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I am atleast 35% Irish and I would use an Irish name in a heartbeat! I prefer to stick to names that say something in terms of my ethnic background, the meaning of the name, etc. So Irish names fit right in. I don't know if it matters how Irish you are to use the name. It would be strange to meet someone who is not asian named Nguyen if you don't have asian roots, but since you have European roots I don't generally see European names off limits. Of course, I don't see any names off limits, but especially not names from places that you have ethnic background in.
From your list I like:

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Cillian- I like this, but the "kill" sound puts people off.
Cuan- I always wondered how this was pronounced as well. I always said it Cue-en (Like as in a cue stick)
Eibhlin-Because of its difficult pronunciation I prefer Evelyn.
Enya- I like this, but am afraid of the association with the singer.
Eoghan-Love!
Faolon- Pronounced Fal-in.
Muriel- Only on a female.

I would use ALL of the names you listed, and I live in the USA. I actually have more Native American blood in me, than Irish, but I'd use the names anyway. My favorites off of your list are:

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Aoibhe
Eanna
Eibhlin
Enya
Eoghan
Fionola
Laoise
Muriel
Naimh
Oonagh

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I also like Orlagh/Orla and Maeve

I love Irish names too, and I am also not particularly Irish, just a little bit. Cuan is pronounced kind of like qu-AWN. And also, Eanna is a boy's name.

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Out of the ones you listed, I like:

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Cillian
Eanna
Eibhlin
Eoghan
Faolon
Fionola

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Other Irish names I like:

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Ciaran
Connor
Darragh
Diarmaid
Eamonn
Fionn
Grainne
Mairead
Malachy
Padraic
Roisin
Saoirse
Saraid
Sean
Seoirse
Sorcha

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I think the pronounciation for a lot of them would be a problem, so I'd just use them as a MN.

Well, for starters, Eanna is a male name.

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I think that they would be fine to use in a story, but to use for a real American baby, I don't know. I'd be worried about how people would pronounce them and the poor kid would suffer with such an annoying name...

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Out of the names you have listed I like/love*

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Ailbhe*
Aoibhe
Eibhlin*
Laoise
Niamh*

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Cillian
Eanna

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ETA: The pronounciation of Cuan I think is Cu (hard C sound)-Awn. Like yawn without the Y. This is just a guess but the end is definitely "awn" because there's a fhada on the a.

This message was edited 9/29/2007, 5:42 AM

I'm not a huge fan of Irish names in general, they're too popular and so difficult to spell and pronounce. I don't see why you couldn't use them just because you're not Irish. I like many Jewish names and I'm not Jewish, I think by now these European "ethnic" names have entered a wider Western cultural context.
As concerns Irish characters, I guess they would be suitable as long as you don't overdo it. Having a character named, say, Oonagh Muldoon is a cliché.

I like:
Aoibhe
Cillian
Lidain ... Liadan?
Niamh

I like:

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Ailbhe (prefer the more easily prn spelling Alva) & Eibhlin.