- Michael Collins
Michael John ("Mick") Collins (16 October, 1890 - 22 August, 1922) was an Irish revolutionary leader, Minister for Finance in the Irish Republic, Director of Intelligence for the IRA, and member of the Irish delegation during the Anglo-Irish Treaty negotiations, both as Chairman of the Provisional Government and Commander-in-Chief of the National Army. He was shot and killed in August 1922, during the Irish Civil War.
- John Murphy
John 'Curtis' Murphy was an Irish sportsperson in the 1880s and 1890s who played hurling with the famous Blackrock club. Born in Cork Murphy first tasted success in 1887 when ‘the Rockies’ won the very first Cork Senior Hurling Championship, however, due to a dispute Blackrock were denied the chance to represent Cork in the very first All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship. Two years later in 1889 Murphy captured two more county titles in 1889 and 1891, however, …
- Jonathan Rhys Meyers
Jonathan Rhys Meyers (born 27 July, 1977) is an Irish actor and Golden Globe winner.
- Jack Lynch
John Mary "Jack" Lynch, was the fourth Taoiseach of the Ireland, serving two terms in office; 1966 to 1973 and 1977 to 1979. Lynch was first elected to Dáil Éireann as a TD for Cork in 1948, and was re-elected at each general election until his retirement in 1981. He previously served as Minister for Finance (1965-1966), Minister for Industry & Commerce (1959-1965), Minister for Education (1957-1959), Minister for the Gaeltacht (1957) and as a Parliamentary Secretary.
- Christy Ring
Nicholas Christopher "Christy" Ring (12 October, 1920 - 2 March, 1979) was a famous Irish sportsman who played hurling for Cork in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. He is regarded by many as the greatest player of all time. Over the course of his career he won a record 8 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship titles with Cork. He was named in the right half-forward position on the Gaelic Athletic Association's "Hurling Team of the Millennium."
- John Sullivan
John Sullivan (VC, CGM)(10 April 1830-28 June 1884) was born in Bantry, County Cork and was an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.
- Cillian Murphy
Cillian Murphy (born May 25, 1976) is an Irish actor noted for his intense, risky performances in diverse roles, as well as his distinctive blue eyes. He got his start on stage in 1996 and first appeared onscreen in 1997, acting in a number of Irish and British film and stage productions throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s, but first came to international attention in 2003 as the hero in the post-apocalyptic movie "28 Days Later".
- William O'Brien
William O'Brien (2 October 1852-25 February 1928) was an Irish nationalist, journalist, agrarian agitator, social revolutionary, politician, party leader, newspaper publisher and author. He was particularly associated with the campaigns for land reform in Ireland during the late 19th and early 20th centuries as well as his conciliatory approach to attaining Home Rule.
- Robert Emmet
Robert Emmet was an Irish nationalist rebel leader. He led an abortive rebellion against British rule in 1803 and was captured, tried and executed.
- Kieran Murphy
Kieran Murphy (born 1983) is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Erin's Own and with the Cork senior inter-county team.
- Kieran Murphy
Kieran Murphy (born 1983) is an Irish sportsperson who is a member of the Cork senior hurling team. Kieran Murphy was born in County Cork in 1983. He has made 14 appearances for the Cork senior hurlers since making his debut in 2003 and has scored a total of 1-12. He is best known as a substitute, however, he started for Cork on a number of occasions. During his senior hurling career Murphy has contributed to Cork's All-Ireland victories in 2004 and 2005, …
- Tom Barry
Thomas (Tom) Barry was one of the most prominent guerrilla leaders in the Irish Republican Army during the Irish War of Independence.
- Sam Maguire
Samuel ("Sam") Maguire, an Irish Republican and Gaelic footballer, is chiefly remembered as the eponym of the Sam Maguire Cup, given to the All-Ireland Senior Champions of Gaelic football. The cup was designed and presented to the Gaelic Athletic Association in 1928 in his honour after his death from tuberculosis in 1927. The cup cost £300 in 1928.
- Gerald McCarthy
Gerald McCarthy (born September, 1945) is a former Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club St. Finbarr's and with the Cork senior inter-county team in the 1960s and 1970s. He is the current manager of the Cork senior hurling team.
- Brian Corcoran
Brian Corcoran (born 23 March, 1973) is a former Irish sportsman. He played hurling and Gaelic football with Erin's Own and Cork in the 1990s and 2000s. He is regarded as one of the greatest players of his generation/
- Ger Cunningham
Ger Cunningham (born August, 1961) is a former Irish sportsman. He served as goalkeeper on the Cork senior hurling team in the 1980s and 1990s and is a selector with the current senior team.
- Eudie Coughlan
Eugene 'Eudie' Coughlan was an Irish sportsperson who played hurling with Blackrock and Cork in the 1920s and 1930s. Eugene “Eudie” Coughlan was born in Blackrock, just outside Cork in 1900. He was educated locally and later worked as a fisherman with his father, before working with Ford and the Cork Harbour Board. The Coughlan’s (pronounced Cawlan) were a famous hurling family in Cork.
- Ray Cummins
Ray Cummins (born 9 November, 1948) is a former Irish sportsperson. He was a dual player with Cork, playing football from 1968 until 1978 and playing hurling from 1969 until 1982. Cummins is regarded as one of Cork's greatest-ever players.
- John Allen
John Allen (born 1956) (Uncle of Kenny Allen) is an Irish hurling manager and former hurler and Gaelic footballer, and a former manager of Cork senior hurling team. John Allen was born in Cork in 1956. He joined the St. Finbarr's GAA club in his youth and showed great talent as both a hurler and a Gaelic footballer. He was quickly noticed by the Cork inter-county selectors and became a member of the minor panel in 1973.
- John Allen
John Allen (born 1956) is a former Irish sportsperson. He played both hurling and Gaelic football with his local club St. Finbarr's and with the Cork senior inter-county teams in the 1970s and 1980s. He later served as manager of the Cork senior hurling team from 2005 to 2006.
- Frank O'Connor
Frank O’Connor (born Michael Francis O'Connor O'Donovan was an Irish author of over 150 works, who was best known for his short stories and books of memoirs. Born an only child in Cork, Ireland, to Minnie O'Connor and Michael O'Donovan, his early life was marked by his father's alcoholism, indebtness and ill-treatment of his mother. He has recounted the early years of his life in one of his best books "An Only Child", …
- Denis Murphy
Denis Murphy (born 1939) is a former Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club St. Finbarr's and with the Cork senior inter-county team in the 1960s.
- Denis Coughlan
Denis Coughlan (born 1945) is an Irish sportsperson prominent as a player of Gaelic Games at the inter county level from the 1960s until the 1980s, later becoming involved in team management. He was a successful dual player who won All-Ireland medals in hurling and football with Cork in the 1970s.
- Tom Cashman
Tom Cashman (born 1957) is a retired Irish sportsman. He played hurling with Blackrock and Cork in the 1970s and 1980s. He also played football with St. Michael's.
- Paddy Barry
Paddy Barry (born 27 August, 1941) is a former Irish sportsperson who played hurling with St. Vincent's and Cork in the 1960s and 1970s. Paddy Barry was born in the Bandon Road area of Cork in 1941. At a young age the family moved to Blarney Street on the nothside of the city. Barry started playing Gaelic Games at the age of seven with the local St. Vincent's GAA club. He later won a county minor hurling title in 1957 at the age of 15.
- Paddy Barry
Paddy Barry (1928-2000) was an Irish sportsperson who played hurling with Sarsfield's and Cork in the 1950s. Paddy Barry was born in the parish of Glanmire in East County Cork in 1928. He was educated locally and from an early age he showed great skill at the game of hurling. He soon joined his local Sarsfield's GAA club and was very successful as a club and inter-county hurler. Barry's first success at inter-county level was a National Hurling League medal in 1948.
- Joseph Brennan
Joseph Brennan (1887-1963) was a senior Irish civil servant born in Bandon, County Cork, Ireland. He was Secretary of the Department of Finance, Chairman of the Currency Commission and Governor of the Central Bank of Ireland.
- Seán Óg Murphy
Jackie 'Seán Óg' Murphy was an Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with Blackrock and Cork in the 1920s and later served as an administrator with the Gaelic Athletic Association.
- John Lyons
John Lyons was an Irish sportsperson who played hurling with the Cork senior inter-county team in the 1950s. Lyons first came to prominence with the Cork senior hurlers in the early 1950s. He won his first Munster title as a full-back in 1952. Lyons later collected his first All-Ireland medal following a victory over Dublin in the championship decider. Cork continued their winning ways in 1953 with Lyons adding a National Hurling League medal to his collection.
- Charlie McCarthy
Charlie McCarthy (born 1946) is a former Irish sportsperson who played senior hurling with Cork from 1965 until 1980. He is regarded as one of Cork's greatest-ever players.
- John Horgan
John William Horgan was a Member of the Western Australian Legislative Council in 1888-89. He is remembered most for his aggressive election campaigns in which he characterised six of the most prominent families in colonial Western Australia as the "six hungry families". John Horgan was born in Maroon, Cork, Ireland on 15 July 1834. He was educated at Dr. Moynihan's Collegiate School in Cork. In the 1860s and 1870s he practiced as a barrister and solicitor in Cork, …
- John Horgan
John Horgan (born 25 May, 1950) is a former Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his club Blackrock and at inter-county level with Cork in the 1970s.
- Jimmy Barry-Murphy
Jimmy Barry-Murphy (born 22 August, 1954 in Cork) is a retired Irish sportsman who played hurling and Gaelic football with Cork in the 1970s and 1980s. He is regarded as one of the greatest dual players of all-time
- Mother Jones
Mary Harris Jones, better known as Mother Jones, was a prominent American labor and community organizer, and Wobbly.
- Jamesy Kelleher
Jamesy Kelleher was an Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Dungourney and with the Cork senior inter-county team in the early 1900s. He is regarded as one of Cork’s greatest-ever players.
- D. D. Sheehan
Daniel Desmond Sheehan, usually known as D. D. Sheehan (28 May 1873 - 28 November 1948) was an Irish nationalist, politician, labour leader, journalist, barrister and author. He served as a Member of Parliament (MP) from 1901 to 1918 for Mid Cork, a constituency within the districts of Ballincollig, Blarney, Ballyvourney, Coachford, Macroom and Millstreet. As co-founder and President of the Irish Land and Labour Association, …
- Michael O'Leary
Michael O'Leary was an Irish senior politician and barrister. He was Minister for Labour and while leader of the Labour Party became Minister for Energy and Tánaiste. He later became a member of the Fine Gael party. Born in Cork, the son of a publican, O'Leary was educated at Presentation College, University College Cork and Columbia University, New York, King's Inns On returning to Ireland, …
- Ronan O'Gara
Ronan John Ross O'Gara (born 7 March 1977, San Diego, California, USA) is an Irish rugby union footballer, occupying the fly-half position (usually called "out half" in Ireland and "first five-eighths" in New Zealand) for both Munster and Ireland. He toured with the Lions on their tours to Australia in 2001, and New Zealand in 2005 - although he only managed one Test cap (off the bench in the 3rd Test v New Zealand, 2005).
- Diarmuid O'Sullivan
Diarmuid O'Sullivan (born July, 1978) is an Irish sportsman. He plays hurling with his local club Cloyne and with the Cork senior inter-county team.
- Ben O'Connor
Ben O'Connor (born January 25, 1979) is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Newtownshandrum and with the Cork senior inter-county team.