10 Best Irish Actors

Much like rock music, with its Van Morrison and U2, there are plenty of stars to choose from when selecting the ten best Irish actors. This list has nothing to do with the luck of the Irish, and everything to do with talent.

1. Gabriel Byrne. This man is a Golden Globe Award winner. But did you know Byrne has also been nominated for both a Tony and a Grammy? Yes, he's well rounded.
2. Peter O'Toole. O'Toole has been nominated for Best Actor eight times, but he's never won. This makes him the most-nominated actor to never win that award. But that doesn't mean we can't love him. He's a true great. 
3. Richard Harris. When you think of Richard Harris, consider his memorable performances.
4. Daniel Day Lewis. Unlike poor O'Toole, Daniel Day Lewis has already won two Best Actor Academy Awards. For "My Left Foot" and "There Will Be Blood."
5. Kenneth Branagh. Branagh is not just a fine actor, but also a writer and a director that knows his way around Shakespeare.
6. Pierce Brosnan. This Irishman has played Bond, James Bond.
   
7. Colin Farrell. Farrell is perhaps best known for his role as Danny Witwer in Spielberg's "Minority Report."
   
8. Stuart Townsend. This the man who played that rock star vampire, Lestat, in Anne Rice's "Queen of the Damned." 
9. Barry Fitzgerald. Believe it or not, Fitzgerald was nominated for both the Best Actor Oscar and the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for the same performance, as Father Fitzgibbon, in "Going My Way." They've since changed the rule on that one, of course.