List of Irish Americans

This is a list of famous Irish Americans.

List

Actors

• Main article: List of Irish-American actors

Arts

• Michael Flatley - dancer [7] "The important thing to know about Michael Flatley is that he's Irish-American... His success comes from his ability to join unlikely elements together—Irish and Americans, step dancing and flamenco, pretension and frivolity."
• William Harnett - painter [8] "William Harnett American, born Ireland, 1848(?)-1892"
• Georgia O'Keeffe - painter [9] "Of Irish and Hungarian ancestry, Georgia O'Keeffe was born on a farm in Sun Prairie, Wis...."
• Augustus Saint-Gaudens - sculptor [10] "Augustus Saint-Gaudens was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1848 to an Irish mother and a French father."

Business

• Diamond Jim Brady - financier and philanthropist [11] "Born in 1856 into an Irish immigrant family who ran a saloon on the Lower East Side..."
• Henry Ford - founder of Ford Motor Company [12] "Ford was born on 30 July 1863 in Dearborn, Michigan, the son of Irish immigrants who fled the potato famine in the 1840s."
• Franklin B. Gowen - lawyer, president of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad, prosecuted the trial against the Molly Maguires [13] "Franklin Gowen, the fifth son of a Irish immigrant, was born in Philadelphia in 1836..."
• Herb Kelleher - Southwest Airlines chairman[14] "www.irishboard.com"
• Tom Monaghan - founder of Domino's Pizza [15] "On his father's side there was the Irish connection, his grandfather coming from Tipperary and his paternal grandmother from Cork..."
• Bill Rancic - entrepreneur [16] "grew up in the suburb Orland Park, to a Croatian-Irish family..."
• Jack Welch - Former CEO of GE [17] "The Irish-Catholic kid who learned to play golf as a 12-year-old caddy beat a champion..."

Film directors/producers

• Walt Disney [18] "his father, Elias Disney, an Irish-Canadian, and his mother, Flora Call Disney, who was of German-American descent."
• John Ford [19] "John Ford was born John Martin Feeney, February 1, 1894, at his father's farm in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, the child of Irish immigrants. The Irish were a ghettoised minority, then, and it was only toward the end of his life, Ford said, when Kennedy was elected president, that he felt like a first-class citizen. He grew up in Portland, where his father had a bar."
• Mel Gibson [20] "Mel Gibson was born in Peeksill, NY, to Irish Catholic parents."
• Alfred Hitchcock [21] "He was the youngest child of an East End family whose father ran a poulterer's and greengrocer's business and whose mother came of Irish stock. The family was Catholic." [22] "In 1955, he became an American citizen."
• Ron Howard Director, Child Actor [23]"Ron Howard is of Irish descent, his ancestors having immigrated to Oklahoma for the land grab. His passion for the Irish failed him when he made “Far and Away,” but it serves him well here; it’s clear he feels a kinship with fellow Irishman Braddock."
• John Huston
• Leo McCarey [24] "Leo McCarey was the first son of Irish-Catholic Thomas McCarey, a well-known boxing promoter, and French-born Leona [Mistrol] McCarey, for whom he is named."
• Michael Moore [25] "Moore, now 49, was raised in a working-class Irish-American family."
• John Sayles (1950 - ) independent film director and writer, frequently takes a small part in his own and other indie films

Gangsters

• Main article: List of Irish-American mobsters

Lawyers

• William Brennan - United States Supreme Court Justice [26] "The second of eight children born to Irish immigrants..."
• Pierce Butler - United States Supreme Court Justice and son of Irish immigrants to Minnesota
• James B. Comey - former Deputy Attorney General of the United States [27] "He was born in Yonkers 42 years ago, the second of four children in a middle-class Irish-American family."
• Patrick Fitzgerald - current U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois [28] "His parents were Irish-born and he grew up in a working-class Irish American community..."
• Anthony Kennedy - United States Supreme Court Justice [29] "Ethnicity Irish"
• Roger J. Traynor - Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of California from 1964 to 1970 [30]

Media/Journalists

• Mike Barnicle [31] "In this racial maelstrom, there was one Globe man who was trusted on the gritty streets of South Boston, a young Irish columnist named Mike Barnicle..."
• Jimmy Breslin [32] "His book has been criticized for its intemperate remarks about the Irish and their American great-grandchildren, but if Jimmy Breslin is not qualified to make those judgments... who is?"
• Nellie Bly [33] "Miss Bly was, in fact, the daughter of Irish immigrants."
• William F. Buckley Jr. [34] "Mr. Buckley is an anomaly in American life, a man who has been made, or who made himself, systematically déclassé. "I never knew I was an Irish Catholic until I ran for mayor of New York," he once told Martin Nolan..."
• Neil Cavuto [35] "Look, I'm half-Italian and half-Irish. I figure I was born with a temper..."
• Carson Daly
• Phil Donahue [36] "When he and Buchanan squared off on camera to debate the recent Pledge of Allegiance court ruling, they were just another pair of wealthy, middle-aged, white Irish Catholic men pontificating."
• Maureen Dowd [37] "Dowd is assumed by most people to be a Democrat... in reality she was part of this kind of Irish-Catholic mafia that included Chris Matthews and Mike Kelly..."
• Morton Downey, Jr. [38] "Mort's Dad, the original Morton Downey, was an Irish tenor and a very big star in the 1930's and 40's."
• Pete Hamill [39] "Born in Brooklyn in 1935, of Irish immigrant parents, Pete Hamill served in the US Navy, attended Mexico City College..."
• Sean Hannity [40] "Hannity, a proclaimed devout Irish Catholic, has blamed liberals for actions taken..."
• Magee Hickey [41]
• Greg Kelly
• Michael Kelly
• Chris Matthews [42] "But Chris Matthews, the Irish-American host of MSNBC's political talk show "Hardball,"..."
• Peggy Noonan (1950 - ) author, political analyst and pundit for the Republican Party
• Conan O'Brien [43] "O'Brien, the proud Irishman, clad very casually in denims and navy blue shirt..."
• Soledad O'Brien [44] "O'Brien was named to Irish American Magazine's "Top 100 Irish Americans" on two occasions." [45] "Soledad O’Brien brings her unique heritage of Latino, Irish, and African-American cultures..."
• Norah O'Donnell [46] "O’Donnell has also been named to Irish American Magazine’s 2000 “Top 100 Irish Americans” list."
• Bill O'Reilly [47] "He was raised Irish-Catholic in Long Island, NY..."
• John L. O'Sullivan [48] "He was the son of an English woman of aristocratic origins and an Irish-born..."
• Regis Philbin [49] "Part of an Irish-American Catholic family, he was the eldest son of Frank and Florence..."
• Tim Russert (1950 - ) journalist, has hosted NBC's Meet the Press since 1991
• Ed Sullivan [50] "As you may recall, Ed Sullivan, whose heritage was Irish ..."
• Elizabeth Vargas [51] "Born in New Jersey of a Puerto Rican father and Irish American mother, and a self-described army brat..."
• John Walsh [52] "I don't know if it comes from being Irish or Catholic or both...."

Military

• The Sullivan brothers - World War II Brothers all killed in action (inspired Saving Private Ryan)
• John Barry - father of the United States Navy [53] "John Barry was born in a modest thatched cottage in 1745 at Ballysampson on Our Lady's Island, which is part of Tacumshin Parish in County Wexford, Ireland..."
• Patrick Cleburne - Confederate States Army major-general [54] "Patrick Cleburne a North Georgia Notable Born: County Cork, Ireland, March 17, 1828 (St. Patrick's Day)"
• Michael Corcoran - United States Army general [55] "A policeman in Ireland, Michael Corcoran became a symbol of what an Irishman -- and a Fenian -- could make of himself in the New World..."
• James Hickey - leader ofOperation Red Dawn [56] "Hickey is the son of working-class Irish immigrants..."
• Stephen W. Kearny United States Army officer, noted for action in the southwest during the Mexican American War [57]
• Andrew Lewis - Continental Army general [58] "LEWIS, Andrew, soldier, born in Donegal, Ireland, about 1720"
• Thomas Francis Meagher - United States Army general, Fenian [59] "THOMAS Francis Meagher, Irish nationalist. captain in the 69th New York State Militia at 1st Manassas, and Civil War general..."
• Richard Montgomery - Continental Army general [60] "MONTGOMERY, RICHARD (1736-1775), American soldier, was born in Co. Dublin, Ireland, in 1736..."
• Audie Murphy - most decorated combat soldier of World War II [61] "One of the countless young Irish Americans queuing up in front of the recruitment offices was Audie Murphy from Greenville, Texas..."
• Timothy Murphy - marksman, Continental Army [62] "His parents, Irish immigrants, were Thomas and Mary (Lundy) Murphy..."
• Jeremiah O'Brien - captain in Continental Navy [63] "The shamrock centered at the top of the pile alludes to Jeremiah O'Brien's Irish ancestry..."
• John O'Neill - United States Army general, Fenian [64] "General John O'Neill arrived in the United States from Ireland in 1848..."
• John P. O'Neill - high ranking anti-terrorism expert [65]
• Molly Pitcher - Revolutionary War heroine [66] "She survived her husband many years, known of course as Molly McCauly, and the statements so frequently made that Molly Pitcher was a young Irish woman..."
• Philip Sheridan - United States Army, General of the Army, Cavalry [67] "John and Mary Minah Sheridan, Philip's parents, came to America in 1830 at the urging of John's uncle, Thomas Gainor, living in Albany, New York. John and Mary were second degree cousins from County Cavan, Ireland."
• John Sullivan - Continental Army general [68] "General John Sullivan: His Irish Family Background"

Musicians

• Main article: List of Irish American musicians

Playboy Playmates

• Julie Clarke - Playboy Playmate [69] "...an all-natural lass of Irish descent, Julie's beauty is unrivaled."
• Kimberly Donley--Playboy Playmate Miss March 1993 [source: Playboy Playmate Review,1994]:"...this half-Irish Colleen(She is German-Cherokee on her mother's side)..."
• Alexandria Karlsen - Playboy Playmate "...a natural redhead, Lexie's sexy from head to toe."
• Karen McDougal - Playboy Playmate [70] "...Karen combines American wholesomeness with the exotic beauty of her Irish and Cherokee heritage."

Politicians

• Main article: List of Irish American politicians

Religion

• Philip Berrigan, Internationally renowned peace activist and Roman Catholic priest
• Raymond Leo Burke, Archbishop of St. Louis
• John Carroll, America's first Catholic bishop and founder of Georgetown University
• John Cardinal Cody, Archbishop of Chicago
• R. Luke Concanen, Bishop of New York
• John Connolly, Bishop of New York
• Michael Corrigan, Archbishop of New York
• Michael J. Curley, Archbishop of Baltimore
• James Duggan, Bishop of Chicago
• Edward Cardinal Egan, Archbishop of New York
• John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York
• Patrick Feehan, Archbishop of Chicago
• Harry Flynn, Archbishop of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
• James Augustine Healy, Bishop of Portland, Maine, half Irish and half African
• Patrick Healy, S.J., President of Georgetown College
• John Joseph Hughes, first Archbishop of New York, built St. Patrick's Cathedral, New York, founded Fordham University
• John Ireland, Archbishop of St. Paul
• Father Mychal Judge, first confirmed death at World Trade Center on September 11, 2001
• Andrew Greeley, Roman Catholic priest, author and sociologist
• William Joseph Levada, Prefect of the Congregation for the Docterine of the Faith, half Irish and half Portuguese
• Roger Mahony, Cardinal Archbishop of Los Angeles
• Francis Makemie, founder of Presbyterianism in North America
• Theodore Cardinal McCarrick, Archbishop of Washington D.C.
• John Cardinal McCloskey, Archbishop of New York
• Michael J. McGivney, Knights of Columbus founder, priest
• Patrick Joseph McGrath, Bishop of San Jose
• John Murray, Archbishop of St. Paul
• John Cardinal O'Connor, Archbishop of New York
• Sean O'Malley, Archbishop of Boston, named Cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI on February 21, 2006
• Anthony O'Regan, Bishop of Chicago
• James Quigley, Archbishop of Chicago
• Fulton J. Sheen, Roman Catholic Archbishop
• Samuel Cardinal Stritch, Archbishop of Chicago
• John Timon, first bishop of Buffalo
• Thomas Walsh, Archbishop of Newark

Science

• Michael Collins - astronaut with Gemini 10 and Apollo 11 missions[71]
• John Philip Holland - inventor of the submarine, Fenian [72] "John Philip Holland was born in Ireland in 1841. He emigrated to America where his first successful submarine design was paid for by Irish nationalists seeking Ireland's liberation from Britain."
• Arthur Edwin Kennelly - electrical engineer [73] "Arthur Edwin Kennelly, the son of an Irish naval officer, was born in Colaba near Bombay, India, on 17 December 1861..."
• Charles Brian Montagu McBurney - medical pioneer [74] "Charles McBurney (1845-1913) was an Irish American medical pioneer famous in his field for his early reports about appendicitis."
• Charles Townes - physicist, Nobel Prize in Physics laureate [75]

Sportspeople

• Main article: List of Irish American sportspeople

Writers

• Main article: List of Irish American writers

Others

• Billy the Kid - gunslinger [76] "aka Billy Bonney, from his birth in New York's Irish slums..."
• Molly Brown the Unsinkable Molly Brown was Born Molly Tobin (Irish born father) [77]
• Eileen Collins - first female commander of a Space Shuttle [78] "The Irish American contribution to space exploration has continued in recent years with astronauts Kathryn Sullivan and Eileen Collins..."
• John Dunlap - printer, printed the first copies of the Declaration of Independence [79] "John Dunlap, born in Ireland in 1747..."
• Matthew Pallas
• Anne Glover - hanged as a witch in Boston [80] "A native of Ireland, she had been sold as a slave in Barbados..."
• Dan Harrington - world poker champion [81] "Born in Cambridge, Massachusetts of Irish descent..."
• James Hoban - Architect of the White House in Washington, DC [82] "Hoban studied at the Dublin Society School in Dublin before emigrating to the United States of America..."
• Mary Jemison - Frontiers Woman [83]"Mary Jemison was born onboard the ship Planter on the way from Ireland to America."
• Raymond W. Kelly - NYPD Commissioner [84] "the highest ranking Irish American in the Dinkins administration.
• Gary McGivern recipient of most controversial grant of executive clemency from Governor Mario M. Cuomo

Fictional characters

• "Dirty" Harry Callahan
• Jordan Cavanaugh, Crossing Jordan
• Philip J. Fry, Futurama
• Tasha Yar, fictional character portrayed by Denise Crosby
• Mary Cathrine Gallager, Superstar/ Saturday Night Live
• Tommy Gavin, Rescue Me
• Peter Griffin, Family Guy
• Tom Hagen, The Godfather
• Will Hunting, Good Will Hunting
• Studs Lonigan, (book by James T. Farrell made into Film and TV mini Series)
• Sean Maguire, Good Will Hunting
• Sam Malone, Cheers
• Kenny McCormick, South Park
• Captain McCluskey, The Godfather
• Marty McFly, Back to the Future
• Miles O'Brien, "Star Trek:The Next Generation" and "Star Trek:Deep Space Nine"
• Scarlett O'Hara, Gone with the Wind
• Patches O'Houlihan, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
• Cyril O'Reily, Oz
• Ryan O'Reily, Oz
• Mayor Quimby, The Simpsons
• Tom Regan, Miller's Crossing
• Jack Ryan, Clear and Present Danger
• Michael Sullivan, Road to Perdition
• Rocky Sullivan, Angels with Dirty Faces
• Maddie Fitzpatrick, The Suite Life of Zack and Cody
• Andrew Gilligan, "Free-Balling: A Cross Country Journey"

External links

• IrishAmerica.com
• The Irish-born signatories of the American Declaration of Independence
• Medal of Honor Recipients (Irish Born)
• Scots-Irish American Article
• Irish Heros at the Alamo
• Irish diaspora
• Coffin Ships
• The American Irish Historical Society
• Early Irish Immigration to USA
• Irish immigrant soldiers in the Civil War