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VIPS

The most important people of the last 14 years* (slideshow)

*According to the new edition of the Chambers Biographical Dictionary, these include Brian Cowen, the founders of Twitter and Cheryl Cole.

WHAT DO BRIAN Cowen, Barry McGuigan and Anne Enright have in common? Well, they’re the most important Irish people of the last 14 years, according to the authors of a new dictionary.

The trio were deemed more significant than Taoiseach Enda Kenny and late finance minister Brian Lenihan – neither of whom merit an entry in the latest edition of the Chambers Biographical Dictionary.

The dictionary was first published in 1897. Now in its ninth edition – and the first for 14 years – it offers short biographies of more than 18,000 famous people past and present.

Other new entries include Barack and Michelle Obama, Cheryl Cole, Mark Zuckerberg and the founders of Twitter.

Former Taoseach Bertie Ahern also features in the book, but not as a new entry – he was also included in the last edition in 1997. However, his biography has been updated to note that “financial scandals tarnished his reputation”.

We’d love to know which Irish people you think made enough of an impact in the past 14 years to merit a new entry in the Chambers Biographical Dictionary. Give us your suggestions in the comments section below.

Slideshow: Some of the new entries to the 2011 dictionary

The most important people of the last 14 years* (slideshow)
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  • Who made the cut for the new Biographical Dictionary?

    Barack and Michelle Obama, US president and First Lady (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
  • Who made the cut for the new Biographical Dictionary?

    Amy Winehouse, singer (Yui Mok/PA Wire/Press Association Images)
  • Who made the cut for the new Biographical Dictionary?

    Sacha Baron Cohen, comedian (AP Photo/Maya Hitij, File)
  • Who made the cut for the new Biographical Dictionary?

    Stephanie Meyer, Twilight author (AP Photo/Jennifer Graylock)
  • Who made the cut for the new Biographical Dictionary?

    Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook founder (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
  • Who made the cut for the new Biographical Dictionary?

    Sarah Palin, US politician (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia, File)
  • Who made the cut for the new Biographical Dictionary?

    Cheryl Cole, singer (Doug Peters/Doug Peters/EMPICS Entertainment)
  • Who made the cut for the new Biographical Dictionary?

    Colin Firth, actor (AP Photo/Matt Sayles)
  • Who made the cut for the new Biographical Dictionary?

    Jack Dorsey, Twitter co-founder (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
  • Who made the cut for the new Biographical Dictionary?

    Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, wife of French president Nicolas Sarkozy (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo, Pool)
  • Who made the cut for the new Biographical Dictionary?

    Barry McGuigan, boxer (Paul Faith/PA Archive/Press Association Images)
  • Who made the cut for the new Biographical Dictionary?

    Anne Enright, writer (AP Photo/Alastair Grant,File)
  • Who made the cut for the new Biographical Dictionary?

    Brian Cowen, former Taoiseach (AP Photo/Thierry Charlier)
  • Who made the cut for the new Biographical Dictionary?

    Paul Krugman, economist (AP Photo/Heribert Proepper)
  • Who made the cut for the new Biographical Dictionary?

    Ingvar Kamprad, IKEA founder (AP Photo/IKEA)

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