Forbes has presented their third annual 30 under 30 list, showcasing some of the brightest stars in 15 different fields under the age of 30. It would appear to be an exhilarating time to be young, ambitious and Irish as five young Irishmen make the list.

Never before has youth been such an advantage. These entrepreneurs and entertainers aren’t waiting around for a proper career to bump them up the establishment ladder.

IrishCentral takes a look at the five young Irishmen who have been listed in the influential Forbes ‘30 under 30’ lists of people to watch.

1. Patrick and John Collison

Limerick brothers John and Patrick Collison set up online payments firm Stripe to make online payments easier in a market where options for online sellers are limited.
 
Stripe aims to make online payments seamless and uncomplicated by enabling web developers to take payments via the internet without having to set up merchant bank accounts or store credit cards.

The venture has raised US$18m in venture capital from Sequoia Capital and other investors on top of a previous investment round that included Peter Thiel and Elon Musk. This latest investment values their rival to PayPal at US$100m.

2. Northern Irish golfer Rory McIlroy

McIlroy had a huge 2012 on the golfcourse, winning five titles, which meant big pay-days on both the PGA and European Tours. It was more of a struggle on the course in 2013, as he adjusted to an equipment change after his blockbuster Nike deal, which was originally reported as being worth $250 million over 10 years.

Forbes said “Even in a down year, he’s a face of the sport.”

3. Terry Cavanagh

The Monaghan-born entrepreneur is a prolific designer of experimental games like "At A Distance." His 2012 release "Super Hexagon," an arcade-style action game, was a finalist for the Best Design award at the Independent Games Festival and the audience choice winner at Fantastic Arcade.

4. Niall Horan

While all members of One Direction made the Forbes list, we are most interested in Irish export Niall Horan. Since  the band signed with Simon Cowell's record label Syco in 2010 after appearing on the UK's 'X Factor,' they have followed up their success with three number one albums in both the UK and the US.

According to Forbes, the boys reportedly brought in over $1 million per city during their tour, which adds up to around $42 million in earnings over the past year.

The annual lists acknowledge 30 people in different fields and One Direction made the list of top music stars along with Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus and fellow teen heartthrob Justin Bieber.