List of people from Derry
This is a list of notable people who were born or have lived in Derry, Northern Ireland.
Actors
- Amanda Burton - actress, best known for her role as forensic pathologist Doctor (later Professor) "Sam Ryan" in the BBC crime drama series Silent Witness
- Antonia Campbell-Hughes - actress whose films and shows include Kelly + Victor and Lead Balloon
- Roma Downey - actress, film producer and author, best known for her role as Monica, the main character of the religious TV series Touched by an Angel
- Michelle Fairley - actress, best known for her role as Catelyn Stark in the TV series Game of Thrones
- George Farquhar - Restoration dramatist
- Bronagh Gallagher - actress/singer whose films include Pulp Fiction and The Commitments
- Saoirse-Monica Jackson - actress whose work includes Derry Girls
- Jamie-Lee O'Donnell - actress whose work includes Derry Girls
Artists
- Willie Doherty - visual artist twice nominated for the Turner Prize
- Eilis O'Connell - sculptor
- Pádraig Timoney - visual artist
Authors
- James Burke - Science Historian and TV figure
- Willie Carson - photo journalist and author
- Joyce Cary - author; two of his novels were made into films: The Horse's Mouth (1958) starring Sir Alec Guinness and Mister Johnson (1990)
- Seamus Deane - writer
- Richard Doherty - Catholic Unionist/Royal Ulster Constabulary reservist, writer, military historian
- Seamus Heaney - poet, writer and lecturer; awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1995
- Nell McCafferty - journalist, playwright, civil rights campaigner and feminist
- Eamonn McCann - journalist, civil rights campaigner, socialist and former MLA for the city
- Aoife Moore - journalist, political correspondent with the Irish Examiner
Military
- John Lawrence, soldier and Viceroy of India
- Edward Leach, recipient of the Victoria Cross
- John Park, recipient of the Victoria Cross
- Miles Ryan, recipient of the Victoria Cross
Musicians
- Máiréad Carlin - member of Celtic Woman
- Phil Coulter - songwriter who wrote The Town I Loved So Well
- Nadine Coyle - singer from Girls Aloud
- Peter Cunnah - lead singer with 1990s pop outfit D Ream
- Dana - winner of the Eurovision Song Contest in 1970
- Neil Hannon - lead singer of The Divine Comedy
- Keith Harkin - singer and songwriter from Celtic Thunder
- Josef Locke - tenor singer, popular in the 1940s and 1950s
- Damian McGinty - tenor singer in Celtic Thunder
- Paul McLoone- Today FM DJ and current frontman of The Undertones
- Jimmy McShane of Baltimora
- Cahir O'Doherty - member of Fighting with Wire, Jetplane Landing and Seafood
- Feargal Sharkey - lead singer of The Undertones
- SOAK - singer/songwriter
Politicians
- Martina Anderson - Sinn Féin Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Foyle
- David Baird Sr. - United States Senator from New Jersey who was born in Derry before emigrating to the U.S.
- Samuel Bell - United States Senator from New Hampshire and Governor of New Hampshire who was born in Derry before emigrating to the U.S.
- Gregory Campbell - Democratic Unionist Party Member of Parliament for East Londonderry
- Nigel Dodds - Democratic Unionist Party Member of Parliament for Belfast North
- Brendan Duddy - Local business man and key figure in the Northern Ireland Peace Process.
- Mark Durkan - Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) and former Member of Parliament for Foyle
- Colum Eastwood - Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) Leader and Member of Parliament for Foyle and Former Mayor of Derry City and former MLA for Foyle.
- William Hay - Democratic Unionist Party, Speaker of the Northern Assembly & MLA for Foyle
- John Hume - Nobel Peace Prize and Gandhi Peace Prize recipient, former leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party, and MP for Foyle 1983-2005
- Elisha McCallion - Sinn Féin Senator for the Industrial and Commercial Panel
- Martin McGuinness - Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland and Sinn Féin MP for Mid Ulster
Scientists
- J. A. Scott Kelso - neuroscientist
- William Taylor Whan - botanist
- William C. Campbell - winner of the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine - biologist and parasitologist[1][2]
Sportspeople
- Liam Ball - Olympic swimmer
- Trevor Britton - cricketer
- John "Jobby" Crossan - footballer, capped 24 times by Northern Ireland, scoring 10 goals
- John Duddy - retired boxer, former holder of the IBA World Middleweight Title and the WBC Continental Americas Middleweight Title
- Darron Gibson - retired footballer, former Republic of Ireland international and Everton F.C. midfielder; first man from Derry to represent the Republic of Ireland national football team
- Ken Goodall - rugby union and league player, capped 19 times by Ireland; was selected as a replacement for the 1968 Lions tour to South Africa; changed codes and joined rugby league side Workington
- Billy "Spider" Kelly - boxer, former Commonwealth (British Empire) featherweight and British featherweight champion.
- James McClean - Wigan Athletic F.C. midfielder
- Paddy McCourt - Former Celtic F.C. midfielder
- Dwayne McGerrigle - cricketer
- Fred McMullan - former professional darts player
- Charlie Nash - boxer, former European and British lightweight champion
- Martin O'Neill - OBE recipient, former manager of Celtic Football Club, and Aston Villa F.C.
- Daniel Quigley - professional kickboxer, ISKA Professional World Heavyweight Kickboxing Champion.
- Daryl Gurney - Professional Dart Player. 2 Times PDC Major Winner
Other
- Eileen O'Donnell, model and beauty pageant winner
- Lisa McGee, stage and screenwriter
- Mark McFadden, television journalist
- Mini Ladd, Youtuber
- William Sampson, Lawyer
References
- ^ "Londonderry scientist receives Nobel Prize for Medicine". BBC News. 11 December 2015. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
- ^ "The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2015". Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 13 December 2015.