Hookless Holiday Homes is proud to be located on the beautiful Hook Peninsula in County Wexford. We love the area for its beaches, countryside, trails and history and want to share with you all the different things that make Wexford special.
We recently wrote about the sports stars from Wexford and now we’re highlighting the famous names and faces which come from this wonderful place. Some of them might surprise you!
Let’s start with a very famous person, who is normally associated with America rather than Ireland, but actually has Irish heritage. President John F. Kennedy’s Great Grandfather was born and raised in Wexford, fleeing the Irish famine to move to the United States, where JFK was born. However, the US President was proud of this background and you can learn more about it by visiting the Kennedy Homestead, in New Ross, on your holiday in Wexford.
Located within the farm where JFK’s Great Grandfather was born, this museum offers a state-of-the-art interpretive exhibit which shares the story of the Kennedy family from Patrick Kennedy’s leaving Ireland in 1848, and the family’s incredible history to this day.
Another legend, who is normally associated with Liverpool and the Cavern Club, but whose family is also linked to Wexford is one of the Fab Four, George Harrison. His Grandfather is originally from Ferns in County Wexford, but emigrated to Liverpool to become a policeman ,and George Harrison’s cousins still live here. In fact, he visited them when touring with the Beatles in 1963.
There is a rich vein of acting talent from Wexford. Notable Wexford actors include Dermot Murphy who starred in Raw, Clean Break and became Bob Geldof for the drama Bohemian Rapsody. Daniel Peter O’Herlihy acted in films and television in the 1950s and was nominated for an Oscar for his role in the 1954 film Robinson Crusoe. Wexford born Charlie Murphy is making waves and won Irish Film and Television awards in 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2018.
You may have seen her recently in Happy Valley and Peaky Blinders. You’ve probably seen Wexford born Padraic Delaney in The Palme d’Or winning The Wind that Shakes the Barley, or will know him from his appearance in The Tudors, Blackthorn or Knightfall.
Footballer Kevin Doyle, jockey Daryl Jacob and rugby player Tadhg Furlong are just a few of the sports stars that also call Wexford home.
Reading about the Famous People from Wexford
To find out more about the famous people in history from Ireland’s sunny South-East, you can join the Facebook group Famous Wexford People in History or read the book of the same name which features 38 famous people from the area who made their mark on history.
Featured people included in the book come from many different spheres and eras including the mothers of the inventor Marconi and bard and poet Thomas Moore. There’s the actor Dan O’Herlihy, pioneer of Modernism and Art Deco architect and furniture designer Eileen Gray and a host of political figures including Richard Corish, Min Ryan and John Redmond. Find out more about the book in this Irish Times article.
Seeing Famous Faces in Wexford
As well as the famous faces that come from Wexford, we also see a host of performers and musicians in Wexford as part of the world-class line up of stars who perform at the National Opera House on a regular basis. Located in the heart of Wexford town, it is an incredible centre for culture, with two great performance spaces and a packed schedule of events including opera, ballet, theatre, comedy and live music.
Check out What’s On during your holiday in Ireland and see what famous faces or amazing talent you can find performing in Wexford.
The stunning countryside and beautiful beaches have brought many famous stars to these sunny shores. Films including The Count of Monte Cristo, Brooklyn and P.S. I Love You were all filmed here, along with a host of Irish TV and films. We’ve even welcomed Hollywood legends Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg, when they filmed Saving Private Ryan on our stunning Curracloe Beach.
We’re proud of the famous faces of Wexford and the many filmmakers and visitors that flock to our beautiful area of Ireland for their holidays, and all the team from Hookless Holiday Homes look forward to welcoming you too.