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Amy Andrews Gossip Girl by Amy Andrews

Bono favorite to be voted Ireland's greatest ever person

Posted on Sunday, March 21, 2010 at 08:29 AM

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The search is on for Ireland's greatest ever person - and St. Patrick is not on the ballot. A national opinion poll by RTE Television has narrowed the numbers down to 40 and voting begins tomorrow night. Bookmakers are making Bono favorite to win

John McHugh, the chief executive of Tyrone Productions, which is making the programme for RTE, stated that using an opinion poll was the most open way of drawing up the shortlist.

A nationally representative sample, interviewed face-to-face, was asked to rank from one to five those they thought were the greatest Irish people, living or dead.

“There are a lot of people that you might think should be there and some people you think shouldn’t,” McHugh told The Sunday Times. “That is what gets debate going. The interesting thing is what it says about what we think is important. There is not an enormous spread of women, it has to be said.”

The nominees are:

Music: Bono, Joe Dolan, Ronnie Drew, Stephen Gately, Bob Geldof, Ronan Keating, Phil Lynott, Christy Moore, Daniel O’Donnell, Louis Walsh

Politics: Noel Browne, Michael Collins, James Connolly, Eamon de Valera, Garret FitzGerald, Charles Haughey, John Hume, Sean Lemass, Jack Lynch, Daniel O’Connell, Charles Stewart Parnell, Pádraig Pearse, Wolfe Tone

Literature: Seamus Heaney, James Joyce, John B Keane, Oscar Wilde, William Butler Yeats
Film: Colin Farrell, Liam Neeson

Sport: Padraig Harrington, Roy Keane, Paul McGrath, Brian O’Driscoll, Sonia O’Sullivan, Christy Ring

Others: Michael O’Leary, businessman; Adi Roche and John O’Shea, charity founders; Mary Robinson, former president.

Who do you think it should be?

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leedunphy | Oct 01, 2010, 07:07 AM EDT

I agree, the list offered by RTE is appalling. My biggest concern is the influence of pop culture. Leaving out pivotal historical figures in place of entertainers is absurd. In my opinion the biggest shock was Daniel O’Connell not making the top five. After the failure of the 1798 rebellion, which marked the end of not only a radical attempt to liberate Ireland but it ended all constitutional nationalism with the passing of the Act of Union in 1801. O’Connell emerged at a time when Catholics were undoubtedly second class citizens. O’Connell created a new form of nationalism; he achieved this through his policy of mass mobilization, which gave the Irish people the incentive to push for Catholic Emancipation, which was achieved in 1829. After this he campaigned for the repeal of the act of union, where he held monumental meeting at strategically chosen historical locations. His repeal movement laid the groundwork for the eventual Home rule party. This list is a disgrace to every Irish person who has fought and a made a differecne for the making of modern Ireland. Istead of using this potentially rewarding concept 'Irelands Greatest' to reminisce and ultimately lift the morals of a nation plagued by doubt over economic inadequacies, Rte has once again shown Ireland to be incompetent in this small task.

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plasticpaddy | Mar 24, 2010, 05:06 PM EDT

ghostlysoap, maybe because they are irish and are all entitled to irish citizenship, that a good enough answer for you!

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plasticpaddy | Mar 24, 2010, 05:05 PM EDT

There's only one Keano, KEEAANNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, theres only one Keano, theres only one Keano KeeeaaNNNOOOOOOOOOO

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jimmy12003 | Mar 23, 2010, 06:20 PM EDT

come on people! he's a can of pi-ss!

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ciarrai | Mar 22, 2010, 03:47 PM EDT

What a load of rubbish. Mentioning Bono in the same sentence with de Valera, Pearse, Collins and O'Connell is ludicrous. I thought Americans were silly, but the Irish have us beat. Bono takes the award over James Joyce. You must be joking.

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ghostlysoap | Mar 22, 2010, 02:00 PM EDT

Why are there Northern Irish people on this list? Would be funny if the greatest Irish person wasn't actually born in Ireland LOL

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Bridgetftmyers | Mar 22, 2010, 12:37 PM EDT

Eamon de Valera has my vote !!!!

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Searlit | Mar 22, 2010, 11:03 AM EDT

My personal favorite is singer sonwriter Barry Moore, a/k/a Luka Bloom. His songs promote peace, love and forgiveness, precious gifts the whole world can use more of.

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mandokeith | Mar 22, 2010, 09:33 AM EDT

Bono? Are ye daft? Many,many have given their lives working to IMPROVE Ireland through their efforts. Political, Spiritual, Economic. What has Bobo done? Form a band, say nice things, get rich. Wow, the greatest person. How far we have fallen. Has Bono given of his millions to support Ireland? Has he even paid his share of taxes? Where is he now? In New York? Partying. What a joke.......

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semperfidelis | Mar 21, 2010, 09:26 PM EDT

Bono? That's sad. Michael Collins would get my vote or St.Patrick

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vincentruane | Mar 21, 2010, 04:10 PM EDT

The only one who truly knows who Irelands greatest ever person is-is God!

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celticgal88 | Mar 21, 2010, 01:34 PM EDT

Why is John Devoy not on this list??

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kickstar | Mar 21, 2010, 01:27 PM EDT

Eamon de Valera ?????????????????????????????