7 famous celebs you may have forgotten are Irish

In celebration of St Patrick’s Day we wanted to share the ‘look’ of the Irish with you. We’ve put together a short list of 7 of our favourite Irish and Northern Irish celebrities…some of these you would not expect.

Enjoy this list that includes actors Liam Neeson and Michael Fassbender. And surprise appearances from Emily Ratajkowski and Barack Obama! Many of these celebs claim to hail from the land of shamrocks and Guinness.

Happy St Patrick’s Day!

Rosario Dawson

Back in 2011, the actress tweeted about her European roots, revealing she is “more Irish than anything”. Despite not growing up with her biological father, she remains interested in her Irish homeland. She says she has been there at least three times.

“My biological father is Irish and, I don’t know, I never got to know him, but for me it was always one of the reasons I came [to Ireland] years ago” she said during an interview with Irish Independent in 2016, when visiting the country.

Saoirse Ronan

One of the most famous Irish people on the scene. The award-winning actress was actually born on American soil – the Bronx. But her Irish parents returned to their native homelands and Ronan in County Carlow.

Saoirse (pronounced ‘Sir-sha’) got her big break in Atonement (2007) alongside Kiera Knightley. A performance that earned her Oscar, Golden Globe and BAFTA Award nominations.

She has since gone on to star in critically acclaimed movies like Lady Bird (2017) and Little Women (2019)

Emily Ratajkowski

The model and actress, first gained international fame for her appearance in Robin Thicke’s notorious Blurred Lines in 2013. Many place Emily’s roots in Eastern Europe thanks to her last name, but her family is actually from Ireland!

“I absolutely love Ireland. It’s one of the most beautiful places on earth,” she said during an interview with Irish Independent in 2013:

Both my grandmothers are from Ireland and I have spent every summer in Bantry since my father, who is an artist, had the romantic idea 20 years ago to buy an old farmhouse on the west coast and renovate it

She added that she often goes back for a visit when she finds the opportunity. Spending most her days there with friends in local pubs. “I have great childhood memories cow-tipping, going off and getting lost in the bog for hours and coming home covered in dirt,” she concluded.

Michael Fassbender

Michael was born in Germany, but moved to his mother’s homeland – Ireland – when her was just a toddler. He was raised in County Kerry where he served as an altar boy, and his parents ran a restaurant.

Fassbender paid homage to his heritage in Hunger (2008) which is a film about the 1981 Irish hunger strike. One of his earlier roles might be considered more than just lucky for any Irishman – a role in a Guinness ad in 2004.

He is married to the stunning actress, Alicia Vikander. They welcomed a baby in 2021.

Barack Obama

Back in 2007, then-presidential hopeful found out he was part Irish. It was revealed that his great-great-grandfather, Falmouth Kearney, traveled from Ireland to Liverpool. He then hopped over to America in 1850.

In 2011, former-President Obama honoured his heritage with a visit to Kearney’s hometown, Moneygall. He sipped on Guinness and shook hands with some of the 300-odd people of the town.

He made a joke during his visit to the town:

My name is Barack Obama, of the Moneygall Obamas, and I’ve come home to find the apostrophe we lost somewhere along the way

Cillian Murphy

The Ireland-born actor started his career in music. Playing guitar and singing in several rock bands before his dreamy appearance in Inception (2010). Cillian (pronounced KILL-lee-an) hails from the suburbs of Cork and made a name for himself as an actor through the years.

And we almost missed it! Back in the 90s, he turned down a record deal offered to him and his back, and decided to focus on acting instead.

Blue-eyed Cillian featured in films like Batman Begins (2005) and thrilling TV series, Peaky Blinders (2013).

Mariah Carey

The All I Want For Christmas Is You singer-songwriter often speaks about her struggles of being both Black and Irish. She revealed more on this during a chat with The Guardian in 2009:

White people have a difficult time with [mixed race]. It’s like, my mother’s white — she’s so Irish, she loves Ireland, she’s like, yay, Ireland! Waving the flag and singing ‘When Irish Eyes Are Smiling.’ And that’s great. I appreciate that and respect it

She adds that growing up with a Black father often left her feeling confused – and hurt – she continues:

My father identified as a Black man. No one asked him because he was clearly Black…As a little girl, I had blond hair and they’d look at me, look at him, and be disgusted

The Songbird Supreme says given the struggles she encountered as a child – because of her background – she simply chooses to identify herself as ‘Mariah’. First and foremost.