DUBLIN rock band U2 have been held off the number one spot in the Sunday Times 'music' Rich List.
The eagerly awaited list published at the weekend revealed that the richest people in the UK have a staggering combined estimated wealth of £711bn.
Despite economic pressures and impact of covid, Brexit and the cost of living crisis, the worth of the richest 250 people in Britain is up eight per cent on last year's total of £658bn.
The list of richest musicians includes veteran Irish band U2.
The combined fortune of Bono, The Edge, Larry Mullen and Adam Clayton stands at £625m puts them in second place behind Sir Paul McCartney.
The former Beatle topped the chart with a £865m fortune.
Meanwhile, Mullingar-born One Direction singer Niall Horan was placed 14th in the UK Young Rich List, which is made up of those aged 30 and under, thanks to his £52 million.
His One Direction colleague Harry Styles finished eighth on that same list, after his net worth rose to £100 million over the past year.
Overall Sri and Gopi Hinduja were named as the UKs richest people with an estimated £28.5bn fortune - the largest recorded in the 34 years of the list.
The brothers run the India-based conglomerate Hinduja Group.
British investor James Dyson came in at second place with a listing of £23bn after his business, The Dyson Group, posted record results last year.
Co Down heiress Mary Haughey, also known as Lady Ballyedmond, retained her place as the north's richest person with a £1.247bn fortune.
She inherited the business empire built up by her husband Eddie Haughey, who died in a helicopter crash in 2014.
The Norbrook veterinary pharmaceutical business, which is based in Newry, Co Down, has a turnover of almost £200m.
Belfast-born tycoon Stephen Fitzpatrick took the 132 spot on the UK and Ireland list after becoming a Euro billionaire worth €1.34bn.
In the previous year's list he was worth €794 million, and his rise in the wealth ranks followed the floatation on the New York stock market of the flying taxi firm Vertical Aerospace, of which he has a 65 percent stake.
Another Co Down tycoon to feature is Martin Naughton and his family, who own Glen Dimplex, which is also based in Newry.
They come in at number 208 on the list with wealth worth £800m.
