The third edition of Maureen Cairnduff's Who's Who in Ireland came out with no fanfare at all this week. The planned launch party was cancelled because of a printing hitch and with Christmas, a huge book-buying period, descending, no new arrangements could be made. Cairnduff claims to list the influential 1,000, most of whom are household names, as well as 200 "rising stars" who are not. The amount of biographical detail she has gathered is awesome, but she admits she had to be selective in choosing those "who influence our prosperity and retain our growth". Some, she writes in her introduction, exert influence as heads of large corporations; others by achievement or example.
A small number didn't want to be included, for whatever reason, and failed to return the form. With some really important persons she went ahead anyway on information from other sources, but others, such as Roddy Doyle and Van Morrison,[R O] she left out on the grounds that they are private persons. While no politician turned her down, several beef barons and property developers did.
Cairnduff is choosy in her selection from Leinster House, but in her comments she is kind. Bertie Ahern she describes as media friendly and popular; Mary Harney as committed, courageous and wise; Charlie McCreevy is independent-minded, outspoken and unpredictable, and this before the Budget; James McDaid is hardworking and elegant; Mary O'Rourke is tough, media-friendly and well briefed; John Bruton is strong and respected but lacks the common touch and is unlikely to be taoiseach again; Ruairi Quinn is passionate and promising as a future taoiseach.