When prompted for the most prominent Irish contributions to American pop culture, most U.S. residents likely would respond with St. Patrick's Day or the potato. But what about other Irish influences in pop culture that don't involve alcohol-fueled holidays and vegetables? Surely, the Irish have given us more than that. Here are some other people and things for which America can thank the Irish culture.
 

COLIN FARRELL

THE RUNDOWN: Once thought to be a first-rate leading man, now viewed as a rehab attending, chain-smoking, ill-kept, Hollywood has-been.
ACHIEVEMENTS: Starred in cool popcorn flicks like “S.W.A.T.” and “Phone Booth.” ..... Allegedly dated Britney Spears back when that was something of which to be proud.
IRISH ROOTS: Farrell is a native of Dublin, Ireland.
THE VERDICT: Send him back to Ireland, and send our memory of “Alexander” with him.

KATHY GRIFFIN

THE RUNDOWN: Comedienne who once operated under the “beautiful people suck” theory, only to undergo plastic surgery in hopes of becoming one of those beautiful people.
ACHIEVEMENTS: Had a bit part in “Pulp Fiction.” ..... Emmy winner for autobiographical reality show, “My Life on the D-List.”
IRISH ROOTS: Comes from an Irish Catholic family.
THE VERDICT: Banish her. We'll even pay all shipping and handling costs.

GUINNESS

THE RUNDOWN: Refreshing dry stout that gained popularity in the U.S. partially because of its taste and partially because of those “brilliant!” commercials that once were funny, but now reek of staleness and repetition.
ACHIEVEMENTS: Highest-selling alcoholic beverage in Irish history. ..... Despite Irish origins, goes really well with Americanized bar food like burgers, nachos and even taco salad.
IRISH ROOTS: Guinness was born in Arthur Guinness' St. James Gate Brewery in Dublin, Ireland.
THE VERDICT: Leave it here, and send some more over (chilled, preferably) while you're at it.

HOUSE OF PAIN

THE RUNDOWN: Irish-themed white-boy rap group that emerged on the national scene in the early '90s, thanks to the hit single, “Jump Around.” Along with Vanilla Ice and 3rd Bass, House of Pain set the white-rap movement back a full decade.
ACHIEVEMENTS: Ranked by VH1 as the No. 63 one-hit wonder of all time. ..... Founding member Everlast sold more than 2 million albums as a solo artist.
IRISH ROOTS: The video for “Jump Around” was filmed in an Irish pub.
THE VERDICT: The U.S. might very well have survived without that one hit.

THE ‘LEPRECHAUN' MOVIES

THE RUNDOWN: An evil leprechaun torments and kills victims in six — count 'em, six — different films, including some based in space and “the hood.”
ACHIEVEMENTS: The 1993 original marked Jennifer Aniston's first cinematic starring role. ..... Single-handedly caused more nightmares than any other 1993 flick in the 10-and-under demographic.
IRISH ROOTS: Well, the evil star was a leprechaun.
THE VERDICT: Leave the first three and Jennifer Aniston, but take parts 4-6.

LUCKY CHARMS

THE RUNDOWN: Marshmallowy breakfast cereal (they're magically delicious!) with a corporate spokesperson: A good-natured leprechaun always on the run from sugar-addicted children in search of their next fix.
ACHIEVEMENTS: Glorified underage thievery, so long as the object in question was sugary cereal. ..... Packs 120 calories per one cup serving, if such a thing can be considered an achievement.
IRISH ROOTS: Again, the leprechaun thing.
THE VERDICT: Good contribution, but next time, put more marshmallows in the box.

MCDONALD'S

THE RUNDOWN: The godfather of all fast-food restaurants was founded in 1940 and has served McNuggets and Happy Meals to billions of consumers over the past seven decades.
ACHIEVEMENTS: Serves more than 50 million people a day with restaurants in more than 100 countries. ..... Somehow managed to make Ronald McDonald one of the few clowns in the world who doesn't scare the hell out of small children.
IRISH ROOTS: Founders Dick and Mac McDonald were both of Irish origin.
THE VERDICT: We'll take this contribution. And we'll super-size it.

NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL

THE RUNDOWN: Love-'em-or-hate-'em college football dynasty that suffered a bit of a slump this past season (3-9).
ACHIEVEMENTS: Has claimed more national championships and All-Americans than any other major college football program. ..... gave us the movie “Rudy.”
IRISH ROOTS: Full name is the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
THE VERDICT: Every college football fan needs a villain.

CONAN O'BRIEN

THE RUNDOWN: Late-night talk show host who will have nowhere to go but up after taking over “The Tonight Show” duties from Jay Leno next year.
ACHIEVEMENTS: Two-time Emmy winner. ..... Has written for “Saturday Night Live” and “The Simpsons,” back when both shows were still good.
IRISH ROOTS: Red hair, last name features “O'(insert name)”, born into Irish Catholic family.
THE VERDICT: Get him on “The Tonight Show” ASAP.

SINEAD O'CONNOR

THE RUNDOWN: Once-popular pop singer who fell from fame after ripping up a picture of the pope during a 1992 performance on “Saturday Night Live.”
ACHIEVEMENTS: Has sold more than 17 million albums worldwide. ..... Managed to stay hot despite shaving her head.
IRISH ROOTS: O'Connor is a native of Dublin, Ireland.
THE VERDICT: Didn't we send her packing after the whole “SNL” debacle?

RIVERDANCE

THE RUNDOWN: Wildly popular dance show that incorporates fast leg movements but pretty much no movement whatsoever from the arms and upper body.
ACHIEVEMENTS: Won a Special Mention Press Prize at the 1996 Rose d'Or Light Entertainment Festival. ..... Somehow made Michael Flatley the object of some women's desires.
IRISH ROOTS: The show consists primarily of Irish step-dancing.
THE VERDICT: You get one guess.

CARLY SMITHSON

The rundown: The Irish singer from ‘American Idol' whom both Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson deemed the frontrunner for the girls.
Achievements: Released an album, ‘Ultimate High,' in 2001, which sold 378 copies after three months of release. Oh, wait, that's bad. But she's trying to make up for it with this stint on ‘Idol'
Irish Roots: Born in Dublin, Ireland, on Sept. 12, 1983.
The Verdict: Leave her here. We want to see how she'll handle country night on ‘Idol.'

U2

THE RUNDOWN: One of the world's most popular bands, thanks to classic albums such as The Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby, that has also made a philanthropic celebrity out of frontman Bono.
ACHIEVEMENTS: Has sold more than 70 million albums worldwide and won 22 Grammys. ..... Members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. ..... Helped Bono get one step closer to his goal of world domination.
IRISH ROOTS: The band formed in Dublin, Ireland, in the mid-'70s.
THE VERDICT: Leave them here (everything between 1980-1994), and send them back (everything after that).