Previously-unknown people of 2012 (01)
PAUL RYAN: At the start of the year, he was a little-known Republican congressman who chaired the House Budget committee. By the end of the year, he was the Republican Vice-Presidential nominee and tipped as a possible candidate to succeed Barack Obama in 2016. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
Previously-unknown people of 2012 (02)
PSY - Heeeeey, sexy lay-day! The South Korean rapper had little profile outside his home country - until August, when his single 'Gangnam Style' was posted to YouTube. By November it had become the most-watched video in the site's history - and all thanks to a dodgy dance. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)
Previously-Unknown People of 2012 (03)
DARÁINE MULVIHILL - The Ashbourne woman (and former member of Mary McAleese's Council of State) got her biggest broadcasting job when helping to front Channel 4's coverage of the Paralympic games, easily the most intensive coverage given to the games by a TV broadcaster. (Twitter)
Previously-Unknown People of 2012 (04)
NATE SILVER - The New York Times analysts had gathered a minor following when correctly predicting (as others had) Barack Obama's landslide win in 2008. In 2012, he divisively suggested that Obama would win Florida, and take an easy win in the electoral college... and he was right. He correctly guessed all 50 states, and 32 of 33 Senate elections. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Previously-Unknown People of 2012 (05)
EAMONN MALONEY: Though the former South Dublin councillor won his Dáil seat in February 2011, it wasn't until a year later that it was revealed that he'd taken no expenses during his time in office. He is the only TD to accept neither travel, accommodation nor public representation payments. (Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland)
Previously-Unknown People of 2012 (06)
EVA CARNEIRO - The Gibraltar-born doctor took up her job as Chelsea FC's first-team doctor the summer before last, but it wasn't until this year that the internet sat up and observed the relative curiosity of a woman sitting in a dugout of a top football team. Some wondered how she had gotten the job - others wondered why there aren't more in her position. (Nick Potts/PA Archive)
Previously-Unknown People of 2012 (07)
HELEN FLANAGAN - Known by most people last year as 'That one who plays Rosie in Coronation Street'. Known by most people this year as 'Yer Wan from I'm A Celebrity who kept having to eat all those beetles and stuff like that.' (Eamonn and James Clarke/EMPICS)
Previously-Unknown People of 2012 (08)
RUPERT SANDERS - Notable firstly as the director of 'Snow White and the Huntsman', Kristen Stewart's first major film after the Twilight series. Known secondly as being the man with whom Stewart cheated on her co-star and longtime flame, Robert Pattinson. Never has an off-screen dalliance caused so much internet kerfuffle. (Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Previously-Unknown People of 2012 (09)
EAMON KEEGAN - One of the tens of thousands of Irish fans who travelled to Poland to follow the national side at Euro 2012. Probably the only one to become part of a trans-European media story when he was seen ... well, you probably know the rest.
Previously-Unknown People of 2012 (10)
ALISON PILL - An actress who wasn't widely known when 2012 began. But having bagged a major role in 'The Newsroom', the latest series by West Wing creator Aaron Sorkin - AND having (accidentally) tweeted a photograph of herself posing topless, grabbing Twitter's attention - her star shines much brighter now. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Darren Calabrese)
Previously-Unknown People of 2012 (11)
BUBBA THE LOVE SPONGE - Notable not only for that being his ACTUAL name (he changed it), and for being a radio shock jock, but for being the husband of the woman who was (covertly?) filmed having sex with Hulk Hogan. (AP Photo/Stuart Ramson)
Previously-Unknown People of 2012 (12)
FELIX BAUMGARTNER - An Austrian skydiver who was known by few until he succeed in the not-very-minor feet of recording humankind's highest-ever freefall jump, by skydiving from 24 miles above Earth... and landing on his feet. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Previously-Unknown People of 2012 (13)
MICHELLE JENNEKE - In an Olympic year it's odd that a non-Olympic track athlete might feature, but such was the internet's enthusiasm for a video of her pre-race warm-up at the World Junior Championships in Barcelona this year that she'll be attracting a lot of attention in the future. The Australian's enthusiasm is matched by her ability; she came fifth in 2010, and took a silver in the Summer Youth Olympics two years ago at age 17.
Previously-Unknown People of 2012 (14)
MISSY FRANKLIN - A US swimmer who probably would be been confused for rapper Missy Elliott had you said her name last year. A year later, at 17, she's already a four-time Olympic gold medallist who has opted against a professional career so she can swim at college level (as an amateur) until 2015. (Mike Egerton/PA Wire)
Previously-Unknown People of 2012 (15)
PAULA BROADWELL (left) - Known until a few months ago as an academic who had written a biography of US General David Petraeus. Known now as having had an affair with him, which was uncovered when socialite Jill Kelley (right), who was close to Petraeus, complained of email stalking. (T. Ortega Gaines/AP)
Previously-Unknown People of 2012 (16)
LENA DUNHAM - The 26-year-old comedienne was barely known before her self-written TV series, 'Girls' - a demure and authentic take on the life of young New York women - became a surprise HBO hit. Nominated for four Emmy awards and asked to feature in a coy advert for Barack Obama. (AP Photo/Charles Sykes)
Previously-Unknown People of 2012 (17)
MICHAEL MCKILLOP - His roommate Jason Smyth was already highly-fancied ahead of the Paralympic games, but few expected Belfast runner Michael McKillop to be equally dominant in London. The Ballymena 22-year-old, who has a mild form of cerebral palsy, took the 800m and 1500m T37 golds in London - the latter being presented to him by his mother Catherine. (Russell Pritchard/Presseye)
Previously-Unknown People of 2012 (18)
WALTER WALSH - When Kilkenny were surpringly hammered by Galway in the Leinster hurling final, 21-year-old Walsh wasn't even togged out, as a surplus member of the Cats' panel. When Kilkenny avenged the defeat in the All-Ireland final replay, Walsh had made his championship debut on the biggest stage of all - and scored 1-3 as he also took the man of the match award. Watch out, Henry. (INPHO/Cathal Noonan)
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