Trinity College Dublin

Discover the notable alumni of Trinity College Dublin. The list includes people like Jack Gleeson, Daniel Weiss, Tana French, Princess Kako of Akishino & Andrew Scott. This list of notable alumni is loosely sorted by popularity and has people from different domains of life, such as writers, film & theater personalities, leaders, miscellaneous and intellectuals & academics etc.
Vote for Your Favourite Trinity College Dublin

Right IconThis ranking is based on an algorithm that combines various factors, including the votes of our users and search trends on the internet.

 1 
Dominic West
(Actor, Director and Musician Best Known for His Role as ‘Jimmy McNulty’ in the TV Series ‘The Wire’)
Dominic West
12
Birthdate: October 15, 1969
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom
Dominic West is best known as Jimmy McNulty from The Wire and Noah Solloway from The Affair. West has modeled for Carte Noire and has trekked to the South Pole as part of a fundraiser for wounded soldiers. His performance in Appropriate Adult won him a BAFTA TV award.
 2 
Samuel Beckett
(Irish Novelist Who Won the 1969 Nobel Prize in Literature)
Samuel Beckett
6
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: April 13, 1906
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Foxrock, Ireland
Died: December 22, 1989

Samuel Beckett was a legendary Nobel Prize-winning Irish postmodernist and minimalist playwright and author, regarded as a prominent figure of the "Theatre of the Absurd.” He is best known for the play Waiting for Godot and for his tragi-comic themes and black comedy. He was also the Saoi of Aosdána.

 3 
Hozier
(Irish Singer-Songwriter)
Hozier
28
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: March 17, 1990
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Bray, Ireland
Irish blues/rock singer Hozier is best known for his track Take Me to Church, which became a Billboard Hot 100-charter and rocked the charts of several other countries apart from Ireland, such as Belgium and Canada. His songs exhibit religious imagery. He was previously part of the choral group Anúna.
 4 
Andrew Scott
(Actor)
Andrew Scott
17
Birthdate: October 21, 1976
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Dublin, Ireland
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
 5 
Ruth Negga
(Irish Actress Known for Her Portrayal of 'Mildred Loving' in the Movie 'Loving')
Ruth Negga
24
Birthdate: January 7, 1982
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Born to an Irish mother and an Ethiopian father, Ruth Negga didn’t look back after grabbing a Laurence Olivier Award nomination for the Best Newcomer, with her performance in the play Duck. She also played both Ophelia and Prince Hamlet in two different productions of the play.

 6 
Aisling Bea
(Irish Comedian and Actress Known for Her Comedy Series 'This Way Up')
Aisling Bea
16
Birthdate: March 16, 1984
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Kildare, Ireland

Aisling Bea is an Irish actor, screenwriter, and comedian who has been serving as a team captain on the popular British comedy panel show 8 Out of 10 Cats since 2016. Apart from being a comedian and actor, Aisling Bea is also an activist; she campaigned successfully for the introduction of legal abortion and same-sex marriage legislation in Ireland.

 7 
Bram Stoker
(Irish Author Best Known for His Horror Novel ‘Dracula’)
Bram Stoker
10
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: November 8, 1847
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Clontarf, Dublin, Ireland
Died: April 20, 1912
Irish author Bram Stoker wrote the iconic Gothic novel Dracula, which has inspired scores of movies over the years. The Victorian-era author also served as the personal assistant of actor Sir Henry Irving and managed the Lyceum Theatre, which was owned by Irving. He had also written many short stories.
 8 
Nicholas Gonzalez
(Best Known for His Role as ‘Alex Santiago’ in TV Series ‘Resurrection Blvd’)
Nicholas Gonzalez
11
Birthdate: January 3, 1976
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: San Antonio, Texas, United States
Nicholas Gonzalez is best known as Alex Santiago from Resurrection Blvd. and Dr. Neil Melendez from The Good Doctor. Fans also loved him in Pretty Little Liars and Mental. He has also appeared in films such as Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid and is an avid poker player. 
 9 
Courtney Love
(Singer-Songwriter Who Co-Founded the Band ‘Hole’ and Also Served as its Lead Vocalist)
Courtney Love
36
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: July 9, 1964
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: San Francisco, California, United States

Courtney Love is an American singer-songwriter, widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the alternative rock and grunge music scenes of the last three decades. Known for her distinctive style and confrontational lyrics, Love has been a major influence on aspiring female rock musicians across the world. She is also an ardent supporter of LGBT rights.

 10 
Stjepan Hauser
(Cellist)
Stjepan Hauser
2
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: June 15, 1986
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Pula, Croatia
 11 
Sir William Rowan Hamilton
(Irish Mathematician and Astronomer Who Contributed to the Development of ‘Optics’, ‘Classical Mechanics’ and ‘Abstract Algebra’)
Sir William Rowan Hamilton
1
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: August 4, 1805
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Dublin, Ireland
Died: September 2, 1865

Son of a Dublin solicitor, Sir William Rowan Hamilton was raised and educated by his priest uncle from age 3. Initially a master of languages such as Latin, Greek, and Persian, Hamilton began deviating to math at 16. He is remembered for his contribution to optics, Hamiltonian mechanics, and algebra.

 12 
Maria Doyle Kennedy
(Actress Known for Playing Catherine of Aragon on the Series 'The Tudors')
Maria Doyle Kennedy
5
Birthdate: September 25, 1964
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Clontarf, Dublin, Ireland

Irish singer and actor Maria Doyle Kennedy is best known for her role as Catherine of Aragon in The Tudors. She has also been part of films such as The Conjuring 2 and The Commitments. Once part of the Black Velvet Band, she has also released several solo albums.

 13 
Mary Robinson
(7th President of Ireland (1990 - 1997))
Mary Robinson
2
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: May 21, 1944
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Ballina, Ireland

A seasoned lawyer and a Harvard and Trinity College alumna, politician Mary Robinson has also taught law at Trinity. The Labour Party member later rose to be Ireland’s first female president. She was also a founding member of the global group of peacekeepers and leaders The Elders.

 14 
Chris de Burgh
(Irish Art Rock and Pop Singer Known for His Hit 'The Lady in Red')
Chris de Burgh
4
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: October 15, 1948
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Venado Tuerto, Argentina

Chris de Burgh is an Irish singer-songwriter who soared to fame with his chartbusting singles Don't Pay the Ferryman and The Lady in Red. Surprisingly, he has been more popular in countries such as Norway and Brazil than in the UK. He is also the father of Miss World 2003 Rosanna Davison.

 15 
David Benioff
(Writer, Director, and Producer Best Known as the Co-Creator of the Series ‘Game of Thrones’)
David Benioff
7
Birthdate: September 25, 1970
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
Screenwriter David Friedman, better known by his pseudonym, David Benioff, co-created and wrote the iconic Emmy-winning series Game of Thrones, based on George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire, along with D. B. Weiss. David has also written Troy and co-written X-Men Origins: Wolverine
 16 
Tana French
(American-Irish Writer Best Known for Her Novels: ‘In the Woods’, ‘The Likeness’ and ‘Faithful Place’)
Tana French
8
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: May 1, 1973
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Burlington, Vermont, United States

Tana French is an American-Irish theatrical actress and writer. She is best known for her first novel, In the Woods, which received several prestigious awards, such as the Edgar Allan Poe Award, Macavity Award, Anthony Award, and Barry Award. Over the years, Tana French has become an important name among fiction readers across the world.

 17 
Princess Kako of Akishino
(Japanese Princess, Prince Akishino’s Daughter)
Princess Kako of Akishino
9
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: December 29, 1994
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Tokyo, Japan

Princess Kako of Akishino, the second child of Japan’s Prince Fumihito and Princess Kiko, excelled in figure skating in school. She later studied performing arts and psychology at the University of Leeds. Kako isn’t eligible to rule ever, as Japan doesn’t include women in the line of royal succession.

 18 
Tom Vaughan-Lawlor
(Actor)
Tom Vaughan-Lawlor
1
Birthdate: November 4, 1977
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Dundrum, Dublin, Ireland
 19 
Catherine FitzGerald
(Landscape architect)
Catherine FitzGerald
2
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: May 18, 1971
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Limerick, Ireland
 20 
Paul Mescal
(Famous for His Portrayal of 'Calum Paterson' in the movie 'Aftersun')
Paul Mescal
15
Birthdate: February 2, 1996
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Maynooth, Ireland
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
 21 
Ruth Bradley
(Irish Actress Best Known for Her TV Series: 'Primeval', 'Humans' and 'Love/Hate')
Ruth Bradley
4
Birthdate: January 24, 1987
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Dublin, Ireland

Ruth Bradley was not new to the entertainment world when she stepped into a career in films, being the daughter of actor Charlotte Bradley. The Irish actor has won rave reviews for her role in the Australian drama In Her Skin and later won IFTA awards for Stardust and Grabbers.

 22 
Wolfe Tone
(Irish Revolutionary Figure and One of the Founding Members in Belfast and Dublin of the 'United Irishmen')
Wolfe Tone
2
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: June 20, 1763
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Dublin, Ireland
Died: November 19, 1798

Initially a lawyer, Wolfe Tone later ditched his practice to co-establish the Society of United Irishmen, aimed at ending the British reign in Ireland. A prominent face of the Irish Rebellion, he led French forces into Ireland during the 1798 rebellion. Sentenced to be hanged, he later slit his own throat and died.

 23 
Lisa Hannigan
(Irish Folk Pop and Indie Singer and Voice Actor)
Lisa Hannigan
1
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: February 12, 1981
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Kilcloon, County Meath, Ireland
 24 
Allen Leech
(Actor)
Allen Leech
3
Birthdate: May 18, 1981
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Killiney, County Dublin, Ireland
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 25 
Daniel Weiss
(Television Producer)
Daniel Weiss
3
Birthdate: April 23, 1971
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 26 
Leo Varadkar
(Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment of Ireland )
Leo Varadkar
14
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: January 18, 1979
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Dublin, Ireland
Leo Varadkar is the Tánaiste, or deputy head, of Ireland. He has previously been the defense minister, the health minister, and the Fine Gael leader. Named to Time 100, he became the first openly gay Irish government head and the first Taoiseach, or Irish prime minister, of Indian origin.
 27 
Conor Cruise O'Brien
(Politician)
Conor Cruise O'Brien
1
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: November 3, 1917
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Sandymount, Dublin, Ireland
Died: December 18, 2008
 28 
Jason O'Mara
(Actor)
Jason O'Mara
2
Birthdate: August 6, 1972
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Sandycove, Dublin, Republic of Ireland Ireland
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 29 
Lenny Abrahamson
(Film director known known for directing such praised independent films as Adam & Paul (2004), Garage (2007), What Richard Did (2012), and Frank (2014))
Lenny Abrahamson
0
Birthdate: November 30, 1966
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Dublin, Ireland
Height: 5'5" (165 cm)
 30 
Ruairi O Connor
(Actor)
Ruairi O Connor
3
Birthdate: July 9, 1991
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Howth, County Dublin, Ireland
 31 
John Millington Synge
(Irish Playwright, Poet and a Key Figure in the Irish Literary Revival)
John Millington Synge
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: April 16, 1871
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Rathfarnham, Dublin, Ireland
Died: March 24, 1909

A major figure of the Irish Literary Revival, John Millington Synge is best remembered for his play The Playboy of the Western World, which caused riots in Dublin due to its satiric depiction of the Irish nature of boasting. His life ended abruptly at 37, due to blood cancer.

 32 
William C. Campbell
(Irish Biologist and Parasitologist Known for His Work in Discovering a Novel Therapy Against Infections Caused by Roundworms)
William C. Campbell
0
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: June 28, 1930
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Ramelton, County Donegal, Ireland

Nobel Prize-winning Irish-American biologist William C. Campbell is best known for his pioneering research on the prevention of parasitic infections in humans and other animals. The Trinity College alumnus later studied at the University of Wisconsin and then worked for Merck. He has also been associated with Drew University.

 33 
Sheridan Le Fanu
(Writer)
Sheridan Le Fanu
1
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: August 28, 1814
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Dublin, Ireland
Died: February 7, 1873
 34 
Francis Ysidro Edgeworth
(Anglo-Irish Philosopher and Political Economist)
Francis Ysidro Edgeworth
0
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: February 8, 1845
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Edgeworthstown, County Longford, Ireland
Died: February 13, 1926

Francis Ysidro Edgeworth was an Anglo-Irish economist and statistician, known for his significant contributions to the methods of statistics. An autodidact in mathematics and economics, he imaginatively applied mathematics to the fields of economics and statistics, writing several books, including Mathematical Psychics, presenting new ideas on various topics like on the generalized utility function, the indifference curve etc.  .

 35 
Christopher Mitchum
(Actor)
Christopher Mitchum
2
Listed In: Business People
Birthdate: October 16, 1943
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, USA
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
 36 
Arthur Bell Nicholls
(Pastor)
Arthur Bell Nicholls
1
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: January 6, 1819
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Killead, County Antrim, Ireland
Died: December 3, 1906
 37 
Danielle Galligan
(Actress)
Danielle Galligan
3
Birthdate: December 1, 1992
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Dublin, Ireland
Height: 5'6" (168 cm)
 38 
Aaron Heffernan
(Irish Actor Known for His Roles in 'Love/Hate', Brassic', 'Obsession: Dark Desires' and 'War of the Worlds')
Aaron Heffernan
0
Birthdate: February 23, 1990
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Dublin, Ireland
 39 
Mary Lou McDonald
(Politician)
Mary Lou McDonald
5
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: May 1, 1969
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Churchtown, Dublin, Ireland

Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald scripted history when she became the first female leader of the opposition in Ireland. While she initially studied English literature, her later research interests included European affairs. She is also a fitness enthusiast and has taken to boxing to keep fit.

 40 
Charles Algernon Parsons
(Anglo-Irish Engineer Best Known for His Invention of the 'Compound Steam Turbine')
Charles Algernon Parsons
0
Listed In: Engineers
Birthdate: June 13, 1854
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: London, England
Died: February 11, 1931

Copley Medal-winning engineer Charles Algernon Parsons revolutionized marine transport with his invention of a multi-stage steam turbine. His other inventions include a mechanical reducing gear. Apart from being named a Fellow of the Royal Society, he was also knighted and awarded an Order of Merit for his contributions.

 41 
John Connolly
(Novelist)
John Connolly
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: May 31, 1968
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Dublin, Ireland
 42 
Ernest Walton
(Irish Physicist and Winner of the 1951 Nobel Prize in Physics)
Ernest Walton
5
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: October 6, 1903
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Abbeyside, Ireland
Died: June 25, 1995

Nobel Prize-winning physicist Ernest Walton was the first person to split the atom. He boasted of a PhD from Cambridge and, with Sir John Douglas Cockcroft, developed the world’s first nuclear particle accelerator, or the Cockcroft-Walton generator, with which they conducted the first artificial nuclear reaction without radioactive substances.

 43 
J.P. Donleavy
(Novelist)
J.P. Donleavy
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: April 23, 1926
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: New York City, New York, United States
Died: September 11, 2017
 44 
Stanley Townsend
(Actor)
Stanley Townsend
0
Birthdate: August 20, 1961
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Dublin, Ireland
 45 
John Boyne
(Writer)
John Boyne
1
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: April 30, 1971
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Dublin
 46 
Melanie Clark Pullen
(Actress)
Melanie Clark Pullen
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: July 2, 1975
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Ireland
 47 
James Joseph Sylvester
(Former Mathematician who made fundamental contributions to matrix theory, invariant theory, number theory, partition theory, and combinatorics)
James Joseph Sylvester
0
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: September 3, 1814
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: London, England, United Kingdom
Died: March 15, 1897
 48 
Padraic Delaney
(Actor)
Padraic Delaney
0
Birthdate: November 6, 1977
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Adamstown, Ireland
 49 
Tony Ryan
(Irish Businessman, Co-Founder of 'Ryanair' Airlines and Part Owner of 'Tiger Airways')
Tony Ryan
0
Listed In: Business People
Birthdate: February 2, 1936
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Thurles, County Tipperary, Ireland
Died: October 3, 2007

The founder of Irish low-cost carrier Ryanair, Tony Ryan had to give up his studies at 18, following his father’s death, and take up jobs. He first tasted success in the aircraft leasing arena, with Guinness Peat Aviation. He also made significant charitable contributions to various Irish educational institutes.

 50 
Princess Alexandra of Luxembourg
(Princess)
Princess Alexandra of Luxembourg
1
Birthdate: February 16, 1991
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Luxembourg City, Luxembourg