This is a list of notable people who were either born in County Meath, have lived there for a significant portion of their lives or are otherwise generally associated with the county.
Aristocracy Nicholas St Lawrence (c. 1550 – 1607), 9th Baron Howth Egidia de Lacy (1205-?), Lady of Connacht Hugh de Lacy (c. 1176 – 1242), Earl of Ulster Hugh de Lacy (c. 1135 – 1186), First Lord of Meath, built Trim Castle Walter de Lacy (1172–1241), Lord of Meath Garret Wesley (1735–1781), 1st Earl of Mornington John Netterville (1603–1659), 2nd Viscount Netterville Nicholas Netterville (1581–1654), 1st Viscount Netterville Elizabeth Darcy (1332–1390), Countess of Ormond Jenet Sarsfield (1528–1598), noblewoman Simon Fleming (died 1370), 1st Baron Slane Lady Anne Culling Smith (1775–1844), sister of the Duke of Wellington John Barnewall (died 1538), 3rd Baron Trimlestown
Politics Yemi Adenuga (born 1971), first black woman to be elected to local government in Ireland Thomas Brennan (1853–1912), co-founder of the Irish National Land League John Bruton (born 1947), Taoiseach 1994–1997 Christopher Fleming (1669–1726), Member of Parliament Thomas Fleming (1358–1435), Member of Parliament Thomas Fleming (died 1601), Member of Parliament Thomas Hussey (1749–1824), MP for Aylesbury Sir William Johnson (c. 1715 – 1774), diplomat Frank McLoughlin (born 1946), TD for Meath Matthew O'Reilly (1880–1962), TD for Meath William Wellesley-Pole (1763–1845), Chief Secretary for Ireland Nicholas Plunkett (1602–1680), Member of Parliament John Reilly (1646–1717), Member of Parliament Francis Singleton (1812–1887), member of the Western Australian Legislative Council
Law John Lowth (1822–1877), lawyer Peter Metge (1740–1809), judge Luke Netterville (1510–1560), judge Richard Netterville (1540–1607), barrister Nicholas Nugent (1525–1582), Solicitor-General for Ireland Thomas Plunket (1440–1519), Chief Justice of the Common Pleas for Ireland Thomas Fitz-Christopher Plunket (1407–1471), Lord Chief Justice of Ireland Richard Plunkett (1340–1393), judge and statesman Richard Rede (fl. 1416), statesman Edward George Ryan (1810–1880), 3rd chief justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court Patrick Segrave (died 1610), judge Richard Segrave (1540–1598), judge James Alleyn (died 1457), Lord Chief Justice of Ireland William Skrene (1350–1421), Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer Barnaby Skurloke (1520–1587), lawyer Richard Sydgrave (died 1425), Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer Richard White (died 1367), Lord Chief Justice of Ireland Patrick White (1480–1561), Baron of the Court of Exchequer
Military Guy Johnson (c. 1740 – 1788), British officer in the American Revolutionary War Patrick James Leonard (1847–1899), United States Army sergeant and Medal of Honor recipient Tony Magan (1910–1981), Chief of Staff of the IRA Simon Mangan (died 1906), Lord Lieutenant of Meath Thomas Meredyth (died 1719), officer John Nangle (died 1508), soldier Richard Ridgeway (1848–1924), Victoria Cross recipient Frederick Augustus Smith (1826–1887), Victoria Cross recipient Thomas Sullivan (1859–1940), soldier and US Medal of Honor recipient Thomas Preston (1585–1655), soldier and mercenary Peter Warren (1703–1752), Royal Navy officer Arthur Wellesley (1769–1852), defeated Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo
Royalty Máel Dóid mac Suibni (died 653), King of Uisneach Máel Sechnaill mac Máele Ruanaid (died 862), High King of Ireland Rose Ní Conchobair (fl. 1180), Lady of Meath Cormac mac Art Ó Melaghlain (1182–1239), King of Meath Órlaith íngen Cennétig (died 941), Queen of Ireland Tigernach mac Fócartai (died 865), King of Loch Gabhair Túathal Máelgarb (died 540s), High King of Ireland Donnell Mor Mideach Ua Conchobair (1144–1176), Prince of Connacht
Sports Darragh Burns (born 2002), footballer Sam Curtis (born 2005), footballer Dawson Devoy (born 2001), footballer Luke Heeney (born 1999), footballer Evan Ferguson (born 2004), footballer James Finnerty (born 1999), footballer Conor Keeley (born 1997), footballer Josh Keeley (born 2003), footballer Darragh Lenihan (born 1994), footballer Tommy Lonergan (born 2004), footballer Adrian Maguire (born 1971), trainer and jockey Dónal McDermott (born 1989), footballer Séamus McDonagh (born 1962), boxer Jamie McGrath (born 1996), footballer Luke McNally (born 1999), footballer Brendan Murphy (born 1975), footballer Éamonn O'Brien (born 1960), footballer and manager of Meath Georgie Poynton (born 1997), footballer Andrew Quinn (born 2002), footballer Ger Robinson (born 1982), footballer Gary Rogers (born 1981), football goalkeeper Edward Rooney (1880–1950), cricketer Tom Sheridan (born 1969), handball player Brian Smyth (1924–2016), footballer Kevin Toner (born 1996), footballer Emre Topçu (born 2005), footballer Adderley Wilkinson (1887–1978), cricketer
Religion Felim of Kilmore (6th century), saint Ia of Cornwall (died 5th century), saint Lommán of Trim (died 6th century), saint Mac Nisse of Connor (died 514), saint Tola of Clonard (died 700s), saint Robert Barnewall (1704–1779), religious rights activist Thomas Hussey (1746–1803), bishop and diplomat James Keene (1849–1919), bishop Richard Lacy (1841–1929), Bishop of Middlesbrough Petronilla de Meath (1300–1324), first known person in Ireland to be burned for heresy Thomas Messingham (died 1638), hagiologist Denis Nulty (born 1963), Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin Thomas Nulty (1818–1898), Bishop of Meath Eugene O'Growney (1863–1899), priest Peter Joseph O'Reilly (1850–1923), Auxiliary bishop of Peoria John Payne (died 1507), Bishop of Meath Oliver Plunkett (1625–1681), Archbishop of ArmaghEarlier biographers gave his date of birth as 1 November four years later, but since the discovery of an ancient reference to Oliver Plunkett’s birth in the Bodleian Library, Ashmolean, MS.436 which stated: "He was born on 1st. November 1625" biographers of Plunkett since the 1930s agree on 1625. These include: Hanly, O’Fiaich, Forristal, Curtis, O'Higgins, Walsh, Bennett, Stokes, Concannon, Carty, Matthews, Murphy, Nowak, Burns, Meagher and the St. Oliver web-site. Joseph Rooney (died 1857), missionary Secundinus (died 448), Bishop of Armagh Michael Smith (born 1940), Bishop of Meath Paul Tighe (born 1958), prelate Walter Wellesley (1470–1539), Bishop of Kildare William Walsh (1512–1577), Bishop of Meath
Entertainment Pierce Brosnan (born 1953), actor Robin McAuley (born 1953), rock vocalist Joe Moore (1894–1926), actor Matt Moore (1888–1960), actor Owen Moore (1886–1939), actor Tom Moore (1883–1955), actor and director Dylan Moran, comedian Henry Mountcharles (born 1951), organiser of the Slane Concert Daráine Mulvihill (born 1983), television personality Sibéal Ní Chasaide (born 1998), singer Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh (born 1970), television presenter Maighréad Ní Dhomhnaill (born 1955), singer Sinéad Noonan (born 1987), model Ciarán Ó Cofaigh (born 1968), director and producer Hector Ó hEochagáin radio and television presenter Nathan O'Toole (born 1998), actor Angela Scanlon (born 1983), television presenter Tommy Tiernan comedian, actor and television presenter Sharon Horgan (born 1970), actor Justine Stafford, comedian and YouTuber
Science and education Francis Beaufort (1774–1857), hydrographer, creator of the Beaufort scale Sir Thomas Molyneux (1661–1733), physician C. Y. O'Connor (1843–1902), engineer Peadar Ó Gealacáin (1792–1860), scribe Francis Porter (fl. 1650–1702), professor Francis Webb Sheilds (1820–1906), engineer
Art and literature Anthony Holten (1945–2020), author Francis Ledwidge (1887–1917), poet J.S. Anna Liddiard (1773–1819), poet Liam Mac Cóil (born 1952), Irish language novelist Séamas Dall Mac Cuarta (c. 1647 – 1733), poet Seon Mac Solaidh (fl. 1720), poet and scribe Martina Fitzgerald, journalist and author Arthur Mathews (born 1959), writer John Mulvany (1839–1906), artist Aonghus Fionn Ó Dálaigh (died 1570), poet Donnchadh Mór Ó Dálaigh (died 1244), poet Joseph Osborne (1810–1901), author Edward Lovett Pearce (1699–1733), architect Richard Pigott (1835–1889), journalist John B. Sheridan (1870–1930), sportswriter Edward Smyth (1749–1812), sculptor Gilla Mo Dutu Úa Caiside (fl. 1147), poet Orla de Brí (born 1965), sculptor
See also List of Irish people
Notes and references
External links Roots Ireland - Meath People Meath.ie - Famous Meath People