Holywood - Notable People From Holywood

Notable People From Holywood

• Rory McIlroy, professional golfer: in 2007 he became the youngest player ever to earn his card on the European Tour, and winner of the 2011 U.S. Open and 2012 PGA Championship.

• Bap Kennedy, renowned singer/songwriter and record producer

• Garth Ennis, comic writer (born 16 January 1970)

• Maurice Jay, U105 presenter

• Jerry Lang, U105 presenter

• Tom Kerr, comic strip artist

• TV news anchorman Dermot Murnaghan is a former resident of Holywood. Although he was born in Devon and spent some of his early years in Yorkshire, his family later moved to Holywood where he lived just off Church View. He attended Sullivan Upper School.

• The former BBC security correspondent Brian Rowan was born and raised in Holywood.

• Mick Fealty, political analyst and editor of Slugger O'Toole was born in Belfast but raised in Holywood

• Davy Sims broadcaster and writer, former head of BBC Northern Ireland New Media was born and raised in Holywood

• Alban McGuinness, lawyer and Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) politician was born in Holywood

• Rosamund Praeger, artist, sculptor and writer; younger sister of the naturalist Robert Lloyd Praeger

• Dr. John St. Clair Boyd was born here.

• Professional rugby player Darren Cave playing for Ulster Rugby and helped Ireland U20 lift the 6 nations Grand Slam in 2007

• Dr. Robert Sullivan, educational reformer and founding benefactor of Sullivan Upper School

• Sir Charles Brett, architectural historian, born in Holywood

• Bulmer Hobson, Irish nationalist activist and politician

• Henry Harrison MP, secretary to Charles Stewart Parnell, is buried in the Priory graveyard in the centre of Holywood

• Michael Smiley, comedian, writer and actor was born and raised in Holywood.

• Margaret Mountford, Lawyer, Businesswoman and advisor to Alan, Lord Sugar.

• Sir Desmond Lorimer KBE FCA DSc, Former head of the Northern Bank, Northern Ireland Housing Executive, Northern Ireland Electricity and Ulster Garden Villages Limited resides in Holywood

• Robert 'Bob' McCartney QC, Leading Barrister and ex-UK Unionist Westminster MP for North Down (1995–2001) resides in Holywood

• Desmond Boal QC, Leading Northern Ireland Barrister and former Stormont MP resides in Holywood

• Clive Standen, an actor, was born in Holywood.

• Stephen Brown, S.J., writer, librarian, founder of the Central Catholic Library, Dublin, was born in Holywood.

• John Edward Regan (Born: August 1926 - Rocktown, Bellaghy, County Londonderry - Died: April 2007) lived most of his life in Holywood. He was best known as Managing Director of Regan Demolition and of John Regan & Sons Limited.

• Robert Basil Uprichard (Buster), (1913-1993) was crown solicitor for Belfast and County Antrim, legal partner with Sir Richard Dawson Bates at Number 1 Mayfair, Belfast. He lived and practiced as a solicitor in Holywood.

• Breandán Mac Giolla Choille (1921–2006) was an Irish scholar and historian who was born in Holywood as Brendan Woodman; he later changed his name to the Irish equivalent. He was Keeper of the State Papers for the Government of the Republic of Ireland, and edited Éamon de Valera's personal papers.

• Eamon Nancarrow, singer and author. Raised in Holywood and writes about the town in his autobiography 'Holywood Star: The life and times of a rock and roll misadventurer'.

• Jonathon Bramley, television producer, Bafta winner.

• Ken Heaven, musician and trencherman. Raised in Holywood and features heavily in 'Holywood Star: The life and times of a rock and roll misadventurer'.

• David Jeffrey, former footballer of Linfield FC, Ards FC and Larne FC. Currently manager of Linfield FC was born and raised in Church Road area of Holywood.

• Jamie Dornan actor, model