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St. Patrick’s Survey shows Liam Neeson most popular Irish person in US

Maureen O’Hara, Pierce Brosnan, Day Lewis, Bono next

JAMES O'BRIEN,

IrishCentral.com Staff Writer

Published Wednesday, March 16, 2011, 7:01 AM

Updated Wednesday, March 16, 2011, 7:01 AM

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Liam Neeson

Photo by WENN.com

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If you ever wondered who the most popular Irish figure in America is wonder no more.

An IrishCentral readership survey of over 2,000 respondents was conducted by Amarach.com, Ireland’s leading market research company.

The results were fascinating.

Out of a list of well known Irish figures in the U.S., Liam Neeson tops the poll as the person of whom Irish Americans are most proud of as representative of modern Ireland (84%).

Liam is followed by Maureen O’Hara (82%) Pierce Brosnan (77%), Daniel Day Lewis (75%) and Bono (72%).

Neeson’s dignified battle after the tragic death of his wife Natasha in a skiing accident and his work ethic despite his tragedy has clearly won him big fans.

Other findings were as follows:

ST. PATRICK’S DAY – A TIME FOR FRIENDS AND FAMILY

90% plan to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, one in two (48%) will spend it with a mix of friends and family.

Close to seven in ten (69%) will celebrate with a special dinner among friends or family.

Debunking the myths of some, St. Patrick’s Day in the U.S. is not just about parades, green rivers, drinking and merrymaking; three in five (59%) will celebrate the religious significance of the feast day. Of these, just over one quarter (will attend mass.

VISITING IRELAND IN 2011

70% of respondents have visited Ireland and 22% plan to visit this year and three in five (61%) will stay between 1 and 2 weeks.

89% will fly directly from the United States.

The main motivation for visiting is to ‘explore the country and see the sites’ (69%) and half will visit relatives.

38% will try to trace their ancestry while in Ireland.

In 2011, U.S. accents will be heard in Dublin (65%), Galway (55%), Cork (44%) and Donegal (31%). U.S. visitors are least likely to target Westmeath as a stop-off point (1%)!!!

SYMBOLS OF MODERN IRELAND

A third of respondents believe that Riverdance is most symbolic of modern Ireland while 23% agree that the Galway Arts Festival does so.

PROPERTY

Just 3% of Irish Americans/Irish living in the U.S. own property here, but a further 33% would be interested in buying property here.

For 53% of these, the main motivation would be to have a property available for personal and family vacations.

Three in five (61%) would be interested in buying a house and of these 45% would be specifically interested in a cottage. One quarter (24%) would be interested in a country house.

Galway (15%), Kerry (11%), Cork (10%), Clare, Donegal and Dublin (each at 9%) are the locations they would ideally like to buy in.

56% would prefer a rural to an urban or suburban setting.

More than two-thirds (77%) of those already retired would consider spending some of their retirement time in Ireland. Of these, 56% would like to spend part of the year in Ireland and part of the year in the U.S. (rather than the entire time or a number of consecutive years in Ireland).

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manhattan | Mar 21, 2011, 07:09 PM EDT

Schenck2, what a rich Irish and American history you are lucky to have. To be able to go back to 1714 is amazing.

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Schenck2 | Mar 18, 2011, 10:53 PM EDT

manhattan, My Irish have been here since 1714 or before. No Irish should look down on rich Irish American history. Get it accurate and presented well, now that's the thing to do. Hope you all had a grand St. Patrick's Day. I sent cards and presents to Irish and not. Pride in my family heritage is priceless. Enya blew on those coals and made them dance. Too bad they left the vocalists out of the survey. Music is part of the heart song of the Irish.

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antoman | Mar 16, 2011, 09:03 PM EDT

@Gearoid-Me thinks Georgyboy has had a 'moment'and here you are as gearoid.

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derbinma | Mar 16, 2011, 08:34 PM EDT

An excellent choice. As Michael Collins he showed the world what a real heroe Collins was then and always will be. Proud to count myself as not just a fan but as an Irish-American proud to count him as one of our own. Slainte.

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Gearoid4 | Mar 16, 2011, 07:50 PM EDT

@Antoman, I agree. Liam should declare himself as a loyal, true blue subject of Britain.

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jamieLM | Mar 16, 2011, 06:37 PM EDT

I like Liam!

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manhattan | Mar 16, 2011, 05:25 PM EDT

Schenck2, you can google 5 points manhattan and also, Old St. Patrick's Cathedral in that area that was the scene in the movie when Liam Neeson and the Irish stood with torch's around the church to protect it from The Know Nothings that wanted to burn it down. That scene was true. In the catacombs under the church there are many Irish men and women that are buried in the walls. The dates of most of there deaths were from the famine that they tried to escape from only to find more misery here. We have a very rich Irish American history and more of us should know it and let those smug new Irish who look down on us learn to respect those people who paved the way for the rest of us. Happy St. Patrick's day to all.

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Ajreaper | Mar 16, 2011, 05:10 PM EDT

Passed through his hometown this morning, hows that for coincidence? Great actor and by all accounts an even better man- pretty good choice indeed.

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casualMBA | Mar 16, 2011, 03:14 PM EDT

Hey Liam! Tell Bono to try acting!

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Schenck2 | Mar 16, 2011, 02:52 PM EDT

Go, Liam. You can bring a believable accent! manhattan, Wished I known more about 5 Points sooner. My dad was born at 5 Points, IL. He might have been able to tell me the story behind the name. Explained some of the biases that I grew-up with. Some of us longtime Irish don't really know our roots. No wonder at the answers.

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antoman | Mar 16, 2011, 02:41 PM EDT

@Gearoid-Up to him self.We can all agree he was born on an Island,..right?

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Gearoid4 | Mar 16, 2011, 02:29 PM EDT

Is liam not a true Brit, having been born in Country Antrim, which is 'God's Country' as Big Ian would say?

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antoman | Mar 16, 2011, 01:42 PM EDT

What are Sirpeter and I on Patricks bridge with our little dogs..chopped liver?

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citizen69 | Mar 16, 2011, 12:38 PM EDT

Well done big Liam! Over a third of Americans think Riverdance is most symbolic of modern Ireland!... Jesus!!

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manhattan | Mar 16, 2011, 12:04 PM EDT

Liam Neeson is a gentleman of the first order and a perfect choice for most popular. Although "Gangs of New York" might upset some who might not know the history of the Irish in the 5 points ( a worse slum then calcutta} the draft riots were a fact that the Irish were involved in. They were being drafted more then any other, the rich could buy there way out of the draft for $300.00(the irish were lucky to have a dollar never mind 300.} They joined the war hoping to finally be accepted in a country that hated them for there religion and nationality. They died by the thousands on the battlefields but here they were asked to give more. To there shame they took it out on the blacks who had as little as them. But don't the poor always go after the poor like themselves instead of those really responsible for there misery? Thanks to Martin Scorsasi{spelling?} for bringing that early New York history which should be studied by all of us who have come so far from those Irish who suffered so much.

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