Here's our pick of the hottest Irish and Irish American dads in Hollywood.

Ben Affleck

This Oscar-winning “The Town” director and actor married the all-American sweetheart Jennifer Garner (“Alias”) and became the father of Violet and Seraphina. Speaking to the Daily Mirror he said “We all like to see ourselves as good dads but there's also that fear, 'Oh, I don't want to be like my father,' or 'I hope my kid doesn’t turn out like me.' I have those feelings, too. The key is optimism."

Patrick Dempsey

Dempsey, aka Dr McDreamy from “Grey Anatomy”, is the proud father of Talula and twin boys Darby and Sullivan. He got hitched to makeup artist Jillian Fink in 1999.

The hit-drama star said “Being a father makes you look at yourself. You look at your marriage and you go, 'How do I improve this? How do I keep growing and create a stable environment for my children?'

Matthew McConaughey

McConaughey  and his girlfriend, model,  Camila Alves have to children, their son Levi, two, and 18-month-old daughter Vida. Speaking about his charity for children to JustJared recently he said fatherhood is a "wild, wonderful adventure" and that childhood should be one, too.

Gabriel Byrne

Byrne, star of “In Treatment” and also Ireland’s first ambassador of culture has two children, John “Jack” Daniel and Romy Marion, from his marriage to actress Ellen Barkin. Speaking to Patrick Dannaher some years ago he said “I know it sounds corny, but they’ve taught me far more than I’ve taught them and I’ve learned an awful lot about myself by being a father. But I’m very proud to be their father. “

Tom Brady

Brady, the highest paid American Footballer in the NFL, has a son, John Edward Thomas Moynahan, from his relationship with actress Bridget Moynihan. He also has another son, Benjamin, with his wife supermodel Gisele Bündchen.

With the arrival of his second child Brady was lost for words and said “It's a wonderful experience in my life.”

Chris O’Donnell

Who could possible argue with this one. Last year O’Donnell was voted Hollywood’s Hottest Husband by Rebook readers. The Irish American actor revealed that after starring in “Batman” he made a choice to stay close to home and be with his five children Lily Anne, 10, Christopher 'Chip' Eugene, nine, Charles McHugh, six, Finley, four, and Maeve Frances, two and his wife Caroline.

Speaking to Redbook he said “When I'm sitting in the backyard at the end of the day with a glass of wine, watching the kids having fun and clowning around, for me, that's what it's all about. I have my own worries and concerns and frustrations, but I'm doing something I love to do. My wife and kids are in good shape. What is there not to be happy about?"”

Colin Farrell

Dubliner and former wild-child Farrell is the proud father of two boys James Padraig and Henry Tadeusz. Back in 2010 he described fatherhood as “a lovely little adventure to be on. I spend most of my time in Los Angeles and I just live a really low-key life….Privacy is kind of a virtue that I have become very fond of.”

Originally published in 2011.