I have many reasons for choosing Bob Geldof, who was born in 1951 and grew up in Dun Laoghaire. Having attended school in Blackrock College, and having worked initially as a slaughter man, road navvy and pea canner, he moved to Canada and began working as a music journalist for the Canadian publication, Georgia Straight.

Upon returning to Ireland in 1975, he became the lead singer of the band, the Boomtown Rats, who were one of Ireland's first real contemporary international music successes. This, of course, was how he became famous initially.

Their biggest hit was in 1979, with the song, 'I Don't Like Mondays', which Bob wrote in the aftermath of Brenda Ann Spencer's attempted massacre at a primary school in California.

Then, of course, there was Bob's visionary work with 'Band Aid' and 'Live Aid'. When he saw a news report about starving children in Ethiopia in 1984, he galvanised the pop world into recording a song he had written with Midge Ure to raise funds. The group was called Band Aid, and the song was 'Do They Know It's Christmas?' It featured major stars of the time, like Bono, Phil Collins, Simon Le Bon, Bananarama, George Michael and Sting, and became the UK's fastest-selling single of all time, selling over three million copies.

Bob brought awareness to the world of the suffering and starvation in Africa, through his speeches, and the use of shocking images that make people stop and take notice. He was the main organising force behind 'Live Aid' in 1985, the most successful charity event ever, which raised over 100 million dollars for famine relief. It was held simultaneously in Wembley Stadium in London and the John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, and was broadcast live on TV.

British prime minister, Tony Blair, invited Geldof and 16 others to join the Commission for Africa, and undertake a year-long study of Africa's problems. When it became clear that world leaders were not taking the commissioners' recommendations seriously, Geldof decided to create a new international lobby for Africa with 10 simultaneous concerts around the world to put pressure on the G8 political leaders. He called it Live 8, and concerts were held in London, Japan, Paris, Rome, Berlin, Philadelphia, Ontario, Chiba, Johannesburg and Edinburgh. They were timed to precede the G8 conference and economic summit that was being held in Scotland in July 2005, and were designed to demonstrate the level of support for the Make Poverty History campaign.

Bob's charity work didn't stop there, and in more recent times, he has put in a massive amount of very successful work with Bono on the 'Drop the Debt' campaign.

He continues to do extensive work for charity in general, and works closely with DATA, (Debt, Aids, Trade, Africa), which was founded by Bono to advocate for Africa.

Throughout all these years, Geldof has continued to do what he admits he loves most. He still writes music, releases albums, tours and retains his abilities as an excellent lyricist and talented live artist. I believe he was always an underrated lyricist, but I think that 'Do They Know It's Christmas?' and others stand the test of time.

He left the Boomtown Rats in 1986, to launch a solo career, which has gone very well. He also released his best-selling autobiography, called Is That It? and worked as a DJ for XFM radio.

Geldof is also an astute businessman. He co-founded a television company called Planet 24 in 1992, and it has made many successful productions, including The Word and The Big Breakfast. After selling it, he launched an online travel business, and now has a media, entertainment and marketing company called Ten Alps Communications.

Another very big reason why he would be my hero is because of his family values, and the way he maintained a dignified silence at the time whilst there were a lot of things written about him and Paula Yates, whom he married in June 1986. He is also an outspoken advocate of fathers' rights. Paula left him for Michael Hutchence in 1994, and since her untimely death, he has raised their children, Fifi Trixibelle, Peaches Honeyblossom, and Pixie, as well as Paula's daughter with the late Michael Hutchence, Heavenly Hiraani Tiger Lily, whom he immediately took in following Paula's death.

Bob Geldof is both a hero and a leader. He has received many awards for his fundraising work, including an honorary knighthood from the British Queen.

Although he is not officially entitled to use the title 'Sir' as he is not a citizen of the Commonwealth, he is commonly referred to as 'Sir Bob Geldof '. He may be my hero, but he also came third in the New Statesman's list of 'Heroes of Our Time' in 2006.

And he has been recognised by the music industry too, receiving the Free Your Mind award at the MTV Europe Music Awards in 2005. We in Ireland have also recognised the contribution he has made by making him an Honorary Fellow this year at the Royal College of Surgeons.

I believe that no one else could have achieved what Bob has, and I am sure there is a lot more to come from him. He is the real deal! He receives a lot of bad press for being outspoken, but maybe the world would be a better place if there were a few more 'loud' heroes like him.

Luan Parle is currently on a national tour, beginning on Friday 21 September at the Iontas Arts Centre, Monaghan. For dates in Wexford, Roscommon, Dublin, Carlow, Derry and Belfast, check out www. luanparle. ie or www. myspace. com/luanparle