List of people from Belfast

This is a list of well-known people who were born, grew up, or lived in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Belfast is a busy city with a rich history, and many famous people have come from this place. Some are known for music, sports, politics, and the arts. Learning about these people helps us see how Belfast has influenced the world. The list includes people from different times and backgrounds, showing the many talents from Belfast.

Arts

Brian Desmond Hurst in 1976 (portrait by Allan Warren)

John Lavery

Siobhan McKenna

Derek Bell (1935–2002), harpist and composer
Eric Bell (born 1947), guitarist; former member of Them and Thin Lizzy
James Bingham (1925–2009), artist
Doris Blair (1915–2011), artist
Kenneth Branagh (born 1960), actor and director
Jake Burns (born 1958), musician (Stiff Little Fingers)
Vivian Campbell (born 1962), musician (Dio, Def Leppard)
Ciaran Carson (1948–2019), poet and novelist
George Cassidy (1936–2023), musician
Catoan, band
Nathan Connolly (born 1981), musician (Snow Patrol)
Mairtín Crawford (1967–2004), poet
Gerald Dawe (born 1952), poet
Gerald Dillon (1916–1971), artist
Laura Donnelly (born 1982), actress
Jamie Dornan (born 1982), actor
Barry Douglas (born 1960), concert pianist
Garth Ennis (born 1970), comics writer
Padraic Fiacc (1924–2019), poet
Olga Fielden (1903–1973), playwright and novelist
James Galway (born 1939), musician
Joe Graham (1944–2021), writer and historian
Stuart Graham (born 1967), actor
Ceara Grehan, theatre and opera singer
Karen Hassan (born 1981), actress
Kaz Hawkins (born 1973), musician
Paul Henry (1876–1958), painter
John Hewitt (1907–1987), poet
Ciarán Hinds (born 1953), actor
P.J. Holden (born 1969), comic artist
David Holmes (born 1969), DJ
Brian Desmond Hurst (1895–1986), film director
Oliver Jeffers (born 1977), artist
Brian Keenan (born 1950), writer
Ian Knox (born 1943) comic artist and political cartoonist
Sam Kydd (1915–1982), actor
Ben Kyle (born 1981), musician, leader of Romantica
Sir John Lavery (1856–1941), artist
C.S. Lewis (1898–1963), author and scholar
Michael Longley (born 1939), poet
Ian Masterson, musician
Paul Masterson, music producer
Gerry McAvoy (born 1951), musician
Christopher McCafferty, DJ, club promoter
Gerard McCarthy (born 1981), actor and television presenter
John McCrea (born 1966), comic artist
Ian McDonald (born 1960), science fiction author
Siobhán McKenna (1922–1986), actress
Ali McMordie (born 1959), musician (Stiff Little Fingers)
Katie Melua (born 1984), musician
Seaneen Molloy, blogger and columnist
Brian Moore (1921–1999), novelist
Gary Moore (1952–2011), musician, blues and rock guitarist formerly of Thin Lizzy
Van Morrison (born 1945), musician
Clara Mulholland (1849–1934), writer
Ruby Murray (1935–1996), singer/actress
Doc Neeson (1947–2014), musician
Una O'Connor (1880–1959), actress
Jonjo O'Neill (born 1952), actor
Patricia Quinn (born 1944), actress in The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Stephen Rea (born 1946), actor
Bob Shaw (1931–1996), science fiction author
Duke Special (born 1971), musician
Bronágh Taggart, actress
Austin Trevor (1897–1978), actor
Rachel Tucker (born 1981), actress (West End)
And So I Watch You From Afar (formed 2005) instrumental math rock band

Business

Belfast has been home to many successful people. Some well-known people from Belfast are Thomas Andrews, a shipbuilder, and William Pirrie, 1st Viscount Pirrie, a shipbuilder and politician. Other famous people include Frank Carson, a comedian, and Ruby Murray, a singer. The city has produced many talented people in different fields.

Law

Belfast has been home to many important people in the field of law. One example is Robert James McMordie, who was an Irish lawyer and a politician. Another notable figure is Professor Denis Moloney, who worked as a lawyer.

Media

Here are some well-known people from Belfast who have worked in media.

Andrea Catherwood was born in Belfast and became a newsreader. Eamonn Holmes and Stephen Nolan were born in Belfast and became television and radio presenters. John Irvine, Bill Neely, and Colin Murray were also born in Belfast and became broadcast journalists or radio DJs.

Military

Belfast has been home to many brave soldiers. Bryan Budd, Patrick Carlin, James Joseph Magennis, and William Frederick McFadzean each received the Victoria Cross for their courage. Colonel Tim Collins served in the Royal Irish Regiment of the British Army.

Politics

Chaim Herzog

David Trimble

Gerry Adams (born 1948), a political leader
Paddy Ashdown (1941–2018), former leader of the Liberal Democrats; born in New Delhi, brought up near Comber
Tony Banks (1942–2006), a politician; born in Belfast, grew up in London
Sarah "Venie" Barr, a community activist
May Blood, Baroness Blood (1938–2022), a member of the House of Lords
Robert Bradford (1941–1981), a politician; born in Limavady
Sir William Cairns (1826–1886), a colonial administrator
Mairead Corrigan (born 1944), a Nobel Peace Prize winner
James Craig, 1st Viscount Craigavon (1871–1940), Prime Minister of Northern Ireland
Reg Empey (born 1947), a political leader
Frank Gault (1826–1896), a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
Gerry Fitt (1926–2005), a political leader
Chaim Herzog (1918–1997), the sixth President of Israel
Mary McAleese (born 1951), the eighth President of Ireland
Arlene McCarthy (born 1960), a politician; Member of the European Parliament for North West England from 1994 to 2014
Henry Joy McCracken (1765–1798), a member of the Society of the United Irishmen
Adam McGibbon (born 1988), an environmentalist and writer
Julia McMordie (1860–1942), a politician; the first female High Sheriff of Belfast; born in Hartlepool
Peter Robinson (born 1948), a political leader and First Minister of Northern Ireland
David Trimble (1944–2022), a Nobel Peace Prize winner; first First Minister of Northern Ireland
Betty Williams (1943–2020), a Nobel Peace Prize winner

Religious

Belfast has been home to many important religious leaders.

William Conway (1913–1977) served as the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Armagh. Henry Cooke (1788–1868) was a Presbyterian minister. Robin Eames, born in 1936, was the Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh.

Science

Belfast has been home to many important scientists and thinkers.

Notable figures include Thomas Andrews, a chemist and physicist, and John Stewart Bell, a physicist known for his work in quantum mechanics. Jocelyn Bell Burnell, an astronomer who discovered pulsars, was born in nearby Lurgan. Other key contributors are John Boyd Dunlop, the inventor of the tire, and William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin, a leading mathematical physicist of the 19th century.

Sport

Belfast has been home to many famous athletes. Some well-known football players from Belfast are Tom Armstrong, George Best, Billy Bingham, Danny Blanchflower, William Clay, Sammy Clingan, Johnny Flynn, David Healy, Sammy McIlroy, Eric McMordie, and Norman Whiteside.

Other notable sports figures include boxer Ray Close, basketball player David Cullen, international motorcycle champion Joey Dunlop, professional wrestler Dave Finlay, NASCAR driver John Graham, former world snooker champion Alex Higgins, Formula One driver Eddie Irvine, former professional boxer and Olympic bronze medalist Damaen Kelly, football player and manager Jim Magilton, former world champion boxer and Olympic medalist Wayne McCullough, early 19th-century chess master Alexander McDonnell, boxer Alanna Nihell, ice hockey player Owen Nolan, and Olympic gold medalist athlete Mary Peters. Cricketers Andrew Patterson, Mark Patterson, and Paul Stirling, as well as professional wrestlers Tucker and John Watson, are also from Belfast.

Other

This section lists some notable individuals from Belfast.

John Bodkin Adams (1899–1982) was a doctor who was born and grew up in Randalstown and later worked in Eastbourne.
Hamish Kippen (1987–2008) was a Canadian fashion photographer who was born in Belfast and moved to Toronto in 1989.
Alexander Robinson (c. 1901–1995) was a boxer who was born and grew up in Belfast.