This is a list of Kilkenny people including those who were born in County Kilkenny, in Ireland and have lived there for most of their lives. Also included on the list are people who were not born in County Kilkenny, but have lived there for most of their lives or are associated with County Kilkenny. Art Actors James O'Neill (1849–1920) Architecture James Hoban (1762–1831) William Robertson (1770-1850) Artists Mildred Anne Butler (1858–1941) Gerard Casey (born c.1960) Edmund Garvey (1740–1813) Painters Mildred Ann Butler (1858–1941) Kathleen Marescaux (1868–1944) Tony O'Malley (1913–2003) Sculptor Christopher Hewetson (1739–1799) Writing Deborah Alcock (1825–1913), author John Banim (1798–1842), novelist Hubert Butler (1900–1991), essayist James Graves (1815–1886), antiquarian and author Constantia Grierson (1705–1732), editor, poet, and classical scholar Thomas Kilroy (born 1934), playwright and novelist John Locke (1847–1889), poet, writer and Fenian Dónall Mac Amhlaigh (1926–1989), writer Brian Mac Giolla Phádraig (c.1580–c.1652), scholar and poet Francis MacManus (1909–1965), novelist Gerardine Meaney, Irish feminist critic John O'Donovan (1806–1861), scholar Standish James O'Grady (1846–1928), author, journalist, and historian Katharine A. O'Keeffe O'Mahoney (1852–1918), educator, lecturer, writer Richard Lalor Sheil (1791–1851), politician, writer and orator Music John Martyn (1948–2009) Seamus Moore (born 1947) George William Torrance (1835–1907) Ronan Tynan (born 1960) Robert Grace Military John Barry (1873–1901), recipient of the Victoria Cross Dan Bryan (1900–1985), Army officer John Byrne (1832–1879), recipient of the Victoria Cross William Dowling (1825–1887), recipient of the Victoria Cross Frederick Hall (1885–1915), recipient of the Victoria Cross Walter Hamilton (1856–1879), recipient of the Victoria Cross Robert Johnston (1872–1950), recipient of the Victoria Cross John Ryan (1823–1858), recipient of the Victoria Cross Business Patrick Cudahy (1849–1919), Meat Packer and philanthropist James Butler (1855–1934), American Grocery Store and Racetrack owner Sean O'Farrell (1909–1972), National Ploughing Association and National Ploughing Championships Politicians Liam Aylward (born 1952) Bobby Aylward Edward Butler (1823–1879), Australian politician James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde (1610–1688) James Butler, 2nd Duke of Ormonde (1665–1745) Piers Butler, 1st Earl of Ormonde (c.1467–1539) Thomas Butler, Earl of Ossory (1634–1680) Robert Cane (1807–1858) Kieran Crotty John Dunn, Jr. (1827–1909), American politician Kathleen Funchion Jim Gibbons (1924–1997), Irish politician, Minister of Agriculture Phil Hogan (born c. 1965) John McGuinness (born 1955) Malcolm Noonan, former Mayor of Kilkenny and Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform since 2020 Séamus Pattison John Paul Phelan Ann Phelan James Stephens (1825–1901), Fenian Margaret Tynan (1930–2007), first woman Mayor of Kilkenny Judicial Peter Smithwick