The former US president, Mr Bill Clinton, speaking with just a few notes to an invited audience in Trinity College Dublin, earned about £100,000 last night for little more than an hour's work.
The money from Independent Newspapers will come in useful, since Mr Clinton could end up owing lawyers $4 million to tidy up the mess left by his decision to pardon a US financier for serious crimes.
The Marc Rich pardon created fury in the US, especially once it was learned that the financier's wife, Denise, is a major supporter of both Mr Clinton and his wife, Senator Hilary Rodham Clinton.
However, Mr Clinton should not have too much trouble making up the cash.
Mr Colin Powell, who is now US Secretary of State, made $19 million on the lecture circuit after he stood down as US chief-of-staff. Handled by the Harry Walker Agency, Mr Clinton has had little problem attracting customers.
"The engagements are just piling up like aeroplanes over La Guardia on a foggy day," said the company's president, Mr Harry Walker, recently.
Despite the Monica Lewinsky scandal and others during his eight years in office, Mr Clinton's reputation has so far proved to be an advantage for him, although there were opening wobbles.
Following the row over the Rich pardon, one of the world's biggest finance houses, Morgan Dean Stanley Witter, apologised for having him to speak at a company event in Florida.
The company's chief executive said the company should have been "far more sensitive to the strong feelings of our clients over Mr Clinton's personal behaviour as president".
But the situation settled down quickly. The former president has visited five European countries in the last week and has given speeches in each of them, for approximately $100,000 a throw.
