List of Mayo people
Appearance
County Mayo is a county in Ireland, it is the third largest in Ireland and the second largest in Connaught, Mayo has produced many noted artists, entertainers, politicians and businesspeople. Also included are people affiliated with Mayo before the creation of the Republic of Ireland.
List of people from County Mayo
Writers, composers and philosophers
- Ulick Bourke (1829–1887) – scholar, founder of the Gaelic Union.
- Louis Brennan (1852–1932) – inventor.
- Richard Douthwaite (1942–2011) – economist, ecologist, campaigner and writer.
- Paul Durcan, poet.
- James Owen Hannay a.k.a. George A. Birmingham – author of such novels about County Mayo as The Seething Pot (1905) and Hyacinth (1906).
- John Healy (1930–1991) – author and journalist.
- Bernard O'Hara (b. 1945) – Irish historian and author of books about County Mayo including Davitt: Irish Patriot and Father of the Land League (2009), Killasser: Heritage of a Mayo Parish (2012) and Exploring Mayo (2017).
Entertainers
- Adrian Flannelly – Irish Radio Network host from 1970.
- Margaret Burke Sheridan (1889–1958) – opera singer.
- Ian O'Reilly – actor, (Moone Boy).
- Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin – winner of the 2005 Rose of Tralee contest. She is first Rose from County Mayo.
- Louis Walsh – entertainment manager and judge on British television talent show The X Factor and Ireland's Got Talent.
Politicians and leaders
- Richard Bourke, 6th Earl of Mayo (1822–1872) – Viceroy of India (1869–1872).
- Dara Calleary – Fianna Fáil politician
- Seán Calleary (1931–2018) – Fianna Fáil politician
- Lucinda Creighton – former politician, leader and founder of Renua Ireland (2015–2016).
- Lisa Chambers – Fianna Fáil politician.
- Jerry Cowley – barrister, medical doctor and politician.
- Michael Davitt (1846–1906) – Irish republican, agrarian campaigner, labour leader, Home Rule politician and Member of Parliament (MP) who founded the Irish National Land League. The bridge to Achill is named after him as well as one of Castlebar's local secondary schools, (Davitt College).
- Seán Flanagan (1922–1993) – Fianna Fáil politician and Gaelic footballer. Served as Minister for Health (1966–1969) and Minister for Lands (1969–1973).
- Pádraig Flynn – former Fianna Fáil politician and Minister.
- Beverly Flynn – former Fianna Fáil politician
- Charles Haughey (1925–2006) – former Taoiseach of Ireland.
- William Joyce Sewell – Unionist colonel during American Civil War and US senator for New Jersey.
- Enda Kenny – politician, leader of Fine Gael (2002–2017), and Taoiseach (2011–2017).
- William O'Dwyer (1890– 1964) – 100th mayor of New York City (1946–1950).
- Paul O'Dwyer (1907–1998) – President of New York City Council, prominent New York City human rights attorney, supporter of Irish nationalism, and defender of several Irishmen from deportation, including "The Fort Worth Five" and Vincent Conlon.
- Pat Rabbitte – former leader of the Labour Party.
- Michael Ring – Fine Gael politician (inaugural Minister for Rural and Community Development (2017–present)).
- Mary Robinson – first female President of Ireland (1990–1997), and United Nations High Commissioner for Human rights.
- John Solon (d.1921) – member of the Wisconsin State Assembly.
- Thomas Thornton – member of the Wisconsin State Assembly.
Soldiers
- Admiral William Brown (1777–1857) – founder of the Argentine Navy.
- Frank Durkan (1930–2006) – Irish–American human rights attorney best known for having represented numerous members of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA).
- Flidais – the heroine of the Ulster Cycle Erris legend of the Táin Bó Flidhais.
- Michael Gaughan (1949–1974) – IRA Volunteer.
- Philip Gaughan (1865–1913) – first Irish-American to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor during the Spanish–American War.* John Hennen – FRSE military surgeon.
- Gráinne O'Malley – 16th century pirate queen and chieftain of the clan O’Malley, also known as Granuaile.
- Ernie O'Malley (1897–1957), prominent officer in the Irish Republican Army during the Irish War of Independence and on the anti-Treaty side in the Irish Civil War; also a writer.* Frank Stagg (1942–1976) – member of the Irish Republican Army who went on a Hunger strike.
- Mark Mellett – current Chief of Staff of the Irish Defence Forces
- Niall McGarry – entrepreneur.
Sport
- Ryan Connolly – footballer
- Alan Dillon – former Gaelic footballer for Mayo (2003–2017).
- Ger Feeney (c. 1954–2010) – Gaelic footballer for Mayo.
- Richie Feeney – Gaelic footballer for Mayo.
- Ciaran Kelly – footballer (Sligo Rovers).
- Diarmuid O'Connor – Gaelic footballer for Mayo.
- Tommy Langan (1921–1974) – Gaelic footballer, full-forward.
- Ciarán McDonald – Gaelic football player.
- John McDonnell – athletics coach. He has won more national championships (42) than any coach in any sport in the history of American collegiate athletics.
- Ray Moylette – professional boxer.
- Cillian O'Connor – Gaelic footballer for Mayo.
- Aidan O'Shea – Gaelic footballer for Mayo
- Nicholas Quinn – Swimmer, competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics.
- Martin Sheridan (1881–1918) – five-time Olympic gold medalist, with a total of nine Olympic medals
- Cora Staunton, Gaelic footballer for Mayo (1995–present), All-Ireland winner (1999–2000, 2002–2003), All Star winner (2000–2002, 2004, 2007–2009, 2012–2013, 2015, 2017), association footballer, rugby player and Australian rules footballer, Greater Western Sydney Giants (2017–present).
- Jimmy Walsh (1885–1962) – outfielder for MLB team Boston Red Sox. Won world series in 1916
Other
- Patrick Browne (1720–1790) – doctor and botanist of Jamaica.
- Frank Carter (1881–1927) – Irish–American serial killer.
- Brian Rua U'Cearbhain – 17th century prophet from Erris.
- Willie Corduff – Winner of Goldman Environmental Prize 2007.
- Micheál de Búrca (1912–1985) – artist.
- Michael Feeney – MBE – founder of Mayo Peace Park.
- John MacHale (1789–1881) – Archbishop of Tuam, Irish independence leader.
- Marquess of Sligo (Browne).
- Michael Murphy – broadcaster, journalist, psychoanalyst.
- Michael Neary – current Archbishop of Tuam.