# 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

* 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, founder and chairman of the Condensed Milk Company of Ireland, High Sheriff of Limerick city (1899, 1900, and 1908)
* Patrick Collison, CEO of Stripe
* JP McManus, businessman, entrepreneur and philanthropist

## 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.
* William Henry Harvey, algae botanist, born Summerville, County Limerick
* 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

* 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

* 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

* Margaretta Eagar (1863–1936), governess to the last Russian Royal Family
* Mary Jane Kelly (c. 1863–1888), Jack the Ripper victim
* Rosina Bulwer Lytton (1802–1882), author
* William Monsell, 1st Baron Emly (1812–1894), statesman and reformer
* John T. Mullock (1807–1869), Roman Catholic bishop of St. John's, Newfoundland (1850–1869)
* Mary O'Connell (1814–1897), nurse during the American Civil War.

## Religion

* Christine Frost (born 1937), Catholic religious sister
* Mary Kostka Kirby (1863–1952), New Zealand catholic nun