Former political editor of the Sunday Tribune, Stephen Collins, has written a concise overview of 200 years of Irish political history, entitled People, Politics and Power: From O'Connell to Ahern.

The book focuses on personalities and political organisations which shaped contemporary Ireland, with O'Connell, Parnell, de Valera, Lemass and Haughey all featuring. Collins also introduces some even more intriguing political figures.

Bertie Ahern seems most apt to be labelled 'The shaking hand of Dublin' but Alfie Byrne, who was first elected in 1915, beat him to that title. After losing his seat in 1918, Byrne regained it in 1922 and became one of the most popular politicians ever to emerge in Dublin, racking up over 18,000 first preference votes in 1932.

Collins, now political editor of The Irish Times, relates how Byrne once met the world-famous film star Mae West, who tried out her line "come up and see me some time" on him. He replied, "Ah, I'm afraid I won't be able to come up and see you." "Why not? , " said a mock-indignant Mae. "It's Lent, " replied a smiling Byrne.

"Then come up and see me when you get it back, " she retorted.

Among others featured are Richard Martin, or 'Humanity Dick', who succeeded in pushing the first legislation to protect the rights of domestic animals through the House of Commons, and James Patrick O'Gorman Mahon, or 'The O'Gorman Mahon' from Clare, who had the dubious honour of introducing Capt O'Shea to Parnell, setting in train the events that led to the famous divorce.

Collins said, "We all know about the various risings and rebellions in Ireland but we are not all aware of the political history of the country. Daniel O'Connell is the towering personality in Irish politics, like Mandela or Gandhi, who transformed society and created the consciousness among Irish people of their own identity and their own nationality and their right to independence."