1. Who is the current (October 2009) reigning Rose of Tralee?

2. Who became the first permanent President of the European Council when the Treaty of Lisbon came into force in 2009?

3. Former Communist Party member Traian Basescu (pronounced: Try-Yan Bar-Sess-Goo) was relected as president of which country on the 6th of December 2009?

4. Which film is the highest-ever grossing film in the UK as of April 2009?

5. The founder of the Red Cross, Henry Dunant won the first Nobel Peace Prize in 1901. How many times has The International Committee for the Red Cross won the Nobel Peace Prize (as of 2009)?

6. Who is the current (October 2009) reigning Miss Ireland who will represent Ireland later this year in the Miss World competition?

7. Which country held their cabinet meeting underwater in October 2009 in order to draw world attention to rising sea levels?

8. What is the year 2009 when written in Roman Numerals?

9. What everyday lightweight household object has been illegal to buy or sell in the European Union since September 2009 (Clue: we all have them in our houses)?

10. In the 2009 film "Invictus", who played South African captain François Pienaar, and who directed the film?

11. Roger Hiorns (pronounced Highons), Enrico David, Lucy Skaer (pronounced Skyer), and Richard Wright were in the news in April 2009. Why?

12. What kind of "Breakdown" was a number one album on both sides of the Atlantic in 2009?

13. 2009 comedy film based on Jon Ronson's book about the US military's investigations into the use of psychic powers in warfare. Which film?

14. 2009 spin off from the X-Men series starring Hugh Jackman. Which film?

15. What was Google's top search term for the year 2009?

16. Who got married to the American singer Ryan Adams in 2009?

17. Kim Clijsters in 2009 became the second mother since 1980 to win a Grand Slam singles title. The other mother, famous for her lapses in concentration, won the Wimbledon singles title in 1980. What was her name?

18. Which comedian topped the charts in 2009 with a Children in Need medley performed by an "Animated All Star Band" of cartoon characters?

19. In which 2009 Hollywood movie is the language Na'vi spoken?

20. Which Oscar winner for Best Supporting Actor passed away during the filming of the 2009 film 'The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus'?

ANSWERS

1. Charmaine Kenny

2. Herman Van Rompuy

3. Romania

4. Mamma Mia! Overtaking Titanic in Dec 08

5. Three times. 1917, 1944 and 1963

6. Laura Patterson

7. Maldives

8. MMIX

9. Traditional (non-energy saving) light bulbs

10. Matt Damon played Pienaar. Clint Eastwood directed it.

11. They were the shortlist for the Turner Prize

12. 21st Century Breakdown (Green Day)

13. The Men Who Stare at Goats.

14. X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

15. Michael Jackson

16. Mandy Moore

17. Evonne Goolagong. (The well known lapses were coined 'walkabouts' by the press)

18. Peter Kay

19. Avatar

20. Heath Ledger