James Macartney (born 8 March 1770 in Armagh, died 6 March 1843 in Dublin) was an anatomist. He began life as an Irish volunteer in 1780, and was afterwards educated at the endowed classical school at Armagh, and then at a private school. He was associated for a time with the Sheares brothers and Lord Edward Fitzgerald, the United Irishmen but, being dissatisfied with their programme, he cut himself adrift and began to study medicine.