Daniel Day-Lewis in 2013 and
Maureen O'Hara in 2015 were the last two Irish performers to receive Oscars for their acting. Both retired stars set a high bar for subsequent generations of Irish actors to follow. Both are considered to be the greatest Irish actor and actress of all-time by most people. Currently, the list of working older-aged or middle-aged Irish film and TV stars includes:
Liam Neeson,
Colin Farrell,
Kenneth Branagh,
Pierce Brosnan,
Michael Fassbender,
Brendan Gleeson,
Sam Neill,
Chris O'Dowd,
Cillian Murphy,
Ray Stevenson,
Michael Gambon,
Sinéad Cusack,
Brenda Fricker,
Fiona Shaw,
Genevieve O'Reilly,
Paula Malcomson, and
Caitríona Balfe among others. Collectively, Irish nationals and the Irish diaspora have a long track record of securing Oscar, Emmy, and BAFTA nominations and wins for acting over the past century. So, the expectations set for the youngest generation are high. In honor of St. Patrick's Day, Ireland's record-breaking fourteen nomination run at the 2023 Oscars and "Dóchas mór Gaeilge", the next great Irish hope, an Irish actor and actress poll.
Which of these young actors or actresses is the next "Dóchas mór Gaeilge" (great Irish hope), showing the most promise and the one you think ultimately will have the best acting career?Discuss the topic here. 
