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Ireland's political and cultural magazine
— November - December 2009
1
Minister for Finance, part-
Cambridge-educated, former
Trinity constitutional law
lecturer and barrister.
2
Taoiseach,
former Minister for Finance,
and one-time solicitor.
3
Fine
Gael spokesperson on Finance
and deputy leader, Oxford-
educated economist.
4
’ Head
of Communicorp, which
owns Newstalk and ,
shareholder in Independent
Newspapers, founder of ESAT
whose successful mobile-
phone licence is under
protracted investigation
by the Moriarty Tribunal.
5
Leader, the Labour Party.
Former Democratic Left
TD, Trade Unionist and
Student Union leader.
6
Minister for Health. Former
leader the PDs, Tánaiste
and one-time FF Senator,
appointed by Jack Lynch.
7
Editor, The Irish Times.
Former PD TD.
8
President, the European
Commission. Former PSD
Prime Minister of Portugal.
Degrees in law and economics.
9
’
CEO, Ryanair, Europe’s most
popular airline. Obtained
business degree from Trinity.
10
Leader,
the Green Party, and Minister
for the Environment.
11
RTÉ Radio
phone-in broadcaster.
12
’ General
President SIPTU Union, and
Vice-President, ICTU.
13
President, the USA. Former
Community organiser,
constitutional-law lecturer
and Illinois and US Senator.
14
Sec
retary General, the Department
of the Taoiseach, the
country’s most senior civil
servant. Has a Trinity College
Master’s in economics.
15
Former
President of Ireland, former
UN High Commissioner
for Human Rights, former
barrister and Trinity
Senator. Academic lawyer.
16
Investor, founder of NCB
stockbrokers and IIU
private-equity firm.
17
’ Former
CEO of INM and Heinz.
18
Director-
General, RTÉ, former head
of Television and producer
RTÉ, founding Ceannasaí,
Telifís na Gaeilge.
19
Outgoing Secretary-
General, Department of
Finance, the country’s
currently most powerful civil
servant. Has UCD Degree
in Economics and History.
20
Presenter weekend radio
show and former architect.
21
Catholic archbishop of
Dublin. Formerly worked
in Rome for the Holy See.
100, 2009
Party politicians, economists, and businessmen.
informed and not unrepre-
sentative group to list who they think are
the most influential people in Ireland;
and to rank them unattributably. We did
not seek to influence contributors’ view
of what “influential” means, except to say
that it extends beyond politics and perhaps
embraces “making a difference in society”;
and that the candidates must be alive. The
contributors did not express any views on
the merits of the people they ranked. We
aggregated the contributions mathemati-
cally to form the list below.
The contributors are Shane Coleman
(political editor, The Sunday Tribune), Niall
Crowley (former CEO, the Equality Authority),
Deirdre De Burca (Green Senator, Wicklow),
Emma Freeman (Community worker,
Ballymun), Constantin Gurdgiev (economist
and academic, Trinity College, Dublin), Denis
Hickie (former rugby international, Dublin),
Enda Leahy (News editor, the Mail on Sunday),
Jack O’Connor (General Secretaty, SIPTU),
Kathy Sinnott (former MEP, Cork), Michael
Smith (editor, Village magazine), Trevor
White (former editor, Dubliner magazine).
The list is notable for a preponderance, par-
ticularly at the top, of politicians with an eco-
nomics orientation and of economists generally,
businessmen, national broadcasters and trades
unionists, for a lack of women, a lack of aca-
demics and a lack of under-s. It is perhaps
surprising that Brian Lenihan obtained nearly
fifty per cent more votes than Brian Cowen – but
reflects the current striking national obses-
sion with the economy.The most influential
person from Northern Ireland charts at .
Enda Kenny ranks th. For your information,
Éamon Dunphy was st.
village_oct_09.indd 30 27/10/2009 15:38:19
The Influential List
22
Probably still
Ireland’s richest man. Founder
and head of Quinn Cement-
to-Insurance group. Lost
€bn in Anglo-Irish Bank.
23
Highest-
paid Irish broadcaster. Now
presenting Frontline TV show
having moved on from Late
Late Show. Presents Today
with PK show daily on RTÉ
Radio . Former lecturer
in Chemical Engineering.
24
Lead-singer
with world’s most famous
band. Campaigner against
third–world debt and AIDS.
25
Chairman of Libertas which
campaigned for a No vote to
the Lisbon Treaty and – largely
unsuccessfully – promoted
candidates for the
European Parliament elections.
Head of Rivada Networks which
supplies telecomunications
equipment to US military
and emergency services.
26
French head of the European
Central Bank. Acquitted
in of charges relating
to irregularities in Credit
Lyonnais when he was head
of the French Treasury.
27
Attorney General, and
senior counsel.
28
Former Minister for
Finance and Chartered
Accountant and current EU
Commissioner for the Internal
Market and Services.
29
Presenter
the Late Late Show and the
daily Tubridy Show, RTÉ Radio.
30
Oxford-educated Australian-
American Managing Director
of News Corporation which
owns the Fox Network in
the US, the Times and Sun
newspapers in the UK and
Star TV in Hong Kong.
31
Editor,
the Sunday Independent,
Ireland’s largest-selling
newspaper. He was
formerly farming editor of
the Irish Independent.
32
President, the Irish Farmers
Association, Laois farmer,
and former chairman
of Macra na Feirme.
33
Producer of
Morning Ireland, Ireland’s most
listened-to radio programme
– into which she feeds live
material during the programme.
Born in Trinidad and Tobago,
college-educated in the US, she
worked for In Dublin magazine.
34
President of Ireland. Former
academic lawyer and TV
current affairs reporter
35
CEO,
National Treasury Management
Agency, managing the national
debt, former Secretary,
Department of Defence. Holds
a PhD in economics from UCD.
36
’
presenter, Prime Time, RTÉ’s
flagship current affairs/
investigative programme.
Formerly worked on
BBC’s Newsnight.
37
Newly-appointed non-
Department-of-Finance
Governor of Central Bank. Was
Professor of International
Financial Economics and
Development in TCD with
specialism in banking.
38
UCD
lecturer, author An Bord
Snip report, and founder of
DKM economic consultants.
39
, Deputy
editor, the Sunday Independent,
Formerly worked for Vincent
Browne’s Nusight and John
Mulcahy’s Hibernia.
40
CEO the Health Services
Executive which employs
, people. Educated UCG,
worked in Canada and was
a professor of paediatrics.
41
Pundit and TV presenter who
formerly worked for the Central
Bank and for UBS and BNP.
42
General
Secretary of the Irish Congress
of Trade Unions and former
Chief Executive of Concern
Worldwide. A Director of the
Central Bank, a Governor
of the Irish Times Trust,
Chairperson of the Democracy
Commission and a member
of the National Economic
and Social Council (NESC).
43
Deputy
Leader and Spokesperson
On Finance, the Labour
Party. Bachelor of Commerce
from UCD and lectured
in accountancy in DIT.
44
Former Attorney General
and Chairman of AIB.
45
Zambia-born CEO of Bank
of Ireland. Earned degree in
business from Trinity and
worked for RBS in England
before becoming head of retail
banking for Bank of Ireland.
46
’ Editor,
the Irish Independent, biggest
selling daily broadsheet
(though also appears as tabloid),
former editor the Star and
the Evening Herald. Joined
Tuam Herald after school.
47
Derry-born poet and Nobel
laureate in Literature.
48
Louth-
based Minister for Justice
and former solicitor.
49
Blackrock-
educated singer, media
businessman and campaigner
on third-world poverty.
village_oct_09.indd 31 27/10/2009 15:38:24
— November - December 2009
50
Tánaiste
and Minister for Enterprise.
Studied Social Science in UCD,
and practiced as social worker.
51
Secretary General, Public
Service Management and
Development, the Department
of Finance. Entered civil
service through Revenue
Commissioners.
52
High Court Judge and
author of report into abuse
in industrial schools. As
a barrister, he was Senior
Counsel to the inquiry into
abuse in the Catholic diocese
of Ferns and chairman of
the Compensation Advisory
Committee which prepared
guidelines on compensation
to be paid to abuse survivors
at the Residential Institutions
Redress Board. In September
, Seán Ryan was selected
to head the Commission to
Inquire into Child Abuse.
53
Secretary
General of the Department
of Justice, Equality & Law
Reform, and former head
of the Prison Service.
54
’ Head
of Amnesty International
Ireland, former PD Candidate
in Wexford and founder
of One-in-Four which
campaigned on child abuse.
55
Founder
Pieta House, Ireland’s first
Suicide Prevention Centre
expressed suicidal intent
or attempted suicide
56
Editor
the Star, former editor, the
Kerryman. Earned BSc in
Economics from London
University, and MBA from
the University of Limerick.
57
German entrepreneur. He
is the chairman and CEO of
supermarket chain Lidl, and
owner of the Schwarz-Gruppe.
58
Ballymun-based Jesuit priest
whose Trust works with
homeless children. Earned a
degree in science from UCD.
59
CEO,
Barnardos, children’s
charity, and former
Labour Party advisor.
60
y US-based
Philanthropist with focus
on Ireland. Entrepreneur
who made a fortune in
Duty-Free shopping.
61
Chief
Justice of Ireland, former
Judge of the Court of Justice
of the European Communities
and Attorney General.
Former President of USI.
62
Presenter of Tonight with
Vincent Browne four nights
weekly on TV, columnist
the Irish Times and Sunday
Business Post, former
editor, the Sunday Tribune,
founding editor, Magill
and Village magazines.
63
Former Fine Gael Taoiseach
and Minister for Foreign
Affairs, economist and weekly
columnist in the Irish Times.
64
Manager of the Irish soccer
team, and former coach of Italy.
The only manager to have won
all UEFA club competitions and
the Intercontinental Cup. He
achieved this with Juventus
over two spells with the club.
65
Pope,
formerly Cardinal Ratzinger,
head of the Congregation for
the Doctrine of the Faith.
66
Archbishop
of Armagh and Primate
of All Ireland. Cardinal
Brady obtained a Bachelor
of Arts degree in Ancient
Classics and a licentiate in
theology in Maynooth.
67
Dominican priest and editor
of freesheet Alive, a monthly
Catholic newspaper.
68
Prime
Minister of UK and leader of
British Labour Party, former
long-term Chancellor of
the Exchequer. Has a PhD
in History from Edinburgh
University of which he
became Provost and used
to be a TV presenter.
69
President
of Sinn Féin and abstentionist
MP for West Belfast. Former
butcher and probable IRA
leader, though denies it.
70
Charlie
Bird joined RTÉ in as a
researcher in Current Affairs
before entering the newsroom
as a reporter six years later.
Formerly RTÉ’s Chief News
Correspondent and now
Washington Correspondent.
Has been with RTÉ since
after membership
of Young Socialists and
Official Sinn Féin.
71
Producer of movies including
Pirates of the Carribean, Top
Gun and Beverly Hills Cops
and TV series including CSI.
Graduated in Psychology,
University of Arizona.
72
Nun, founder and life president
of Focus Ireland, founder and
Director of the Sanctuary,
founder of Social Innovations
Ireland out of which she
founded The Immigrant
Council of Ireland and Young
Social Innovators. Recent
debate about what she knew
about sexual abuse within her
order, the Sisters of Charity.
73
executive vice president for
Home Box Office (HBO), the
television-programming
subsidiary of Time Warner
Inc - which makes Sex in the
City, the Sopranos etc.. He
is a member of the Board of
Trustees of The Washington
Institute for Near East Policy
and is a member of the US
Council on Foreign Relations.
The Influential List
village_oct_09.indd 32 27/10/2009 15:38:29
The Influential List
74
Presenter,
the Last Word on FM,
former editor the Sunday
Tribune, business editor,
the Irish Independent.
Graduate of DCU Journalism
and UCC Commerce.
75
Head of the
United Nation’s Relief and
Works Agency (UNRWA) in
the Gaza Strip, employing
, employees. Former
Chief of Staff for the
Organisation for Security
and Co-operation in Europe
(OSCE) in Bosnia and
Herzegovina and head of
UN mission in Kosovo.
76
’ General
Manager, Intel Ireland
which spent €, on
a Yes to Lisbon campain.
President of US Chamber
of Commerce in Ireland.
77
Minister for Energy and
Communications, former
CEO, Irish Cycling Safaris.
Obtained BComm from UCD.
78
Longest-
serving member of Supreme
Court. Chaired influential
Commissions which led
to Courts Service and
Court of Appeal. Educated
in Trinity, of which she
is pro-Chancellor, and
Columbia Universities.
79
Gambler,
foreign-exchange trader,
philanthropist and
National Hunt racing’s
largest owner with over
horses in training.
80
Series Editor and former
reporter for, Morning
Ireland. Graduated in
Journalism from College of
Commerce, Rathmines.
81
Supreme Court Judge,
unsuccessful FF local election
candidate, former President
of the Student Union at UCD
and Auditor of its Literary
and Historical Society.
82
Hosts The
Right Hook on Newstalk and
rugby pundit. Graduated
from Rathmines College
of Commerce. Owned a
catering business and
coached rugby to London
Irish, Connacht, and the
American National Team.
83
Commissioner of An Garda
Síochána. Has degree in
Police Management .
84
Country Head, State Street
Bank Ireland. Formerly
CEO of Deutsche Bank and
worked in Central Bank.
85
Chairman, US
Federal Reserve.
86
Editor, Morning Ireland.
Former presenter, News
at One. Obtained Master’s
in politics from UCD.
87
Secretary-General
Department of Health. Tipped
to become Secretary-General
Department of Finance
88
Talent
judge on TV shows such
as Pop Idol, American
Idol, The X Factor, and
Britain’s Got Talent. Owns
TV production and music
publishing house, Syco.
89
Special
Advisor to the Minister
for Finance Brian Lenihan.
Formerly an academic in
NUI Galway and before that
was a Senior Economist
in the International
Finance Division of the
Federal Reserve System
in Washington DC
90
Leader,
Fine Gael. Former Minister
for Tourism. The “father” of
the house in Dail Éireann.
91
Secretary
General at the Department
of Enterprise, Trade and
Employment. Formerly
Assistant Secretary in the
Labour Force Development
Division of the Department and
was Ministerial representative
on the Board of FÁS.
92
’ CEO of
Independent News and Media,
the largest press group in
Ireland and South Africa, with
almost titles. President
of the World Association of
Newspapers (-), and
a director of the Ireland Funds.
93
Former
Taoiseach. Adjunct professor of
conflict resolution, Maynooth.
Possible presidential
candidate. Benefited from
dubious “dig-outs” from
businessmen while in office.
94
President of the Law Reform
Commission and retired
Supreme Court judge. Chair of
the Irish Universities Quality
Board and former senator.
95
’ CEO,
the Industrial Development
Authority. Formerly
Director, IDA Europe
96
Director,
IBEC of which he was
formerly policy officer. Was
Research officer in ESRI
and lectured in economics
in Trinity and Oxford.
97
Taoiseach’s appointee to
Seanad and columnist, the
Sunday Independent. Former
Stickie, RTÉ producer, and
then advisor to John Bruton
and Mary Robinson.
98
General
Secretary Civil, Public and
Services Union. Secretary
Pro-Lisbon Charter Group.
99
Concert promoter and
fast-food entrepreneur.
100
First
Minister, Northern Ireland and
leader DUP. Former estate agent.
village_oct_09.indd 33 27/10/2009 15:38:33
