ROCKERS U2 ARE STILL ROLLING IN IT
Supergroup stay at No.1 on music's rich list with £629m
The rich keep getting richer and competition is fierce, but U2 still top the
charts of Ireland's wealthiest entertainers in 2005.
Pole position in the sporting world goes to multi-millionaire Eddie Irvine,
while chasing him are fellow motor racing success stories, golfers and
footballers.
U2's combined wealth of 629m keeps them amongst the country's Top Ten
richest people, ahead of young pretenders Westlife, and a leap above dancer
Michael Flatley's £529m fortune.
Last October, U2 signed a highly lucrative contract with Apple Computer that put
all their albums on the online iTunes service. The deal added £2bn to Apple's
stock market value and a decent wedge to U2's earnings. The pick of entertainers
and sportspeople was revealed by the Sunday Times ahead of its Rich List,
published tomorrow.
Compiled by Colm Murphy, it is the ninth such survey to be published in this
country and shows how the wallets of those at the top of their professions are
getting increasingly bulky.
A fortune of £22m was needed to get into the list of Ireland's 200 wealthiest
last year and this has now gone up to £23m. Enya's £100m places her third in the
list of richest entertainers, behind Michael Flatley. Van Morrison follows with
£69m, and Chris de Burgh with £43m.
Next is new entrant, comic Graham Norton, with a fortune of £31m. Raised in
Cork, he appeared in Father Ted, which landed him the Channel 4 chat show, So
Graham Norton. The show crossed to America entitled The Graham Norton Effect.
Actor Colin Farrell's pockets were lined with an extra £1m this year, despite
'Alexander' receiving poor reviews from critics.
Richest sportsman, Formula One racer Eddie Irvine, ranks 41st overall with
£219m. Martin Birrane, owner of Mondello Park, the Co Kildare motor-racing
circuit, is worth £151m.
Third in the sport wealth league is Dubliner Eddie Jordan, whose fortune dropped
to £57m from £72m in 2004 after the sale of his Formula One racing team this
year to Canadian businessman Alex Schnaider.
Of the footballers, Manchester United captain Roy Keane is worth £43m, followed
by Damien Duff at £11m and Robbie Keane at £7m. Aston Villa boss David O'Leary
is also valued at £7m.
Among golfers, Darren Clarke is worth £16m, with Padraig Harrington on £11m and
Paul McGinley at £7m.