The Big Irish Times Christmas Quiz of 2010

FINAL DAY:Today we reproduce all 100 questions in our week-long prize quiz, including 10 new questions by Ruadhán Mac Cormaic on The World in 2010.
You can enter by email, through our website or by post using the entry form below. Go on. Do your worst

GENERAL KNOWLEDGE

1.Which former taoiseach appeared in a cupboard this year, saying “never thought I’d end up here, but I’ve got the latest on today’s big match”?

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2 . X-Factorstar Mary Byrne was previously employed at the Ballyfermot branch of which supermarket chain?

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3. Boxer Katie Taylor has also represented Ireland in which sport?

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4. Which Canadian singer became the first artist to play the Aviva Stadium when he performed there in September 2010?

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5. What film, set in the year 2154, starred Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana and grossed $2.75bn at the box office?

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6. What celebrated 60 years on air in 2010, and currently numbers among its stars a chemist from Finglas, a mother from Sixmilebridge, and a fisherman from Enniscorthy?

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7. Name the Limerick hip-hop duo who have a Horse Outside.

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8. In the 2010 film Eat Pray Love, Julia Roberts's character visits India, Italy and Indonesia. In which of these countries does she (a) eat (b) pray and (c) love?

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9. Which Irish singer appeared on the front of a Sunday newspaper this year apparently claiming “I am the object of desire for young women”?

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10. Her great-grandfather was a coal miner. Her second cousin owns a chip shop in Durham in England. Whose poor relations are these?

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11. Green Party TD Paul Gogarty caused consternation when he brought what to a press conference in November?

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12. Name the veteran Tuam rockers who recorded an a cappella version of their song Red Cortinafor charity.

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13. Which former BBC sports presenter took over as host of RTÉ's The Panelthis year?

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14. Which activist was wanted by Swedish courts for allegedly having “sex by surprise” in 2010?

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15. Which cult 1990s rock star wrote the musical score for David Fincher's The Social Network?

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16. Who plays the Native American Jacob Black in the Twilightmovies?

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17. The main character in this best-selling 2010 novel is a second-year boarder at the Seabrook College for Boys in south Dublin. Name the book.

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18. Put these names in the order in which they had tabloid relationships with glamour model Katie Price: Alex Reid, Peter Andre, Dane Bowers, Dwight Yorke.

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19. Who was named the Vodafone Gaelic Footballer of the Year in October, 2010?

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20. He was born Don Glen Vliet and his musical acolytes included Frank Zappa and Ry Cooder. By what name was he best known?

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21. What nickname is (almost) shared by the customised Harley Davidson motorcycles used in the film Easy Riderand the head of the IMF mission to Ireland?

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22. What first name is shared by the New Testament’s most prolific letter writer and the World Cup’s now-deceased psychic octopus?

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23. Name the English violinist who had his hotel room raided by German police in September after guests alleged that heroin and cannabis were being taken.

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24. Who was reckoned by US diplomats to be the “undisputed” leader of the EU, according to American cables leaked in November?

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25. Of the 12 Fianna Fáil senior ministers currently holding office (including Taoiseach Brian Cowen), how many are the son or daughter of a former Fianna Fáil TD?

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26. He was born in 1983, educated in Switzerland and is reputed to be a fan of Michael Jordan and Jean-Claude Van Damme. In January 2010, his birthday was celebrated as a national holiday for the first time. What is his name?

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27. Name the Irish winner of Ultimate Big Brotherin September.

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28. What item found during a routine house clearance in London sold for a record £53 million at auction in November?

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29. Name the barrister and independent TD’s daughter appointed to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal on November 11th.

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30. Who is the only player to have scored goals in every single Premiership season?

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31. Name the Irish television personality who published her autobiography Working The Red Carpetin November.

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32. Who was the subject of Michael Hasting's profile The Runaway General, published in Rolling Stonemagazine in July 2010?

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33. Name the 15-year-old who scored a worldwide hit with Babyin January 2010.

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34. What item belonging to novelist Jonathan Franzen was stolen and held for ransom when the author visited London in October?

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35. Name the actress tipped for an Oscar for her performance as Nic in the Lisa Cholodenko film The Kids Are All Right.

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36. Who did boxer Willie Casey defeat to win the European Super Bantamweight title in Limerick in November?

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37. Which famous English actor, writer and Twitter enthusiast recorded a cameo for TG4's Ros Na Rúnin December this year?

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38. What did Jet Blue flight attendant Steven Slater swipe from his plane’s shopping cart moments before making an unscheduled exit down the emergency chute?

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39. Name the US Senate candidate who moved to allay voters concerns by assuring them “I am not a witch”.

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40. Which former host of Knowing Me, Knowing You on BBC television returned in November as presenter of North Norfolk Digital radio’s Mid-Morning Matters?

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41. How many miners were rescued from the San Jose copper-gold mine in Chile on October 12th/13th 2010?

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42. How many activists were killed when the Israeli navy stormed the Gaza Freedom Flotilla in international waters on May 31st, 2010?

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43. Whose Human Chaincollection was hailed by novelist Colm Tóibín as containing some of the poet's best work in years when it was published in September?

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44. Whose broadcasting career began with the 1949 Railway Cup Final and ended with the 2010 International Rules Series in Croke Park?

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45. Who is British Prime Minister David Cameron’s controversial communication director and what tabloid newspaper did he formerly edit?

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46. Who made headlines in December when he asserted “we all partied”? (a) Hugh Hefner (b) P Diddy or (c) Brian Lenihan?

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47. Fox News demagogue and Tea Party champion Glenn Beck is a member of which Christian sect?

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48. Which ex-member of the Fugees filed for candidacy in the Haitian presidential election in November?

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49. Which country attracted international condemnation when it shelled Yeonpyeong Island on November 23rd?

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50. In August, which RTÉ personality ruled herself out of the running to succeed Mary McAleese as president of Ireland next year?

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FILM

51. Eclipsefollowed New Moon.Which popular franchise?

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52. The soundtrack LP to which 2010 smash film featured tracks entitled Drink Meand Cheshire Cat?

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53. Bernie Schwartz died this year at the age of 85. How was he better known?

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54. “You’re on a camel in the middle of the Arabian desert. If you’re not having a hot flash, you’re dead.” A characteristically witless line from which underperforming sequel?

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55. “You don’t get to five million friends without making a few enemies.” The tagline to which critical smash?

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56. Which is the odd film out: Dial M for Murder. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1. Tron: Legacy. Creature from the Black Lagoon?

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57. Of the top 10 highest-earning films released this year, only one was neither a sequel, a remake nor an adaptation. What was it?

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58. It celebrated its 30th anniversary then lost its captain and its doctor. What are we talking about?

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59. Connect a sound heard repeatedly in Inception with a 2007 biopic and a former UK Chancellor of the Exchequer?

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60. Who are Mary Lee, Otis, Leigh Anne and Hans?

Answer:__________________________________________________

POLITICS

61. George Lee resigned his Dáil seat in Dublin South in February of this year. How many months did he stick it out in Leinster House before he headed back to Montrose?

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62. What former Senator is the newest member of Dáil Éireann?

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63. There is life outside Leinster House, and some of our TDs have unusual hobbies. Which TD is an an avid jam and marmalade maker?

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64. Which TD is a judge in international karaoke competitions.

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65. Which Minister revealed at the infamous think-in in Galway that he keeps hens in his back garden?

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66. Which Senator and former TD, who recently announced he will not be contesting the next election, got engaged to Fine Gael deputy Lucinda Creighton in May?

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67. How many Fine Gael deputies attended a cloak-and-dagger meeting in the Green Isle Hotel on June 15th to plan the removal of Enda Kenny as party leader.

Answer:__________________________

68. Two members of the so-called gang of four which moved against Charles Haughey in 1991 announced this month that they are retiring from politics. Name them.

Answer:__________________________

69. Three siblings are members of the current Dáil, along with two sets of brothers. Name them.

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70. The 30th Dáil is drawing to a close, and the 31st will convene sometime in spring. The new Seanad could be the last. It will be Seanad number what?

Answer:_____________________________

CELEBRITY

71. In spring, property tycoon Johnny Ronan flew model Rosanna Davison and a pal in his private jet for a luxury jaunt, as you do, in which city?

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73. In June 2010, author Cecilia Ahern got married in a low-key ceremony to David Keoghan. Who designed her gúna?

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74. A smitten Co Leitrim hosted the wedding of Brian O’Driscoll and Amy Huberman in July, but Drico’s team mate Ronan O’Gara did not attend the celebrity wedding of the year? Why?

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75. Which gutsy singer turned up at an awards ceremony in September in a dress that infuriated animal rights group Peta?

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76. In televisual terms who is the odd one out? Gwyneth Paltrow, Olivia Newton John and Kelly Osbourne?

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77. “I’d been planning it for a while but as every guy out there will know, it takes a certain amount of motivation to get yourself going.” Which well known Briton said this in November, when asked about how he proposed to his girlfriend?

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78. Which British politician was one of the most talked about contestants on Strictly Come Dancingfor her unique dancing style?

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79 What was the number of the Ballyfermot Tesco checkout which Mary Byrne abandoned to strut her stuff on X-Factorthis year?

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80. Which British actress is namechecked in Rubberbandits' chart-stormer Horse Outside?

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SPORT

81. Name the golfer who, in February, said of Tiger Woods: “Some of the wives of other players might find it hard to welcome him back into the group”, four months before he apologised to his own wife for having an affair?

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82. Who was described in March by horse trainer Willie Mullins as Cheltenham’s “leading sire”?

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83. What sporting television sound in 2010 prompted an English pensioner to call pest control to report her fear that her house was being attacked by a swarm of bees?

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84. What was United States goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann referring to when he said: “Technology is not everything. Scientists came up with the atom bomb. Doesn’t mean we should have invented it.”

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85. To what was the Sun referring with this headline: “Sunny outlook in many areas but depression over Heathrow as shower drifts in from the south.”

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86. What lengthy sporting record did John Isner and Nicolas Mahut break this year?

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87. Which football manager said this year, “Look, I’m a coach, I’m not Harry Potter. He is magical, but in reality there is no magic. Magic is fiction and football is real” – before going on to award himself a magical “11 out of 10” for his own achievements in 2010?

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88. Whose three European medals in 2010 prompted particularly lively celebrations in the Horse and Hound pub in Ballinaboola, Co Wexford?

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89. Ryan Tubridy: “There are a few of you now in the squad now having ******?” Donncha O’Callaghan: “Ah yeah, it’s like everything, it kind of goes in cycles. When the iPhone came out first everyone wanted one.” Fill in the blank.

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90. Who said farewell this year with: “Everybody put their shoulder in to whatever little part they had. I had a lovely part, the nicest part of all: sitting down in a good seat looking at wonderful players.”

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THE WORLD

91. Bunga-bunga is a post-prandial game allegedly enjoyed by which European prime minister?

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92. Red shirts were a symbol of protest in which country in 2010?

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93. “Chi! Chi! Chi! Le! Le! Le!” Who who who?

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94. Top kill, static kill, blowout. They’re not Hollywood film titles. What are we talking about?

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95. The Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo won this year’s Nobel Peace Prize, but his government prevented him from collecting the award in Oslo. Who sat in the winner’s chair on his behalf?

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96. “She was just a sort of bigoted woman.” Who said this?

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97. Which emerging power has made a former Marxist guerrilla who is the daughter of a Bulgarian immigrant its first elected woman leader?

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98. US diplomats used a Batman-and-Robin analogy twice in the diplomatic cables published by Wikileaks, first to describe a well-known political double-act and then the relationship between two countries. Name one of the pairs.

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99. US president Barack Obama used what word to describe his party’s hammering in the US midterms in November?

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100. Lech Kaczynski of Poland, Nestor Kirchner of Argentina, Umaru Yar’Adua of Nigeria and Viktor Chernomyrdin of Russia all died this year. Who is the odd one out?

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The Prize

One entrant will win a city break for two worth €1,000 to Rome, Paris or Vienna, including flights, accommodation and a city tour. The winner may choose when they wish to travel but the prize must be availed of in 2011

Option 1Fill in the answers to all 100 questions, plus other required details at irishtimes.com/christmasquiz

Option 2Email your answers to all 100 questions, numbered 1 to 100, with your name, address and contact telephone number, to christmasquiz@irishtimes.com

Option 3Complete the hardcopy entry form in the newspaper – including your personal details, right – and post it to The Irish Times. Closing date: Noon, January 7th.

Terms and conditionsEntrants must be over 18. Prizes are non-transferable. The judge's decision is final. Full terms and conditions at irishtimes.com/christmasquiz

Include your:

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Please return this form to

CHRISTMAS QUIZ

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