PHOTOS - IrishCentral's top ten most beautiful Irish people gallery
We don’t need any Jennifer Lopez, Mila Kunis or Zac Efron we’ve put together our own Irish hotties list.
It’s a tough old job but someone has to do it. In honour of People magazine ‘Most Beautiful People’ list we put together our own selection of the most lovely mugs out of Ireland.
Yes, we here at IrishCentral took on the painstaking job of staring at countless images of attractive Irish men and women to determine the 10 hottest.
And now here they are: the hottest ten out of Ireland – enjoy!
The Men
Forget Colin Farrell…these five Irishman are way more good looking, put-together and talented, if I may say…
1. Cillian Murphy
His windswept hair, his piercing blue eyes, his constant brooding expression – it may be a little cheesy, but we’re into it.
The County Cork native is a successful actor, both at home as a leading man in movies like “Intermission” and “The Wind that Shakes the Barley” and overseas as the “bad guy” in movies like “Batman Begins" and “Red Eye” and of course the massive hit “Inception”, alongside Leonardo DiCaprio.
Whatever the role, we appreciate Cillian’s (pronounced KILL-ian’s) talent - and looks.
2. Jonathan Rhys Meyers
He may be a bit of a Colin Farrell-bad boy (he was arrested in 2007 on charges of public drunkenness and breach of the peace and has attended rehab more than once…), but this Dublin-born actor, singer and model is heads above the rest when it comes to Irish star quality.
He’s earned awards for his television work (for “The Tudors” and “Elvis"), critical acclaim for his film work (most notably for his role in the crazy-fantastic glam rock flick “Velvet Goldmine” and for his endearing part in the hit “Bend It Like Beckham” and is known as a talented singer and model, posing for the likes of Hugo Boss.
But if his talent isn’t enough to make you fall for him, keep in mind, he ain’t that bad looking either…
3. John Duddy
Our one and only sportsman that made the list. “The Derry Destroyer” may sound scary, but when you get a look at him, fear will be the last thing on your mind.
Ireland’s famous middleweight boxer is known in the States for his fights at Madison Square Garden, including his St. Patrick’s Day fight against Leonard Pierre – all of which he won.
He is also known for his rugged handsomeness. Duddy has won over fans with his athleticism, looks and his commitment to Irish immigration reform in the U.S; the boxer has attended numerous Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform meetings, and even entered the ring in March 2006 donning an ILIR t-shirt.
4. Stuart Townsend
Nooo, this is not just Charlize Theron’s ex-partner – this is the handsome face of one of Ireland’s gifted actor/directors and also a new cast member of Peter Jackson’s new movie “The Hobbit”.
The dark-featured stud was first noticed overseas for his role of a seducer in 2000’s “About Adam,” and then as a vampire in 2002’s hit “Queen of the Damned,” which co-starred Aaliyah.
It’s his star power and good Irish looks that make this Howth, County Dublin native much more than Charlize’s former-arm candy…
5. Des Bishop
So technically he’s Irish American, but comedian Des Bishop is widely considered an honorary Irishman since he has lived in Ireland since he was 15, has created numerous Irish TV shows and is now fluent in Gaelic.
Therefore, we feel justified in claiming him as one of our own and adding him to the list (his boyish good looks and great sense of humor didn’t hurt his chances either).
New York City-born Des is famous in Ireland for his hilarious comedy shows and his stand up (and for singing “Jump Around” in Gaelic – “Leim Thart”).
And next time you watch Jim Sheridan’s excellent film “In America,” keep on the lookout for a high as a kite, hip hopping Wall Street type – that’d be our Des!
PHOTOS - IrishCentral's top ten most beautiful Irish people gallery
The Women
Irish women may not be in the global spotlight as much as Irish men, but that doesn't mean there aren't plenty of good looking, talented Irish lasses around!
1. Andrea Corr
This raven-headed beauty is easily one of Ireland’s best looking women. And age has done little to change this.
In 2000, Corr was voted 26 on FHM’s “100 Sexiest Women” list – no doubt if such a list were restricted to Irish women, Corr would rightfully stake her place at the top.
It’s certainly the case that she faces stiff competition in the looks department in her family from sisters Sharon and Caroline, but Andrea just about comes out on top. We can forgive her for making some occasionally pretty much God-awful music - that other less attractive women simply wouldn’t get away – because, well, she is Andrea Corr and she should be allowed do as she pleases.
2. Lisa Hannigan
Probably one of the best things to have happened to Irish music in a long while was for Damien Rice to have kicked Lisa Hannigan out of his band. Hannigan had been his backing singer and was always the best thing about a lot of Rice’s songs. Rice always came across as being an entirely self-absorbed misery guts; Hannigan’s debut album "Sea Sew," is an altogether more charming affair, and one of the best solo albums from an Irish singer-songwriter in years.
And did we mention how gorgeous she is? She looks like the kind of girl who doesn’t actually know she is ridiculously hot, making her even more hot.
3. Gemma Hayes
Cute in a very indie-chick kind of way, Gemma Hayes, from a village called Ballyporeen, County Tipperary, has been on the music scene in Ireland for a few years now. Presumably she was the inspiration behind the Counting Crows song, "Washington Square," when he sings "I wandered the highways from Dublin to Berkeley / And I heard the songbirds of Ballyporeen."
And looking at her, it’s easy to see why Adam Duritz would feel inspired a song about her.
4. Nadine Coyle
Coyle famously lied on her application form for an Irish version of "American Idol," saying that she was 18 when she was in fact 16. She was one of the winners of the show, and got to join an all girls pop banded called Six. When the truth was uncovered, she was booted out of the band – the best thing to have every happened to her.
Later she entered "Popstars" (a U.K. version of "American Idol") and won. Today she is in the band that emerged from that, Girls Aloud, which has become one of the most successful British pop bands of the decade. (Today, Six are available for children's birthday and various other family functions.)
She has been romantically linked to a series of male celebrities: Jesse Metcalf from "Desperate Housewives" and NFL player Jason Bell. It’s not hard to see how they could fall for this lovely Derry lass.
5. Rosanna Davison
The first, and only, Irish Miss World, Davison is also famous for the being the daughter of Chris de Burgh. De Burgh was famous for being the singer of the song "Lady in Red," beloved of cheesy romantics everywhere. (The most recent survey on this song found that over 2 million couples claim this as “our song.”)
In normal circumstances, De Burgh should be shot for crimes against music; but he can surely plead clemency on the basis that his daughter is so incredibly hot. (Although maybe this didn’t work as an excuse when his wife, recovering from a serious horse riding accident at the time, discovered he was having an affair with their nanny.)
PHOTOS - IrishCentral's top ten most beautiful Irish people gallery
*Originally published in 2010.
12 Comments
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.MrSinatra | May 10, 2012, 06:19 PM EDT
frankly, this is not a very inspiring group of women to be a countries best.
MattRagan | May 08, 2012, 06:47 PM EDT
ó mo Dhia, cad é mar a déarfá "pedantic" as Gaeilge? ;)
tomasocarthaigh | Apr 27, 2012, 02:10 PM EDT
Any Irish person, not just those who hate Irish, will call the language Gaelic. Only idiots who know Iirsh from school and have no culture in it outside of education hate the term Gaelic. Hiberno English, as in the Irish way of speaking English has no official status, though Ulster Scots does in the North of Ireland. English is the official second language, and there are more Polish and Chinese speakers in Ireland than Gaelic speakers. When used as the Irish language, its short for the Irish Gaelic language. It itself is a combination of three distinct dialects, that if Slavic would be considered seperate languages themselves. There is more difference between Munster, Connaught and Ulster Irish than between Czech, Moravian and Slovak, and they form what is called in linguistic sectors as a Language Continium... where languages A and C are understood by speakers of B, but A and C cant understand each other fully. Germanic examples would be Friesen - Dutch - Pflatz - Allemannic - High German. Official Irish is a hybrid of the three dialects, and to purists makes no sense in either dialect. Thought in schools in a read - write - speak format, the focus is on exams. They way its taught, and its lack of relevance outside of school is the reason for hatred of it. Many including myself learned a love of it only after school, and the Gaelscoileanna are brining a speak - read - write format for students and are gaining rapid ground, shaming the state as they are voluntary establishments.
Frosty38 | Apr 27, 2012, 11:32 AM EDT
I have been to ireland a lot of times. I was in a Taxi and the driver was telling us his children go to school and they have the language in a class . I'm trying to think of what it was but used a lot in the Aran Islands. I don't think it was called Gaelic
GeorgeDillon | Apr 27, 2012, 03:48 AM EDT
I think posters who are attacking ciaran1433 are missing a subtety of Irish discourse. We can see that in gaelphoncan--he hasn't lived long enough in Ireland to understand this stuff. That is that Irish people who hate the Irish language usually call it "Gaelic". Perhaps their motive is to deny that it is in fact the IRISH language. They often tell us that English (or more absurdly "Hiberno-English") is the true Irish language. Reecently some have even been telling us that the alternative Irish/English language is actually Polish! Now I don't think ciaran1433 is accusing Malone of hating the Irish language, he is simply alerting him to the fact that his choice of words is unfortunate. And inaccurate, since there are three Gaelic languages.
Gaelphoncán | Apr 26, 2012, 01:05 PM EDT
A Chiaráin, a mhac bán, ná bí chomh saoithíneach sin. I've often heard the Irish in Britain and Irish-Australians refer to teanga bhinn na nGael as 'Gaelic'. I also know lots of nationalists from the Six Counties and even native Irish speakers from the Donegal Gaeltacht who refer to the language in English as 'Gaelic' (which should be no surprise as 'Gaeilic' or 'Gaeilg' are the most common Ulster dialect forms for the name of the language in Irish). Is cuma liom féin cibé acu 'Irish', 'Gaelic', 'Gaeilge', 'Gaeilic' nó 'Gaoluinn' a thugtar ar an teanga seo againne, a fhad is a labhraítear í!
irishcoffeekid | Apr 25, 2012, 12:37 PM EDT
i have to disagree with most of these choices - you can't call them top 10 hotties and then pick them men that you did!!!
faberm1 | Apr 24, 2012, 10:43 PM EDT
@Ciaran1433, Cad chuige a bhfuil an t-ainm "Gaelic League" i mBearla ar "An Conradh na Gaeilge"? (Why is the Gaelic League the English name for the Conradh na Gaeilge?) I think we all know what the writer meant and you are needlessly rude. Kindest Regards, An Irish American...... agus atá Gaeilge agam. Agus tusa?
ArmaghCity | Apr 24, 2012, 12:20 PM EDT
@ciaran1433 ... was it really necessary to be so mean in your comment? your type give us a bad name.
mccrawf | Apr 24, 2012, 06:56 AM EDT
Irish language, also called Erse, or Gaelic, Irish Gaeilge, a member of the Goidelic group of Celtic languages, spoken in Ireland. As one of the national languages of the Republic of Ireland, Irish is taught in the public schools and is required for certain civil-service posts.
ciaran1433 | Apr 23, 2012, 11:38 PM EDT
Message for Bernie Malone. I notice you've described Des Bishop as being fluent in Gaelic. Can you please help me out and tell me what language that would be? I'm guessing you're Irish American because this is so very typical for them to describe the Irish language as Gaelic. I suggest you take a trip to Ireland and see how far your description of the language as Gaelic gets you.
turzovka | Apr 23, 2012, 09:47 AM EDT
Is this list for those currently living only? Then I have less of an opinion. But if you want to list the most beautiful people of Irish descent all-time, then there is no contest. For males; Jim Morrison of The Doors. For females: Gene Tierney, famed Hollywood actress. Thanks Ireland!