Over the years, some of Ireland’s most prolific actors have expressed the pubs, parks, coffee shops and more back home that they hold dear to their hearts.
While many of Ireland’s biggest actors have set down roots elsewhere around the world, whether it’s London or Los Angeles, many of them still hold many places back home in Ireland close to their hearts.
From places in the their own hometowns to favourite destinations around the country, let’s take a look at the top ten Irish actors and their favourite spots back home.
10. Nicola Coughlan – favourite Galway hot spots
Speaking to Lovin Ireland, Galway actor Nicola Coughlan described her perfect day back home.
This included stops like Gourmet Tart Co. for a coffee, a walk in Coole Park, Moran’s on the Weir in Kilcolgan for seafood, and Dough Bros for pizza.
She would finish off the perfect day in Galway at the popular local pub Tigh Neachtain, which she describes as a proper Irish pub experience with lovely pints and great music.
9. Paul Mescal – love for his hometown
During an interview with LADbible Ireland, Paul Mescal discussed some of his favourite spots from his hometown – Maynooth.
Choosing his favourite pub in Maynooth as McMahon’s because its owned by a friend’s family, he has also said on several occasions that The Roost in Maynooth is his favourite.
In an interview with Elle magazine alongside Andrew Scott, he recommended that anyone visiting Dublin should go for a walk in Phoenix Park.
While the chicken wings at Elephant and Castle were once his favourites, he says they aren’t the same anymore.
Speaking to the Off Menu podcast, hosted by comedians James Acaster and Ed Gamble, he said, “If they go back to the way it was, I would ask people to go in droves”.
8. Colin Farrell – an unexpected West Cork gem
While Colin Farrell has lived in Los Angeles since the 90s, certain spots back in Ireland still strike a chord with him.
Farrell has acted in movies all over the world, but one destination in Ireland stands out above the rest. In 2008, Farrell spent a lot of time in Castletownbere in West Cork on the Beara Peninsula filming the movie Ondine.
However, that wasn’t the first time he’d actually been there. He had his first professional job in Castletownbere, and was even barred from a local pub in town.
While being interviewed on The Late Late Show, he spoke fondly of the town, describing the people as “extraordinary” and “fundamentally so, so decent”. He also praised the beautiful landscape of the town.
He has a very interesting history with Castletownbere, and has even returned to explore the area with his kids. Of course, the ban has now been lifted in the local pub, and the owners recently welcomed him with open arms.
7. Saoirse Ronan –
For those who already know she owns a home there, it’ll be no surprise that Saoirse Ronan’s favourite spot in Ireland is Ballydehob in West Cork.
While she lives primarily in London, she and her husband, Jack Lowden, bought the charming cottage in West Cork.
The plan now is to knock the house down and rebuild their dream home, a plan which was originally rejected by the council, but now has the green light.
6. Cillian Murphy – from childhood to today
In an interview with Conde Nast Traveller in 2014, Cillian Murphy said he feels happiest in West Kerry. In the interview, he detailed how he has visited the area ever since he was small, and he now takes his own kids.
In particular, he shared a love for the uninhabited solitude of the Blasket Islands, saying, “It makes you feel pure, cleans out your soul, cleans out the cobwebs from your brain”.
In a more recent interview, he was asked where the best city in the world to grab a pint was, and in true loyal fashion, the Douglas local gave the answer as his own hometown – Cork City.
While many big Irish stars live halfway across the world, Murphy lives with his family in Monkstown, a coastal suburb of Dublin.
5. Jessie Buckley – big love for where she comes from
Hailing from Killarney, County Kerry, Jessie Buckley has a particular affinity with her hometown. Buckley’s family have run the historic Arbutus Hotel for 100 years.
Furthermore, Tim Buckley, Jessie Buckley’s father, is the resident poet and bar manager of one of the best hotels in Sneem, Parknasilla Resort. Here, he famously leads historical walks in the area.
In a 2023 interview, Buckley expressed how much she loves going home to have the same chats with locals, see her family, the mountains in Killarney, and go swimming in the see.
Earlier in 2026, Buckley took home the Oscar for Best Actress for her role in Hamnet, and Killarney locals swooned with pride for the Killarney native.
4. Barry Keoghan – from his hometown and beyond
Dublin native Barry Keoghan is no stranger to popping into The Bridge Tavern in the inner-city neighbourhood of Summerhill where he’s from.
Talking to James Corden on his podcast This Life of Mine, he described Achill Island in County Mayo as a “very, very magical place”, having spent a lot of time there while filming The Banshees of Inisherin.
3. Pierce Brosnan – big love from Kerry from the former 007
Pierce Brosnan lives mainly between two locations – Kauai in Hawaii, and Malibu in California. He was born in Drogheda, County Louth, but considers Navan, County Meath, his hometown.
However, it is neither of these places that Brosnan loves the most back home in Ireland. Rather, he has a particular affinity with County Kerry.
Back in 2014, Brosnan was taking part in a Q&A with fans on Reddit when he was asked what his favourite place in ireland to return to is.
Brosnan described Kerry as “one of the most gorgeous parts of Ireland” and said that the Brosnan clan hailed from the area. Furthermore, his father, Tom Brosnan, lived most of his life in Tralee.
2. Andrew Scott – praise for Kinsale
Andrew Scott made the move from his home in Dublin to London in his early 20s and has lived in several areas of England’s capital since. In London, he established a career for himself in theatre.
In several different interviews, Scott has expressed love for different places around Ireland.
In an interview with the Irish Examiner, he said, “Cork is such a beautiful part of the world. We actually used to go down to Kinsale a lot, I’ll definitely have to get down there again soon”.
In 2015, around the same time as the same-sex referendum in Ireland, Scott purchased a home in Dublin in a bid to reconnect with his roots and Irish stories.
1. Liam Neeson – Ballymena is still home
Liam Neeson has lived in the Upper West Side of New York for more than 25 years, having bought an apartment there with his late wife Natasha Richardson in 1999.
However, the native of Ballymena, County Antrim, also owns a home in his hometown, too. He describes Ballymena as “a place that’s truly special”, saying it’s still the place he calls home.
Talking to VIP Magazine about what his favourite thing about coming home is, he gave a nod to one Dublin pub in particular, saying, “I stopped drinking but it was always Mulligans on Poolbeg Street”.
