Ireland

Edna O’Brien (1930–2024), Irish author of The Country Girls

Edna O’Brien was an Irish author whose acclaimed books included her groundbreaking 1960 debut novel, “The Country Girls.” 

Shane MacGowan (1957–2023), frontman of the Pogues

Shane MacGowan was a singer and songwriter who fronted the Celtic band the Pogues, a politically charged, Celtic music-inspired folk-rock band best known for their Christmas ballad, “Fairytale of New York.” 

Seán Keane (1946–2023), fiddle player for The Chieftains 

Seán Keane was a fiddle player for the Irish folk band The Chieftains and a virtuoso musician who helped keep the traditional musical legacy of his native Ireland alive.

Mark Sheehan (1976–2023), guitarist with the Script

Mark Sheehan was a guitarist who co-founded the Irish rock band the Script.

Garry Roberts (1950–2022), Boomtown Rats guitarist  

Garry Roberts was a founding member and the lead guitarist for the Irish rock band the Boomtown Rats.

Noel Duggan (1949–2022), founding member of Irish band Clannad 

Noel Duggan was an Irish musician who was a founding member of the family folk band Clannad.

Dervla Murphy (1931–2022), bicycled from Ireland to India

Dervla Murphy was an Irish travel writer whose books included “Full Tilt: Ireland to India with a Bicycle.”

Paddy Moloney (1938–2021), Irish musician who co-founded and led the Chieftains

Paddy Moloney was an Irish musician who co-founded and led the Grammy-winning group the Chieftains.

Lucinda Riley (1966–2021), author known for “The Seven Sisters” series

Lucinda Riley was a bestselling Irish author of historical fiction, known for her “The Seven Sisters” series and her 2019 No. 1 Sunday Times bestseller, “The Butterfly Room.”

Sam McBratney (1943–2020), children’s author of “Guess How Much I Love You”

Sam McBratney was an Irish author of books for children and adults, best known for the children’s bestseller “Guess How Much I Love You.”

Jean Kennedy Smith (1928–2020), last surviving Kennedy sibling

Jean Kennedy Smith was the last surviving sibling of President and a diplomat who helped with the effort toward peace in Northern Ireland.

Star Trek's Scotty, James Doohan, Was an Irish Canadian WWII Veteran With an Inspirational Legacy

Star Trek’s chief engineer, Montgomery Scott, may be the most famously Scottish person in all of pop culture. But here’s something fascinating:

What Is a Wake?

A wake is one of the ceremonies some people perform after a death. It’s often used interchangeably with visitation or viewing, though historically it was a different kind of ceremony from our modern-day visitation.

Lyra McKee (1990–2019), Irish investigative journalist

Lyra McKee was an editorforthe news siteMediagazer, and her work appeared in Buzzfeed and The Atlantic. In an announcementfora publishing deal last year, she was described as a rising star of investigative journalism, according to Buzzfeed. In 2016, she was named by Forbes as one of the European 30 under 30 in media.She had written a non-fiction novel, c2Angles with Blue Faces,c2 about a cold case from the Troubles, a period of violent conflict in Northern Ireland, and was in the process of working on a new novel. Her most recent article on the suicide rates of young people who grew up during the Troubles was .

Dolores O'Riordan (1971–2018), lead singer of Irish band The Cranberries

The band was known for their hit song “Zombie.”

Martin McGuinness (1950–2017), Irish political leader

Martin McGuinness, the former deputy first minister of Northern Ireland, died Tuesday, March 21, 2017, according to multiple news sources. He was 66.

Ryan McBride (1989–2017), Irish footballer

Irish footballer's teammates called him Captain Fantastic.

William Trevor (1928 - 2016), award-winning Irish writer

William Trevor, the award-winning Irish novelist, playwright, and author of short stories, died Monday, Nov. 21, 2016, in England, according to multiple news sources. He was 88. Trevor was a three-time winner of the Whitbread Prize (now known as the Costa Book Awards). He also was a five-time nominee for the Booker Prize, most recently for his 2009 novel “Love and Summer.” Writers paid tribute to their colleague. John Banville, the author of “Time Pieces: A Dublin Memoir” praised Trevor in The Irish Times as “one of the great short-story writers, at his best the equal of Chekhov and Babel. But we should also celebrate his novels, in particular ’Mrs. Eckdorf in O’Neill’s Hotel,’ an inexplicably neglected twentieth-century masterpiece. … His death is a heavy loss to Irish letters and to world literature.”

DNA Reveals the Surprise Origins of the Irish

Geneticists now say they now know where the modern Irish people originally came from.

Johnny Murphy

Johnny Murphy, an Irish actor who was known best for co-starring as Joey "The Lips" Fagan in the 1991 film adaptation of "The Commitments," has died of cancer, according to multiple news sources. Murphy, who died Monday, was 71. A native of Dublin, Murphy already had made a name for himself as an actor in theater when Alan Parker cast him as trumpeter Joey Fagan in "The Commitments." Murphy was the only cast member who was not a musician. He took plenty of lessons to lend more credence to his acting performance.

John Dineen (1981 - 2015)

John Dineen of Ireland, a financial public relations executive and the fiance of "Downton Abbey" star and Golden Globe-winning actress Michelle Dockery, has died after a long illness. The 34-year-old Dineen died Sunday at a hospice center in Cork, Ireland. The cause of death was not announced. London's Mirror, as well as People magazine, reported that he is believed to have had a rare type of cancer.

Maureen O'Hara (1920–2015), Miracle on 34th Street star

Actress Maureen O'Hara, star of classic movies of the golden age of Hollywood including "Miracle on 34th Street" and "The Quiet Man," died in her sleep on October 24, 2015.

Brian Friel (1929 - 2015)

Brian Friel, the Tony Award-winning playwright who created "Dancing at Lughnasa" and more than 30 other plays, has died in Ireland, according to The Associated Press. He was 86. The government and the Arts Council of Ireland said Friel died Friday in his seaside home in County Donegal, northwest Ireland, the setting for most of his five decades of work, the AP said. No cause of death was given. "His mythical stories from Ballybeg reached all corners of the world from Dublin to London to Broadway and onto the silver screen," said Prime Minister Enda Kenny, who praised Friel as "the consummate Irish storyteller. His work spoke to each of us with humor, emotion and authenticity."

The Colorful Peter O'Toole

Actor Peter O'Toole is often referred to as one of his generation's greatest thespians.

Ireland's Own Richard Harris

In Limerick, the Irish city where Richard Harris was born and raised, they still call him "Dickie." And while 12 years have passed since the legendary actor died Oct. 25, 2002, at 72, he is still very much a presence there. The town will welcome thousands of visitors this weekend (Oct. 24 - 26) for the second annual Richard Harris International Film Festival. Eleanor McSherry, the festival's creative director, spoke to Legacy.com about one of Limerick's favorite sons.

Parents' Touching Last Dances

Weddings are times for great happiness, but sometimes that joy becomes bittersweet, as it did recently for two California families.

Famous Pats

Perhaps the most famous Pat in history is St. Patrick, thanks to his legendary work in Ireland and the beloved international holiday that bears his name. In more modern times, Pats of all kinds have made great contributions to our culture. Whether they go by Pat, Patrick, Patricia, Patsy, Paddy, or Patrice, these luminaries have made our world a better place. Take a look the great Pats of the past, and click on any photo for more about the famous Pat.

The Truth about the Titanic

As the centennial of the Titanic disaster approached, one of the biggest news stories wasn't the actual anniversary, nor was it the re-release of James Cameron's blockbuster movie in 3D.

Maureen O'Sullivan: Ireland's First Movie Star

We look back on the life and career of the first big Hollywood film star to come out of Ireland: Maureen O'Sullivan.

Bram Stoker, Father of Vampire Fiction

We're remembering Bram Stoker on his birthday with a look at his most famous creation, Count Dracula.