Politics
1. What is the most common surname in the Dail (and give their Christian names too!).
2. Three Independent TDs support the FF/PD government. Name them and their constituencies.
3. County councils nominated two candidates in the presidential election. Name the candidates and at least three of the councils.
4. List the presidential candidates in order of the first preference votes each received.
5. Name the new deputy leader of the Labour Party
6. Name the Taoiseach's constant companion.
7. What is the name of the Ceann Comhairle ?
8. Who is Fine Gael's spokesman on Finance.
9. What political party does not have a leader?
10. Name the United National High Commissioner for Refugees.
Foreign News
1. What happened on May 1 that John Major will never forget?
2. Which eastern European country, formerly a member of the Warsaw Pact, voted this year to join Nato?
3. Who was Thabo Mbeki's predecessor?
4. Which European country was told at the Luxembourg EU summit that they would not be allowed join the EU in the foreseeable future?
5. What brought the roof down in Assisi?
6. What went home on July 1 after 156 years?
7. Who (or what) won the Nobel Peace Prize (and why)?
8. The Earth Summit has just been held in Kyoto. Where was the last one held?
9. Mobutu Sese Seko was replaced as president of what country and by whom?
10. Marshall Applewhite and 38 followers of his computer and internet obsessed cult, partly inspired by the TV series Star Trek, killed themselves in California because they thought their time had come. Why did they think this?
The Arts
1 . Which town is the West Cork Chamber Music Festival held in?
2. What well-known Dublin pianist is currently engaged in performing the complete works of Mozart at the National Concert Hall?
3. What Russian conductor is Principal Conductor elect with the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland?
4. Who won the Booker Prize this year?
5. What writer won both the Irish Times International and the Irish Literary Awards this year?
6. What American actress will star in the film of Dancing At Lughnasa next year?
7. What American visual artist's work was used by U2 in the design of PopMart?
8. What Romanian theatre director this year brought Titus Andronicus Phaedra to the Dublin Theatre Festival and last year brought Les Danaides .
9. What ancient Greek author had a special place in the romance of the two protagonists in the film of The English Patient
10. What is the full title of the new Minister for the arts, Sile de Valera?
Pop
1. Who won this year's Mercury music prize?
2. Drummer Bill Berry left which band this year?
3. Who wrote the lyrics to the biggest selling single of the year?
4. The Spice Girls sacked their manager this year. What was his name?
5. Which band played in front of 35,000 people at the RDS in June?
6. Which politicians featured on the cover of U2 single "Please"?
7. "We're bigger than Jesus". Which rock star said this of his band this year?
8. "This is a rebel song" was the name of a song by which Irish singer.
9. Who asked us to help the aged?
10. Who got into trouble for calling one of their singles, "Smack my bitch up".
Business
1. Which software specialist became a millionaire when Iona Technologies floated in February?
. Ann Riordan
. Chris Horn
. Bill McCabe
2. The Republic's debt stands at about:
. £2.9 billion
. $29 billion
. £29 billion
3. Which of the following Internet service providers is not owned by the State?
. Indigo
. PostGem
. Ireland On Line
4. With whom did Dunloe merge in a reverse takeover?
. Ewart
. Monarch
. Aviette
5. Which Irish-American businessman gave $610 million of his own money to charities and universities?
. Charles "Chuck" Feeney
. James "Jimbo" McGrath
. Patrick "PJ" Kennedy
6. Yamaichi hit the headlines during 1997 as:
. a popular electronic toy that must be "fed" like a baby
. a securities company that lost £25 billion
. a bizarre auto-erotic asphyxia cult banned in 23 countries.
7. Who got into hot water by suggesting that investing in stocks and shares was the same as betting on horses?
. Paddy Power
. Charlie McCreevy
. George Soros
8. The world's biggest take-over to date took place in November when:
. Heinz bought Kraft Foods for $37 billion
. Lufthansa and KLM gave $37 billion for Aeroflot
. WorldCom paid $37 billion for MCI
9. Who is the new Telecommunications Regulator?
. Mick Doyle
. David Doyle
. Etain Doyle
10. Avonmore and Waterford Foods merged this year to form:
. The fourth biggest dairy group in the world
. The fourth biggest dairy group in the European Union
. The fourth biggest dairy group in Ireland
Sport
1 . Which All Black played his 100th match against England in December?
2. Who missed a penalty for the Republic in their World Cup qualifying game against Romania in April?
3. Name the winners of the four major golf championships this year?
4. Which country won notoriety for conceding 59 goals in six games in their World Cup qualifying campaign?
5. How many medals did Michelle Smith win at the European Swimming Championships in Seville?
6. Aidan O'Brien trained three of the five winners of the Irish racing classics this year. Who trained the other two?
7. What engine will the Jordan Formula One team use next year?
8. How many points did Kerry's Maurice Fitzgerald score in the All Ireland football final?
9. What was the final score in the All Ireland hurling final?
10. Name the four Irish players who featured on the Lions tour of South Africa last summer?
Television
1 . Glenroe celebrated its own birthday in 1997. How old is it?
2. Which US sitcom screened its 221st and final episode this year?
3. Which pop group stormed off The Clive Anderson Show in 1997?
4. Who presented this year's Rose of Tralee?
5. Who wrote Holding On, the BBC's main drama series this autumn?
6. Who narrated and presented RTE's Ballyseedy?
7. Which Cambridge college this year achieved the distinction of the lowest ever University Challenge score?
8. Who wrote this autumn's prime time drama The Lakes?
9. Who played the character Susan in the drama Underworld?
10. Which Sky Sports presenter/commentator turned down the chance to manage Everton this year?