Irish-Americans control many of the most powerful companies in the US, and continue to rise to the top in the world of commerce, according to the latest Business 100 list by Irish America magazine.

The presidents of Intel, General Motors and General Electric, along with the chief executives of Motorola, United Parcel Service and McDonald's are amongst the 1997 list of those said to be proud of their Irish heritage.

Of this year's list: 9 per cent are Irish-born; 23 per cent have Irish parents; 43 per cent Irish grandparents; 20 per cent are third generation; with the remaining 5 per cent fourth or fifth generation Irish.

The magazine also carries several interviews with leading Irish-American business figures.

Mr John Dillon, chairman of the $20 billion (£13.3 billion) International Paper, whose grandparents were from Clones, Co Monaghan, recounts how he was angered by the recent spate of arson attacks on black churches in the US. He decided that the company should supply all of the materials to rebuild the churches, when his employees set up a fund to help, he matched the total out of the firm's profits.

Mr Michael Quinlan, chairman and chief executive of McDonald's, recounts how he came to Ireland in 1977 and realised that he would open McDonald's restaurants around the country; there are now almost 50. His great-grandparents came from Wexford and Limerick.

Ms Anne Sweeney, president of the Disney Channel, credits the close-knit structure of Irish-American society with her love of family, and her success in family-oriented television. She traces her roots to Kerry, Mayo and Meath.

Mr Jack MacDonough, chairman and chief executive of Miller, the third largest brewery in the world, says his grandparents came from Sligo and Cork. He plans to publish a coffee-table book of the photographs he has taken over many visits to Ireland.

Mr Charles Feeney was revealed earlier this year as the quiet Irish-American who had already given away $610 million of his own money and financed the $3.5 billion Atlantic Foundation. He expands on his remark to the New York Times that he gave away the cash because "you can only wear one pair of shoes at a time".

Other executives to make the top 100 list include:

Craig R Barrett, president and chief executive of Intel ($20 billion in revenues, 48,500 employees);

Stephen B Burke, president of broadcasting, ABC ($8.7 billion, 20,000);

Darlene Daggett, executive vice-president QVC, ($1.6 billion, 7,000)

Roy E Disney, vice-chairman, Walt Disney Corp ($6 billion, 50,000);

Katherine Dwyer, senior vice-president Revlon Inc and president Revlon Cosmetics USA ($2.167 billion, 13,000);

William J Flynn, chairman, Mutual of America ($8.4 billion, 1,000);

Christopher B Galvin, chief executive, Motorola ($28 billion, 140,000);

Edmund F Kelly, president and chief operating officer, Liberty Mutual ($8.7 billion, 23,000);

James P Kelly, chairman and chief executive, United Parcel Service ($22.5 billion, 339,000);

Michael J McKenna, president and chief operating officer, Crown, Cork & Seal ($9 billion, 45,000);

Scott G McNealy, chairman, president and chief executive, Sun Microsystems ($6 billion, 17,000);

Thomas J Moran, president and chief executive, Mutual of America ($8.4 billion, 1,000);

John D Moynihan Jnr, executive vice-president, Met Life ($23.6 billion, 43,000);

James J O'Connor, chairman and chief executive, Commonwealth Edison ($7 billion, 17,000);

Dean R O'Hare, chairman and chief executive, Chubb ($4.2 billion, 10,000);

Michael Reddy, chairman and chief executive, EDS Global Securities Industry Group, ($12.4 billion, 99,432);

Arthur F Ryan, chairman and chief executive, Prudential Insurance ($35 billion, 100,000);

William S Shanahan, president and chief operating officer, Colgate-Palmolive ($8 billion, 38,000);

John T Sharkey, vice-president, MCI ($15 billion, 43,000);

Jeremiah J Sheehan, chairman and chief executive, Reynolds Metals ($7 billion, 29,000);

John F Smith jnr, chairman, chief executive and president, General Motors ($169 billion, 650,000);

Bernard W Walsh, group chairman, Johnson & Johnson ($21.6 billion, 89,000);

John F Welch jnr, chairman and chief executive, General Electric ($79.18 billion, 239,000).