FORBES HAS ONCE again released its coveted 30 Under 30 Europe list – and it comes as little surprise that a host of Irish talent have made the cut.

 From rising stars in the arts to standout talents in sport, this year’s annual list features a wave of Irish talent, celebrating the country’s young disruptors, innovators, and changemakers across industries.

Some 14 Irish people are included, the largest number ever. 

Among those were a number of musical acts, including 29-year-old Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson, better known as CMAT.

The Irish singer-songwriter topped the Irish charts with her sophomore record Crazymad, for Me earning Mercury Prize and Ivor Novello nominations.

Her debut album, If My Wife New I’d Be Dead, claimed RTE’s Choice Music Prize in 2022.

Also nominated was Grian Chatten, the frontman of popular Dublin band Fontaines DC, who Forbes described as “one of the most compelling voices in contemporary rock”.

His band’s 2020 breakthrough album A Hero’s Death earned Grammy, BRIT and Ivor Novello nominations, while 2022′s Skinty Fia topped both Irish and UK charts.

Chatten's band Fontaines DC are currently touring across the US. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Jordan Adetunji also made the list, who Forbes said “pulled off pop’s ultimate flex in 2024″ by writing a viral hit about Kehlani and getting the Grammy-nominated star herself “to hop on the remix”.

The song, aptly titled Kehlani, was the first major hit for Jordan, earning him a Grammy nomination for Best Melodic Rap Performance alongside Beyoncé, Future and Metro Boomin.

Also on the list of entertainers was London-based Ronan Corrigan, a writer-director whose debut feature film, Life Hack premiered at SXSW this year.

His previous work has been selected for both Bafta and Oscar-qualifying festivals.

Across other categories, Ireland was also well represented. 

Gymnast and olympic champion Rhys McClenaghan featured in the sports category, with Frobes praising his acheivement of becoming the only gymnast to become Olympic, World, European and Commonwealth champion on a single apparatus.

The entry also made reference to his victory in RTE’s “Dancing with the Stars.”

Rhys McClenaghan with dancer Laura Nolan on Dancing with the Stars. RTÉ RTÉ

Adam Dalton also featured in this category,the co-founder of Jamango! – a browser-based platform allows users to build 3D games without coding knowledge, just through simple design tools like dragging and dropping.

Prior to Jamango!, Dalton cofounded Robotify, a code-learning platform that reached over one million students across 100 countries.

In the media and marketing section, four Irish co-founders of marketing firm Bounce Insights – Charlie Butler, Brandon Dooley, Ronàn Dowling-Cullen and Joshua Stafford all featured.

Bounce is a market research company that tracks consumer behaviour to help brands such as Coca-Cola, Unilever, and Tesco improve product development and marketing. So far, it has secured $6.5 million in funding.

Among those recognised in the manufacturing and industry category is 28-year-old Petter Gillece, a former Aston Martin engineer now working out of Belfast. 

Gillece has earned appriasal for his work with Vikela, a company launched in 2020 that’s pioneering 3D-printed body armour. Vikela’s production facility in Bangor creates lightweight, flexible armour designed to prevent any stab penetration.

Also representing Northern Ireland is Naomi McGregor, also 28, who appears in the social impact category for her startup MoveTru. The company has created wearable tech aimed at reducing ACL and other sports injuries by enhancing movement mechanics and enabling early intervention.

Caoimhe Murphy, co-founder of Anam, is featured in the technology category. Anam develops AI-powered avatars that manage sales and customer service roles for clients, including German consumer goods giant Henkel.

The company has attracted $2.4 million in investment. Beyond Anam, Murphy has also co-founded a healthcare venture alongside her father.

Sarah-Marie Rust was also recognised in the social impact category for her work with Eve, a software platform designed to support fleet operators in making the switch to electric vehicles.

The startup has already secured partnerships with major European operators and is now expanding into the US.