. He worked as the manager of the Hôtel des Mille Collines in Kigali, during a period in which it housed 1,268 Hutu and Tutsi refugees fleeing the Interahamwe militia during the Rwandan genocide. None of these refugees were hurt or killed during the attacks. An account of Rusesabagina's actions during the genocide was later depicted in the film Hotel Rwanda in 2004, in which he was portrayed by American actor Don Cheadle. The film has been the subject both of critical acclaim and controversy in Rwanda.
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Dara Ó Briain
- Occupations
- screenwritertelevision presenteractorcomedian
- Biography
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Dara Ó Briain is an Irish comedian and television presenter based in the United Kingdom. He is noted for performing stand-up comedy shows all over the world and for hosting topical panel shows such as Mock the Week, The Panel, and The Apprentice: You're Fired!. In 2009, the Irish Independent described Ó Briain as "Terry Wogan's heir apparent as Britain's 'favourite Irishman'".
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Dermot Morgan
- Occupations
- film actoractortelevision actor
- Biography
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Dermot John Morgan was an Irish comedian and actor, best known for his role as the title character on the Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted. Morgan died one day after filming was completed of the third and final series of Father Ted, and in 1999 he was posthumously awarded the British Academy Television Award for Best Comedy Performance.
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Killian Scott
- Occupations
- actor
- Biography
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Cillian Damien Murphy, known professionally as Killian Scott, is an Irish actor. He first came to prominence for his role as Tommy in the RTÉ One series Love/Hate. He appears as Orpheus in the (2024) Netflix series Kaos.
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Cyril Cusack
- Occupations
- television actorstage actoractorfilm actor
- Biography
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Cyril James Cusack was an Irish stage and screen actor with a career that spanned more than 70 years. During his lifetime, he was considered one of Ireland's finest thespians, and was renowned for his interpretations of both classical and contemporary theatre, including Shakespearean roles as a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, and over 60 productions for the Abbey Theatre, of which he was a lifelong member. In 2020, Cusack was ranked at number 14 on The Irish Times' list of Ireland's greatest film actors.
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V. V. Giri
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Varahagiri Venkata Giri, better known as V. V. Giri was an Indian statesman, activist, and diplomat who served as the president of India from 1969 to 1974. He previously served as the vice president of India from 1967 to 1969 and the minister of labour from 1952 to 1954.
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Dan O'Herlihy
- Occupations
- film actoractortelevision actor
- Biography
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Daniel Peter O'Herlihy was an Irish actor. His best-known roles included his Oscar-nominated portrayal of the title character in Luis Buñuel's Robinson Crusoe (1954), Brigadier General Warren A. Black in Fail Safe (1964), Marshal Ney in Waterloo (1970), Conal Cochran in Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982), Grig in The Last Starfighter (1984), "The Old Man" in RoboCop (1987) and its 1990 sequel, and Andrew Packard in the television series Twin Peaks (1990–91).
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Colm Tóibín
- Occupations
- novelistwriterplaywrightscreenwriteressayist
- Biography
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Colm Tóibín is an Irish novelist, short story writer, essayist, journalist, critic, playwright and poet.
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Brian O'Driscoll
- Occupations
- rugby union playertechnology specialistengineer
- Biography
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Brian Gerard O'Driscoll is an Irish former professional rugby union player. He played at outside centre for the Irish provincial team Leinster and for Ireland. He captained Ireland from 2003 until 2012, and captained the British & Irish Lions for their 2005 tour of New Zealand. He is regarded by critics as one of the greatest rugby players of all time.
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Richard Boyd Barrett
- Occupations
- peace activistpolitician
- Biography
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Richard Boyd Barrett is an Irish People Before Profit–Solidarity politician who has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dún Laoghaire constituency since the 2011 general election. Boyd Barrett was previously a member of Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown County Council. He is also chair of the Irish Anti-War Movement, and has been cited on war issues in the Irish media.
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Jim Sheridan
- Occupations
- screenwriterdirectorfilm directorfilm produceractor
- Biography
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Jim Sheridan is an Irish filmmaker. Between 1989 and 1993, Sheridan directed three critically acclaimed films set in Ireland, My Left Foot (1989), The Field (1990), and In the Name of the Father (1993), and later directed the films The Boxer (1997), In America (2003), and Brothers (2009). Sheridan has received six Academy Award nominations for his work.
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Jonathan Sexton
- Occupations
- rugby union player
- Biography
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Jonathan Jeremiah Sexton is an Irish former rugby union player and coach who played as a fly-half and captained the Ireland national team from 2019 until 2023. He also played club rugby for Leinster and French side Racing 92.
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Emma Donoghue
- Occupations
- playwrightscreenwriterwriterfilm screenwriternovelist
- Biography
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Emma Donoghue is an Irish Canadian novelist, screenwriter, playwright and literary historian. Her 2010 novel Room was a finalist for the Booker Prize and an international best-seller. Donoghue's 1995 novel Hood won the Stonewall Book Award and Slammerkin (2000) won the Ferro-Grumley Award for Lesbian Fiction. She is a 2011 recipient of the Alex Awards. Room was adapted by Donoghue into a film of the same name. For this, she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. In 2025, Donoghue won the coveted Alice B Readers Award given annually to living writers of published works whose careers are distinguished by consistently well-written works about lesbians.
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Rosanna Davison
- Occupations
- activistbeauty pageant contestantmodel
- Biography
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Rosanna Diane Davison is an Irish actress, singer, writer, model and beauty queen who was crowned Miss World 2003. She is the daughter of musician Chris de Burgh, and the song "For Rosanna" was written by her father for his eighth studio album, Into the Light (1986) in her honour. Davison is a qualified nutritional therapist and promotes the health benefits of a plant-based diet.
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Jordan Devlin
- Occupations
- professional wrestler
- Biography
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Jordan Devlin is an Irish professional wrestler. He is signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand under the ring name JD McDonagh. He is a member of The Judgment Day, and a former two-time World Tag Team Champions with Finn Bálor. He is a former one-time NXT Cruiserweight Champion, where his 439-day reign stands as the longest in the title's history.
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Ryan Tubridy
- Occupations
- songwritertelevision presenter
- Biography
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Ryan Tubridy is an Irish broadcaster. Until December 19 2025, he presented a weekday mid-morning programme The Ryan Tubridy Show on Virgin Radio UK (which aired simultaneously on Dublin’s Q102 ) from 10:00AM-1:00 PM) He will be starting a new show on Times Radio in the UK from 1-4pm on Sundays from March 2026 onwards.
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Josh van der Flier
- Occupations
- rugby union player
- Biography
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Joshua Dirk van der Flier is an Irish professional rugby union player who plays as a flanker for United Rugby Championship club Leinster and the Ireland national team.
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Amy Huberman
- Occupations
- actorscreenwriterwriter
- Biography
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Amy Huberman is an Irish actress and writer. She is known for her role as Daisy in the RTÉ drama series The Clinic. In 2018, she began writing and starring in the comedy series Finding Joy.
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Maeve Binchy
- Occupations
- playwrightnovelistjournalistschool teacherscreenwriter
- Biography
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Anne Maeve Binchy Snell was an Irish novelist, playwright, short story writer, columnist, and speaker. Her novels were characterised by a sympathetic and often humorous portrayal of small-town life in Ireland, and surprise endings. Her novels, which were translated into 37 languages, sold more than 40 million copies worldwide. Her death at age 73, announced by Vincent Browne on Irish television late on 30 July 2012, was mourned as the death of one of Ireland's best-loved and most recognisable writers.
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Charles Haughey
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Charles James Haughey was an Irish politician who served as Taoiseach three times between 1979 and 1992, when he was leader of Fianna Fáil. Over a forty-year career, Haughey was the most complex and divisive figure in late 20th-century Ireland. After his retirement, the disclosure of millions of pounds in secret payments from businessmen damaged his reputation.
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Sinead Keenan
- Occupations
- stage actoractor
- Biography
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Sinéad Keenan is an Irish actress with a wide range of television, film, and stage credits. Keenan is best known for playing Farrah Phelan in Fair City and for playing the role of a werewolf called Nina Pickering on BBC Three's supernatural drama Being Human. She has played DCI Jessica James in ITV1 drama Unforgotten since 2023.
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Roddy Doyle
- Occupations
- playwrightchildren's writerteachernovelistscreenwriter
- Biography
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Roderick Doyle is an Irish novelist, dramatist and screenwriter. He is the author of eleven novels for adults, eight books for children, seven plays and screenplays, and dozens of short stories. Several of his books have been made into films, beginning with The Commitments in 1991. Doyle's work is set primarily in Ireland, especially working-class Dublin, and is notable for its heavy use of dialogue written in slang and Irish English dialect. Doyle was awarded the Booker Prize in 1993 for his novel Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha.
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Denis O'Brien
- Occupations
- entrepreneurbusinessperson
- Biography
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Denis O'Brien is an Irish billionaire businessman, and the founder and owner of Digicel. He was listed among the World's Top 200 Billionaires in 2015 and was Ireland's richest native-born citizen for several years. His business interests have also extended to aircraft leasing (Aergo Capital), utilities support (Actavo), petroleum (Topaz Energy), football (a minority shareholder of Celtic F.C.), and healthcare (Beacon Hospital). As former chairman of the Esat Digifone consortium, O'Brien was questioned by the Moriarty Tribunal, which investigated the awarding of a mobile phone licence to Esat, among other things.
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Adam Vojtěch
- Enrolled in University College Dublin
- 2009-2010 studied law
- Occupations
- singerjuristlawyerpoliticianmusician
- Biography
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Adam Vojtěch is a Czech politician and lawyer serving as Minister of Health since 15 December 2025, in the third cabinet of Andrej Babiš. He served as Minister of Health from 13 December 2017 to 21 September 2020, in both the first and second cabinets of Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, and then for a second time from May until December 2021. He was a member of the Chamber of Deputies from 2017 until 2021.
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Joseph O'Connor
- Occupations
- literary criticscreenwriterwriterjournalistplaywright
- Biography
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Joseph Victor O'Connor is an Irish novelist. His 2002 historical novel Star of the Sea was an international number one bestseller. Before success as an author, he was a journalist with the Sunday Tribune newspaper and Esquire. He is a regular contributor to RTÉ and a member of the Irish artists' association Aosdána.
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Gemma O'Doherty
- Occupations
- YouTubersocial activistanti-vaccine activisttelevision producerfilm director
- Biography
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Gemma O'Doherty is an Irish far-right activist and conspiracy theorist. She began her career as a staff writer for the Irish Independent, contributing articles on travel, the criminal justice system and corruption, but was dismissed in 2013. She attempted to run as a candidate in the 2018 Irish presidential election, but failed to secure the minimum qualifying number of nominations required to be added to the ballot. O'Doherty was unsuccessful in the 2019 European Parliament election in Ireland, receiving 1.85% of first preference votes in the Dublin constituency. She unsuccessfully ran in the 2020 Irish general election receiving just under 2% of first preference votes.
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Brendan Kavanagh
- Enrolled in University College Dublin
- Graduated with Master of Arts
- Occupations
- musicianpianistYouTubertelevision producerpiano teacher
- Biography
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Brendan Kavanagh, also known as "Dr K" due to his PhD in English, is a British pianist and piano teacher. He specializes in playing and promoting the boogie-woogie genre, almost exclusively improvised, often combined with classical, jazz, blues, rock & roll, and traditional Irish music themes. He regularly performs in open venues on public pianos, sometimes in duet formats with musically inclined passers-by, friends or family. He also plays the piano accordion, with emphasis on traditional Irish tunes.
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Henry Kelly
- Occupations
- television presenterreporterjournalist
- Biography
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Patrick Henry Kelly, better known as Henry Kelly, was an Irish radio and television broadcaster and journalist who was based in the United Kingdom.
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Mick Wallace
- Occupations
- peace activistassociation football coachpolitician
- Biography
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Michael Wallace is an Irish politician, former property developer and former Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from Ireland for the South constituency from 2019 to 2024. He is a member of Independents 4 Change, part of The Left in the European Parliament. He was a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Wexford constituency from 2011 to 2019.
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Brian Cowen
- Occupations
- Gaelic football playerlawyerdiplomatpolitician
- Biography
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Brian Bernard Cowen is an Irish former politician who served as Taoiseach and Leader of Fianna Fáil from 2008 to 2011. Cowen served as a TD for the constituency of Laois–Offaly from 1984 to 2011 and served in several ministerial roles between 1992 and 2011, including as Minister for Finance from 2004 to 2008 and Tánaiste from 2007 to 2008.
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Tony O'Reilly
- Occupations
- rugby union playersolicitorbusinesspersonassociation football player
- Biography
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Sir Anthony John Francis O'Reilly AO was an Irish businessman and international rugby union player. He was known for his try scoring in rugby, his involvement in the Independent News & Media Group, which he led from 1973 to 2009, and as CEO and chairman of the H.J. Heinz Company. He was the leading shareholder of Waterford Wedgwood and a founder and major supporter of The Ireland Funds. A citizen of both Ireland and the United Kingdom, he was knighted as a Knight Bachelor for his services to Northern Ireland.
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Seán MacBride
- Occupations
- barristerpoliticianlawyerdiplomatjournalist
- Biography
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Seán MacBride was an Irish Republican activist, politician, and diplomat who served as Minister for External Affairs from 1948 to 1951, Leader of Clann na Poblachta from 1946 to 1965 and Chief of Staff of the IRA from 1936 to 1937. He served as a Teachta Dála (TD) from 1947 to 1957.
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Rob Kearney
- Occupations
- Gaelic football playerrugby union player
- Biography
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Robert Kearney is an Irish former rugby union player. He spent 15 years playing for Leinster, before having a six-month stint in Australia where he played for Perth based side Western Force. Kearney also played over a decade for the Ireland national rugby union team with whom he earned 95 caps, and went on two British & Irish Lions tours in 2009 and 2013. As a youth Kearney also played rugby union for Clongowes Wood College and Gaelic football for Louth in the All-Ireland Minor Championship.
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Mairead McGuinness
- Occupations
- journalistpolitician
- Biography
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Mairead McGuinness is an Irish politician who served as the European Commissioner for Financial Stability, Financial Services and the Capital Markets Union from October 2020 to November 2024. A member of Fine Gael, she previously served as First Vice-President of the European Parliament from 2017 to 2020. She served as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for East from 2004 to 2014 and for Midlands–North-West from 2014 to 2020. In the European Parliament, she sat with the European People's Party (EPP). She was selected as Fine Gael's nominee for the 2025 Irish presidential election after being nominated unopposed but she withdrew from the race following medical advice after a hospital stay.
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Liam O'Flaherty
- Occupations
- writerplaywrightnovelistscreenwriter
- Biography
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Liam O'Flaherty was an Irish novelist and short-story writer, and one of the foremost socialist writers in the first part of the 20th century, writing about the common people's experience and from their perspective. Others are Seán O'Casey, Pádraic Ó Conaire, Peadar O'Donnell, Máirtín Ó Cadhain, and Seosamh Mac Grianna all of them Irish language speakers who chose to write either in Irish or English.
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Peter Sutherland
- Occupations
- barristerpoliticiandiplomatrugby union playerbusinessperson
- Biography
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Peter Denis Sutherland was an Irish businessman, barrister and Fine Gael politician who served as UN Special Representative for International Migration from 2006 to 2017. He was known for serving in various international organisations, political and business roles.
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Kevin Barry
- Occupations
- medical studentrugby union player
- Biography
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Kevin Gerard Barry was an Irish Republican Army (IRA) soldier and medical student who was executed by the British Government during the Irish War of Independence. He was sentenced to death for his part in an attack upon a British Army supply lorry which resulted in the death of a British soldier.
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John Bruton
- Occupations
- diplomatpolitician
- Biography
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John Gerard Bruton was an Irish Fine Gael politician who served as Taoiseach from 1994 to 1997 and Leader of Fine Gael from 1990 to 2001. He held cabinet positions between 1981 and 1987, including twice as minister for finance. He was Leader of the Opposition from 1990 to 1994 and 1997 to 2001. He served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for Meath from 1969 to 2004.
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Eoghan Murphy
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Eoghan Murphy is an Irish former Fine Gael politician, who served as a Teachta Dála (TD) from 2011 to 2021, representing the Dublin Bay South constituency. He served as Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government from 2017 to 2020 and as Minister of State for Financial Services from 2016 to 2017. In 2021, he served as Head of Mission on election observation missions to Armenia, Uzbekistan, Italy and Kazakhstan on behalf of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation (OSCE).
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Michelle Rocca
- Occupations
- modeltelevision presenterbeauty pageant contestantsocialite
- Biography
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Michelle Mary Teresa Rocca is an Irish TV host, former model and beauty pageant titleholder who won Miss Ireland 1980. The following year, she married footballer John Devine. Two years after their divorce in 1990 she met and later married, Northern Irish singer Van Morrison.
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Garret FitzGerald
- Occupations
- diplomateconomistpolitician
- Biography
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Garret Desmond FitzGerald was an Irish Fine Gael politician, economist, and barrister who served twice as Taoiseach, serving from 1981 to 1982 and 1982 to 1987. He served as Leader of Fine Gael from 1977 to 1987 and was twice Leader of the Opposition between 1977 and 1982; he was previously Minister for Foreign Affairs from 1973 to 1977. FitzGerald served as a Teachta Dála (TD) from 1969 to 1992 and was a Senator for the Industrial and Commercial Panel from 1965 to 1969.
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Patrick Hillery
- Occupations
- diplomatphysicianpolitician
- Biography
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Patrick John Hillery was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as the president of Ireland from December 1976 to December 1990. He also served as vice-president of the European Commission and European Commissioner for Social Affairs from 1973 to 1976, Minister for External Affairs from 1969 to 1973, Minister for Labour from 1966 to 1969, Minister for Industry and Commerce from 1965 to 1969 and Minister for Education from 1959 to 1965. He served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Clare constituency from 1951 to 1973.
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Paul Brady
- Occupations
- singerguitaristcomposersinger-songwriterpianist
- Biography
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Paul Joseph Brady is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and musician from Strabane, Northern Ireland. His work straddles folk and pop. He was interested in a wide variety of music from an early age.
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Mark Farrell
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Mark Ewoldt Farrell is an American politician and lawyer who served as the 44th Mayor of San Francisco from January 23 to July 11, 2018. Before his appointment as mayor, he served on the Board of Supervisors for nearly two terms, representing District 2 (the Marina, Cow Hollow, Pacific Heights, Seacliff, Lake District, Presidio Heights, Jordan Park, Laurel Heights, Presidio, and part of Russian Hill).
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Seamus O'Regan
- Occupations
- management assistantconsultantreporterpoliticianjournalist
- Biography
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Seamus Thomas Harris O'Regan PC is a Canadian politician and a former cabinet minister in the government of Justin Trudeau. He resigned from cabinet effective July 19, 2024. A member of the Liberal Party, O'Regan was first elected to the House of Commons in 2015, representing St. John's South—Mount Pearl. He was appointed to Cabinet in 2017, and served as minister of natural resources from 2019 to 2021, minister of Indigenous services in 2019, and minister of veterans affairs and associate minister of national defence from 2017 to 2019 and minister of labour from October 26, 2021 until July 19, 2024 and minister of seniors from July 26, 2023 until July 19, 2024.
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Bernard Looney
- Enrolled in University College Dublin
- In 1991 studied electrical engineering
- Occupations
- business executive
- Biography
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Bernard Looney FREng is an Irish businessman and former chief executive officer of BP.
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Devin Toner
- Occupations
- rugby union player
- Biography
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Devin Toner is a former professional rugby player. He played in the second-row for Ireland and the Irish province Leinster. Measuring 6' 10" in height, he was the tallest player in the Heineken Cup and the 2015 Rugby World Cup. He wore a size 15 (Ireland) boot.
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Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh
- Occupations
- lawyerjudgepolitician
- Biography
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Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh was an Irish barrister, judge and Fianna Fáil politician who served as the president of Ireland from December 1974 to October 1976. Following a breakdown in relations with the government intensified by remarks made by a senior minister, he was the first president of Ireland to resign from office.
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Richard Mulcahy
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Richard James Mulcahy was an Irish Fine Gael politician and army general who served as Minister for Education from 1948 to 1951 and 1954 to 1957, Minister for the Gaeltacht from June 1956 to October 1956, Leader of the Opposition from 1944 to 1948, Leader of Fine Gael from 1944 to 1959, Minister for Local Government and Public Health from 1927 to 1932 and Minister for Defence from January to April 1919 and 1922 to 1924. He served as a Teachta Dála (TD) from 1918 to 1938 and from 1943 to 1961 and a Senator from March 1938 to June 1938 and 1943 to 1944. He served in the cabinets of W. T. Cosgrave and John A. Costello.
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Claire Byrne
- Occupations
- television presenternews presenterjournalist
- Biography
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Claire Byrne is an Irish radio and television presenter.
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Ruairí Ó Brádaigh
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Ruairí Ó Brádaigh was an Irish republican political and military leader. He was Chief of Staff of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) from 1958 to 1959 and again from 1960 to 1962, president of Sinn Féin from 1970 to 1983, and president of Republican Sinn Féin from 1987 to 2009.
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Seán T. O'Kelly
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Seán Thomas O'Kelly, originally John T. O'Kelly, was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as the president of Ireland from June 1945 to June 1959. He also served as deputy prime minister of Ireland from 1932 to 1945 (titled as Vice-President of the Executive Council of the Irish Free State from 1932 to 1937 and as Tánaiste from 1937 to 1945), Minister for Local Government and Public Health from 1932 to 1939, Minister for Finance from 1939 to 1945 and Ceann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann from 1919 to 1921. He was a Teachta Dála (TD) from 1918 to 1945.
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Miriam O'Callaghan
- Occupations
- broadcaster
- Biography
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Miriam O'Callaghan is an Irish television and radio presenter with RTÉ.
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Conor O'Shea
- Occupations
- rugby union player
- Biography
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Conor O'Shea is an Irish rugby union coach and former player. He was the head coach of the Italy national team from 2016 to 2019. He played as a full back and occasionally at out-half and centre for Ireland, Lansdowne and London Irish. He has also coached London Irish and Harlequins, and held management positions with the English Rugby Football Union and the English Institute of Sport.
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Stephen Donnelly
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Stephen Donnelly is an Irish former Fianna Fáil politician who served as Minister for Health from June 2020 to January 2025. He was a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Wicklow constituency from 2011 to 2024.
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Niall Breslin
- Occupations
- singersongwriterGaelic football playerrugby union playerrecord producer
- Biography
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Niall Breslin, known as Bressie, is an Irish musician, former Westmeath Gaelic footballer and Leinster Rugby player. Breslin found success as the lead singer, guitarist, songwriter with pop band The Blizzards, as a co-writer and producer with XIX Entertainment and as a solo artist. He was the winning coach on the first, third and fifth seasons of The Voice of Ireland.
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Eamon Ryan
- Occupations
- businesspersonpolitician
- Biography
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Eamon Michael Ryan is an Irish former Green Party politician who served as Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications and Minister for Transport from June 2020 to January 2025, and was Leader of the Green Party from May 2011 to June 2024. He served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin Bay South constituency from 2016 to 2024, and previously from 2002 to 2011 for the Dublin South constituency. He previously served as Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources from 2007 to 2011. On 18 June 2024, he announced that he was stepping down as leader of the Green Party. He retired from politics after the 2024 general election.
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Kevin Roche
- Occupations
- engineerarchitect
- Biography
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Eamonn Kevin Roche FAIA was an Irish-born American Pritzker Prize-winning architect. Kevin Roche was the archetypal modernist and "member of an elite group of third generation modernist architects — James Stirling, Jørn Utzon, and Robert Venturi — and is considered to be the most logical and systematic designer of the group. He and his partner John Dinkeloo of the firm KRJDA produced over a half-century of matchless creativity."
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Pat Kenny
- Occupations
- presenterjournalisttelevision presenterradio personality
- Biography
-
Patrick Kenny is an Irish broadcaster, who currently hosts the daily radio show The Pat Kenny Show on Newstalk and the current affairs show Pat Kenny Tonight on Virgin Media One.
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Katherine Zappone
- Occupations
- university teachertheologianpolitician
- Biography
-
Katherine Zappone is an American-Irish independent politician who served as Minister for Children and Youth Affairs from May 2016 to June 2020. She was a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin South-West constituency from 2016 to 2020. She previously served as a Senator from 2011 to 2016, after being nominated by the Taoiseach.
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Frances Fitzgerald
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
-
Frances Fitzgerald is a former Irish Fine Gael politician who served as Tánaiste from 2016 to 2017, Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation from June 2017 to November 2017, Minister for Justice and Equality from 2014 to 2016, Minister for Children and Youth Affairs from 2011 to 2014, and Leader of Fine Gael in the Seanad from 2007 to 2011. She served as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the Dublin constituency from 2019 to 2024 and a Teachta Dála (TD) from 1992 to 2002 and 2011 to 2019. She was also a Senator for the Labour Panel from 2007 to 2011.
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Ryan Crocker
- Occupations
- diplomatpolitician
- Biography
-
Ryan Clark Crocker is a retired American diplomat who served as a career ambassador within the United States Foreign Service. A recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, he served as United States ambassador to Afghanistan (2011–2012), Iraq (2007–2009), Pakistan (2004–2007), Syria (1998–2001), Kuwait (1994–1997), and Lebanon (1990–1993). In January 2010, he became dean of Texas A&M University's George Bush School of Government and Public Service.
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Michael J. Ryan
- Enrolled in University College Dublin
- Graduated with public health professional degree in public health
- Occupations
- physiciantrauma surgeonepidemiologist
- Biography
-
Michael Joseph Ryan is an Irish epidemiologist and former trauma surgeon, specialising in infectious disease and public health. He is executive director of the World Health Organization's Health Emergencies Programme, leading the team responsible for the international containment and treatment of COVID-19. Ryan has held leadership positions and has worked on various outbreak response teams in the field to eradicate the spread of diseases including bacillary dysentery, cholera, Crimean–Congo hemorrhagic fever, Ebola, Marburg virus disease, measles, meningitis, relapsing fever, Rift Valley fever, SARS, and Shigellosis.
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Peadar Tóibín
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
-
Peadar Tóibín is an Irish politician who has served as leader of Aontú since January 2019. He has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Meath West constituency since 2011. He previously served as Chair of the Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs from 2016 to 2018. He founded Aontú in January 2019.
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Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin
- Enrolled in University College Dublin
- Graduated with licentiate
- Occupations
- mathematiciantelevision presentersingerradio personality
- Biography
-
Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin is an Irish academic, teacher, broadcaster and high-profile science communicator. She also won the Rose of Tralee contest in 2005 and toured internationally as the lead singer of an Irish traditional music band. In 2022, she was appointed to chair a national forum on biodiversity loss, presenting its report to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar in April 2023, and presenting on the topic to a committee of the UN General Assembly later that month.
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Ben Kane
- Occupations
- veterinarianwriterphysician writer
- Biography
-
Ben Kane is an Irish novelist who specialises in historical fiction. Born in Kenya, he grew up there and in Ireland. He attended school at St. Mary's College, Dundalk, County Louth, and later studied veterinary medicine at University College Dublin, graduating in 1992.
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Barry Glendenning
- Biography
-
Barry Glendenning is an Irish sports journalist who holds the position of deputy sports editor on the guardian.co.uk website run by UK newspaper The Guardian.
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John A. Costello
- Occupations
- politicianbarrister
- Biography
-
John Aloysius Costello was an Irish Fine Gael politician who served as Taoiseach from 1948 to 1951 and from 1954 to 1957. He was leader of the opposition from 1951 to 1954 and from 1957 to 1959 and attorney general from 1926 to 1932. He served as a Teachta Dála (TD) from 1933 to 1943 and from 1944 to 1969.
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Vasily Artemyev
- Occupations
- rugby union player
- Biography
-
Vasily Grigorievich Artemyev is a Russian rugby union player for CSKA Moscow. He plays as wing or fullback.
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Seán O’Brien
- Occupations
- rugby union player
- Biography
-
Seán Kevin O'Brien is an Irish retired professional rugby union player. He previously represented home province Leinster for eleven seasons. At Leinster, he helped the team win four European titles, and was named ERC European Player of the Year for the 2010–11 season, he then played three seasons for English Premiership Rugby side London Irish.
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Felix Jones
- Occupations
- rugby union player
- Biography
-
Felix Jones is an Irish rugby union coach and former player. He played primarily as a fullback, but could also play on the wing. In October 2015, Jones was forced to retire from rugby due to a neck injury. He is an assistant coach for South Africa, currently his second stint involved with the team.
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Kevin O'Higgins
- Occupations
- diplomatpolitician
- Biography
-
Kevin Christopher O'Higgins was an Irish politician who served as Vice-President of the Executive Council and Minister for Justice from 1922 to 1927, Minister for External Affairs from June 1927 to July 1927 and Minister for Economic Affairs from January 1922 to September 1922. He served as a Teachta Dála (TD) from 1918 to 1927.
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Leo Cullen
- Occupations
- rugby union player
- Biography
-
Leo Francis Matthew Cullen is an Irish rugby coach and former professional rugby union player. He played at lock for Leinster Rugby and Ireland. He was appointed coach of Leinster rugby on 19 August 2015.
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Hazel Chu
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
-
Hazel Chung-fai Chu is an Irish Green Party politician who has been a member of Dublin City Council since May 2019. She was elected deputy leader of the Green Party on 28 January 2026. She was chair of the Green Party from December 2019 to December 2021. She was the first Irish-born person of Chinese descent elected to political office on the island of Ireland. She served as Lord Mayor of Dublin from 2020 to 2021, and in doing so became the first person of Chinese ethnicity to be mayor of a European capital. She is the party's spokesperson for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform, Digitalisation & Media.
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Ciara Mageean
- Occupations
- athletics competitor
- Biography
-
Ciara Mageean is a middle-distance runner from Portaferry in Northern Ireland who specialises in the 1500 metres. She is the 2024 European Athletics Championships gold medalist at the distance, the first individual Irish European champion since Sonia O'Sullivan.
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Kathryn Thomas
- Occupations
- television presenter
- Biography
-
Kathryn Thomas is an Irish television presenter.
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Paul Murphy
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
-
Paul Murphy is an Irish People Before Profit–Solidarity politician who has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin South-West constituency since the 2014 Dublin South-West by-election. He served as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the Dublin constituency from 2011 to 2014.
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Éamon Ó Cuív
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
-
Éamon Ó Cuív is an Irish former Fianna Fáil politician who served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Galway West constituency from 1992 to 2024. He previously served as deputy leader of Fianna Fáil from 2011 to 2012, as Minister for Social Protection from 2010 to 2011, Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs from 2002 to 2010, and as a Minister of State from 1997 to 2002. He also served as Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government and Minister for Defence from January to March 2011, appointed to these positions in addition to his own on the resignation of other members of the government.
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Joan Burton
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
-
Joan Burton is an Irish former Labour Party politician who served as Tánaiste and Leader of the Labour Party from 2014 to 2016, Minister for Social Protection from 2011 to 2016, Deputy leader of the Labour Party from 2007 to 2014, Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs from 1994 to 1997 and Minister of State at the Department of Social Welfare from 1993 to 1994. She served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin West constituency from 1992 to 1997 and 2002 to 2020.
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Michael McDowell
- Occupations
- Senior Counselpolitician
- Biography
-
Michael McDowell is an Irish independent politician and barrister. Active in Irish politics since the 1980s, he currently serves in Seanad Éireann as a senator for the National University constituency.
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Gordon D'Arcy
- Occupations
- rugby union player
- Biography
-
Gordon William D'Arcy is a retired Irish rugby player who was selected for two British & Irish Lions tours. He played most of his career at inside centre for Irish provincial side Leinster. He is second on the record list for most Leinster appearances at 257 and third on the all-time Leinster try list with 60. He was registered to club side Lansdowne.
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The O'Rahilly
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
-
Michael Joseph O'Rahilly, known as The O'Rahilly, was an Irish republican and nationalist. He was a founding member of the Irish Volunteers in 1913 and served as Director of Arms. Despite opposing the action, he took part in the Easter Rising in Dublin and was killed in a charge on a British machine gun post covering the retreat from the Dublin GPO during the fighting.
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Derval O'Rourke
- Occupations
- hurdler
- Biography
-
Derval O'Rourke is an Irish former sprint hurdles athlete. She competed internationally in the 60 and 100 metres hurdles, and is the Irish national record holder in the former. She participated in two Indoor World Championships, five Outdoor World Championships and the 2004, 2008, and 2012 Summer Olympics.
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Rhys Ruddock
- Occupations
- rugby union player
- Biography
-
Rhys Ruddock is a former professional rugby union player. He played for Leinster and Ireland. He played in the backrow, at 6 or 8. In the 2009/2010 season, he captained the Irish U20s to winning the Six Nations Championship. He retired at the end of the 22-23 URC season.
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Lisa Chambers
- Occupations
- politicianbarrister
- Biography
-
Lisa Chambers is an Irish former Fianna Fáil politician. At the 2014 local elections, she was elected to Mayo County Council, where she served from 2014 to 2016. At the 2016 general election, she won a seat in Dáil Éireann, where she served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Mayo constituency from 2016 to 2020. After losing her Dáil seat at the 2020 general election, she was elected to the Cultural and Educational Panel of Seanad Éireann at the 2020 Seanad election. She served as a senator from 2020 to 2025 and was leader of the Seanad from 2022 to 2025.
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Richard Bruton
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
-
Richard Bruton is an Irish former Fine Gael politician who served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for Dublin Bay North from 2016 to 2024, and previously from 1982 to 2016 for the Dublin North-Central constituency. He was the Chair of the Fine Gael parliamentary party from July 2020 to September 2023. He previously served as Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment from 2018 to 2020, Minister for Education and Skills from 2016 to 2018, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation from 2011 to 2016, Deputy leader of Fine Gael from 2002 to 2010, Minister for Enterprise and Employment from 1994 to 1997 and Minister of State for Energy Affairs from 1986 to 1987. He was a Senator for the Agricultural Panel from 1981 to 1982.
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Eleanor A. Maguire
- Enrolled in University College Dublin
- Graduated with Doctor of Philosophy in psychology
- Occupations
- neuroscientistneurologist
- Biography
-
Eleanor Anne Maguire was an Irish neuroscientist who was Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at University College London, where she was also a Wellcome Trust principal research fellow, from 2007 until her death in 2025.
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Colm Keegan
- Years
- 1989-.. (age 37)
- Occupations
- singersongwriter
- Biography
-
Colm Keegan is a singer, songwriter and teacher from Dublin, Ireland. He is currently a part time principal singer with Irish music group, Celtic Thunder. He also previously performed with the likes of Celtic Woman, The Priests, and Irish tenor Peter Corry. He released his first solo album "I'll Never Be Alone" in the fall of 2016.
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Yvonne Farrell
- Occupations
- university teacherarchitect
- Biography
-
Yvonne Farrell is an Irish architect and academic. She is the co-founder, together with Shelley McNamara, of Grafton Architects, which won the World Building of the Year award in 2008 for their Bocconi University building in Milan. The practice won the inaugural RIBA International Prize in 2016 for their Universidad de Ingeniería y Tecnología building in Lima, Peru, and was awarded the 2020 Royal Gold Medal. In 2017 she was appointed, along with Shelley McNamara, as curator of the 16th Venice Biennale of Architecture in 2018. She won the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2020, also with McNamara.
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Lynn Boylan
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
-
Lynn Boylan is an Irish Sinn Féin politician who has been a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from Ireland for the Dublin constituency since July 2024. She was previously an MEP for Dublin from 2014 to 2019. From 2020 to 2024, she served as a Senator for the Agricultural Panel.
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Catherine Martin
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
-
Catherine Martin is an Irish Green Party politician who served as Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media from June 2020 to January 2025 and was deputy leader of the Green Party from June 2011 to July 2024. She served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin Rathdown constituency from 2016 to 2024. She lost her seat at the 2024 general election.
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Aodhán Ó Ríordáin
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
-
Aodhán Ó Ríordáin is an Irish Labour Party politician who has been a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from Ireland for the Dublin constituency since July 2024. He previously served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin Bay North constituency from the 2020 general election to 2024, and from 2011 to 2016 for the Dublin North-Central constituency. He served as a Minister of State from 2014 to 2016. He was a Senator for the Industrial and Commercial Panel from 2016 to 2020.
