There is no end to the areas in which committed, talented and bright Irish Americans excel. Irish America’s 26th annual Top 100 list showcases some of the most noteworthy of this year, from film producers to philanthropists, from athletes to world champion dancers. Leading the list is the 2011 Irish American of the Year Dr. John L. Lahey, president of Quinnipiac University in Hamden, CT, who has tirelessly worked to raise awareness of and commemorate Ireland’s Great Hunger. The Irish in America have seized every childhood dream and succeeded in making them a reality - just look at astronaut Cady Coleman, actress Rooney Mara, writer Dan Barry and the President of the United States Barack Obama, who just finished his first presidential visit to Ireland, which included a sentimental visit to his ancestral town of Moneygall.
The list, a prestigious tradition carried on by Irish America for 25 years, has consistently featured Irish America’s rising stars and veteran leaders.
Recently honored with the American Ireland Fund Humanitarian Award, the iconic Muhammad Ali receives recognition on the Top 100 list for a new fight he has taken on outside the ring: his struggle with Parkinson’s and his efforts to raise awareness and money to fight the disease. Ali’s great grandfather Abe Grady hailed from County Clare.
The Top 100 pays great tribute to the Irish whose talents light up the silver screen. Mark Wahlberg, producer Trish Adlesic, art director Karen O’Hara and Mickey O’Keefe who are featured on this list, worked on films nominated for Oscars this year. In television, Neil Patrick Harris, Jane Lynch, Ann Curry, Regis Philbin and Kathy Griffin help lead the pack for Irish Americans.
In business, Anne Sweeney, keynote speaker at Irish America’s 2010 Business 100 Awards luncheon, leads Disney Media Networks and Bob McCann, keynote speaker at Irish America’s Wall Street 50 awards dinner, serves as CEO of UBS Wealth Management Americas.
Meanwhile, John Hartnett works to continue building bridges between Ireland and Silicon Valley.
In high school basketball, after 40 years of coaching Bob Hurley continues to lead the St. Anthony Friars to the top as the 2011 National Champions.
While we could go on, and the Top 100, sponsored by Tourism Ireland, certainly leaves no stone unturned, it’s best to see them all for yourself!
Click here to view the 2011 Top 100 Irish Americans.
16 Comments
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.irishjohn456 | Jun 14, 2011, 01:09 AM EDT
The list is a joke. What about jack welch?
noracoyne | Jun 13, 2011, 09:27 PM EDT
its a shame the way some of your readers think?just superficial.the pity of it all ,is that our people were sent by the british to every corner of the earth.you have to feel the sorrow and heartbreak .did they intermarry?yes,every place they went.maybe they dont look like you,what ever that is.but their irish-returning.
cillowen | Jun 13, 2011, 07:30 PM EDT
capitalism is on its last legs - we need a blend of public and private initiatives going forward. The programmed masses believers in the tooth fairy will fight it until the pains gets unbearable. Multi billionaire days will be numbered but a new inducement to excite the gifted entrepreuners will be required. Posh palaces and lavish behaviour will be frowned upon.
mamaginnty | Jun 13, 2011, 05:10 PM EDT
Could name a hundred more deserving but hey..proud to be Irish.
oaklongan | Jun 13, 2011, 04:37 PM EDT
Comedian and Harvard grad. Conan O'Brien could be added to the list!
manhattan | Jun 13, 2011, 03:14 PM EDT
How about a Queens boy named Ed Burns? Ed has written The Brothers McMullen any many more movies. His brother writes for TV ,Blue Bloods etc. How about Colin Quinn who is an amazing comedian,A lot of Irish American talent came out of New York. Forget Breslin he hates his own kind and made sure he wrote about it. Are you really considered Irish if one great,great grandparent came from Ireland?
padraiginrua | Jun 13, 2011, 01:33 PM EDT
So pleased to see Ethel Brogan at last receive the recognization she deserves. Ethel founded Daltaí na Gaeilge, a group dedicated to the Irish language.She has enabled hundreds to have the chance to learn and use the language and did it all on a small budget without fuss and fanfare. Comhghairdeas!
Scotchtommy | Jun 13, 2011, 12:33 PM EDT
That great Irish American Muhammed Ali ?This is getting more embarrassing with every passing year.Who next?Connie Chung? Whose mother's college room mate's great grandmother was from Dublin.
shamrock99 | Jun 13, 2011, 11:23 AM EDT
OBAMA....??????????????????????????????????????
mcdolan | Jun 13, 2011, 11:09 AM EDT
Brilliant!
francisquinn | Jun 13, 2011, 10:15 AM EDT
You have a few who are a disgrace to the Irish...Kathy Griffin and Rosie O Donnell....please remove thier names....where is Peggy Noonan ?
BartShea | Jun 13, 2011, 10:03 AM EDT
Maybe one or two of us didn't make the list.
suzandpej | May 26, 2011, 12:09 PM EDT
CitizenWhy: Maybe so, but we're talkin' Irish here!
CitizenWhy | May 24, 2011, 09:41 AM EDT
Any ethnic group in the US could come up with a comparable list.
Chieftain | May 24, 2011, 07:58 AM EDT
What Bunkerhill said.
bunkerhill | May 23, 2011, 01:52 PM EDT
Why did you leave off John J. Murphy, the author of "Technical Analysis of the Futures Market," and considered by many as the Father of Technical Analysis? Many of your top 100 are fluff but John has made money for so many Americans including us. He was the head of a Merrill Lynch division at a very young age, the Techical Analyst for CNBC for quite a few years, wrote six books and founded his own company. According to his bio both of his parents came from Ireland. Why was he left out when Regis Philbin, who is half Italian, was included. No offense against Regis or Italians as my wife and I love them. However why leave out a well known first generation winner who accomplished incredible things?