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Irish star Roma has Midas touch as she tops rich list

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By Jason O'Brien
Friday Apr 25 2008

US-based actress Roma Downey has parachuted in as one of Ireland's richest entertainers, according to the latest Irish Rich List.

The Derry-born star of 'Touched By An Angel' has an estimated fortune of €150m -- enough to make her the top female earner on the Irish entertainers rich list, ahead of reclusive singer Enya.

Ms Downey (47) is listed as having a joint fortune shared with her fourth husband, the television mogul Mark Burnett. Mr Burnett is responsible for bringing shows like 'The Apprentice' to the United States.

Topping the list of entertainers is U2 with a combined fortune of €618m, followed by dancer Michael Flatley, who is said to be worth €465m.

The full 'Sunday Times' Rich List will be published on Sunday, but U2's fortune last year -- then valued at €715m due to fluctuating interest rates -- was only enough to secure 20th position on a list headed by Dublin-born model Hilary Weston, who married into a retailing dynasty in Canada and has an estimated fortune of €7bn.

Expensive

The figures released yesterday also indicate that it is getting more and more expensive to ensure your place on the list.

A fortune of at least €50m is now needed to secure a position as one of Ireland's Richest 250 People, meaning that both Bob Geldof (worth €44m last year) and Chris De Burgh (worth €40m last year) have failed to hold on to their spots.

Among the talent that has found its way on to the list of Britain's Top 50 Music Millionaires are Riverdance producers Moya Doherty and her Tyrone-born husband, John McColgan, (worth €126m) and Belfast singer Van Morrison (€69m).

Topping that particular list is reclusive former record-label boss Clive Calder. The fortune of the man who is behind pop acts such as Britney Spears and N'Sync is valued at €1.64bn.

Former Beatles singer Paul McCartney was second on the entertainer's list behind Andrew Lloyd Webber last year, but the pair swap places this time around after Mr McCartney went through a costly divorce.

However, his wealth is still estimated at €625m -- €125m more than the figure he claimed to be worth during his divorce hearing with Heather Mills.

- Jason O'Brien