While the Republic of Ireland football team has earned traction on the global stage as everyone’s favourite underdog (yeah, Dublin is still talking about their run to the quarter finals of USA ’94), they’ve also given the world some of the Premier League’s most talented – and chaotic – icons.
The talent pool in Irish football has pretty much dried up since a golden generation including the likes of Robbie Keane and Damien Duff won UEFA’s European Youth Championship in 1998 – and we certainly don’t see the same Irish presence in the Manchester United dressing room that proved so vital during their treble winning season of 1999.
But with St. Patrick’s Day upon us, there’s no better time to celebrate everything special about the Emerald Isle – and that includes Robbie Keane’s amateur gymnastics after finding the back of the net.
Wear something green and pour yourself a pint of Beamish as we count down the 10 best Irish players in the history of the Premier League.
10. Seamus Coleman
9. Richard Dunne
Clubs: Everton, Manchester City, Aston Villa, Queens Park Rangers
Premier League record: 425 games / 11 goals
Ireland record: 80 games / 8 goals
It's unfortunate for Richard Dunne that he's best remembered by journalists, pundits and vocal supporters for scoring more own goals in the Premier League than any other player. Dunne has scored a dozen own goals since debuting in the top flight in 1996, which is actually one more than he's scored at the right end of the field.
Despite that, Dunne's also become one of the most consistent – if unglamorous – defenders of the Premier League era, winning Manchester City's Player of the Year award for four consecutive seasons between 2005 and 2008. He's pretty much the Irish John Terry – just a lot less unlikeable and without any Premier League medals.
8. Niall Quinn
Clubs: Manchester City, Sunderland
Premier League record: 250 games / 59 goals
Ireland record: 92 games / 21 goals
Target men defined much of the Premier League's early existence and there were few better than Niall Quinn, who eventually formed an electric partnership with Kevin Phillips at Sunderland during the turn of the Millenium. Quinn was also recognised as a leader off the pitch and earned particular credit (or notoreity, if you're Roy Keane) for stepping up to the plate when Roy Keane walked out of Ireland's World Cup squad in 2002.
7. John O'Shea
6. Damien Duff
Clubs: Blackburn, Chelsea, Newcastle United, Fulham
Premier League record: 392 games / 54 goals
Ireland record: 100 games / 8 goals
Damien Duff is the forgotten star of Jose Mourinho's first all-conquering Chelsea side. After launching himself onto the world stage with a starring role in the Republic of Ireland's World Cup campaign in 2002, Duff moved to Chelsea the following summer for a fee of £17 million – becoming one of the first recruits of the Roman Abramovich era.
Under Mourinho, Duff formed a devastating partnership on the wings with Arjen Robben and scored ten goals in all competitions – helping Chelsea secure the league title for the first time in 50 years. Duff was a rare example of an Irish player in the Premier League that excelled with attacking flair as opposed to defensive solidity.
5. Denis Irwin
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Clubs: Manchester United, Wolves
Premier League record: 328 games / 18 goals
Ireland record: 56 games / 4 goals
Denis Irwin was the first of two players from Cork who speaheaded United's domination of English football in the 1990s.The dependable full back doubled as a dead ball specialist, scoring almost 20 goals during his career in the Premier League – near enough all of them from the penalty spot.
In 12 years at Old Trafford, Irwin became the second most decorated player in the club's history and his trophy haul includes seven Premier Leagues, three FA Cups and one Champions League trophy from the famous treble in 1999. Given the current state of United's brittle defence, Louis Van Gaal could do with someone of Irwin's ilk.
4. Paul McGrath
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Clubs: Aston Villa, Derby County
Premier League record: 166 games / 11 goals
Ireland record: 83 games / 8 goals
While the 'Black Pearl' became a legend at Manchester United in the 1980s, his performances with Aston Villa in the Premier League's formative years still warrant McGrath's inclusion so high up this list. The centre back is regarded as one of the finest players in Irish history, and defined the art of being a 'ball playing centre back' long before Rio Ferdinand did.
Villa fans still refer to McGrath as 'God' following his role in pushing the Midlands club to the runner-up spot in the Premier League twice in the 1990s – it's a spot that seems inconceivable for Villa in 2015. He picked up the PFA Player of the Year award in 1993. McGrath's achievements are all the more remarkable once you become aware of his desperate off-the-pitch demons, which include an alcohol addiction, drug problems and two suicide attempts.
3. Shay Given
2. Robbie Keane
Clubs: Coventry City, Leeds United, Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool, West Ham, Aston Villa
Premier League record: 349 games / 126 goals
Ireland record: 138 games / 65 goals
As the most prolific Irish marksman in the history of the Premier League, the evergreen Robbie Keane deserves enormous credit for a career that's produced a beautiful highlight reel. With a deft touch, sharp burst of pace and an eye for the specatcular, it's a surprise that Keane isn't remembered more fondly in the pantheon of Premier League greats.
An indifferent spell at Liverpool following a big money move in 2009 probably still haunts Robbie's reputation, but he followed that up with further success at Spurs – and useful loan spells at West Ham and Aston Villa. If anyone needs convincing of Keane's pedigree, he's currently the highest active goalscorer in international football with 65 strikes for Ireland.
1. Roy Keane
Clubs: Nottingham Forest, Manchester United
Premier League record: 366 games / 39 goals
Ireland record: 67 games / 9 goals
It's unlikely that any other player could dislodge Roy Keane from the title of Ireland's best Premier League player – it's also equally likely that anyone else who tried to take the position would be faced with an barrage of abuse from the most unapologetically competitive midfielder of his generation.
Sir Alex Ferguson labelled Keane as the best player he's ever worked with and the man from Cork – rather suitably nicknamed the 'Rebel County' – became Fergie's on-pitch embodiment, leading United by example with his all-winning, all-action, box-to-box play. The Premier League hasn't seen a player with the same kind of desire since – Keane lifted 17 trophies throughout his Man United career and was named in the PFA Team of the Year five times.
