1. Hillary Clinton - No Irish roots but her role in Irish peace process and her involvement with Irish American causes will never be forgotten.

2. Sarah Palin - Descended from Irish Catholic family the Sheerans from County Roscommon. Michael Sheeran emigrated in the 1840s.  Second woman on a presidential ticket.

3. Maureen Dowd - Top columnist in America, Irish born father, Irish American mother. The New York Times' most popular writer.

4. Diane Sawyer - Scots Irish, ABC anchor, and all round  news maven. Used to work for President Nixon.Traced her roots to Banbridge, County Down.

5. Rosie O'Donnell - Parents from Donegal. One of America's best known talk show hosts. Traced her Irish roots for NBC series.

6. Mary Higgins Clark - America's most popular novelist. New York Parade Grand Marshal and Ellis Island Medal Winner

7. Soledad O'Brien - CNN anchor with multiple ethnic roots, but often stresses her Irish side. Her father, Edward, was Australian Irish

8. Great Van Susteren - Said on Fox news "Yes, I know, my last name sure does not hint that I might be Irish….but my Mother was 100 per cent Irish!! I even went to school in Ireland for a time while in college.”

9. Peggy Noonan - Wall Street journal columnist. Former Reagan script writer credited with some of his greatest lines. Brooklyn Irish roots.

10. Margaret Brennan - Bloomberg anchor. Rising star, does many key interviews on Irish economy. Connecticut Irish roots.