Finding the right people to follow if you're interested in business, however, is not always easy amid the celebrity tittle tattle and the mundane which clogs the social network. The Sunday Independent's top 50 Irish entrepreneurs, firms and organisations sorts through the chaff to find people with wide-ranging insights and perhaps some information to help your own business or entrepreneurial aspirations. It is a reflection of Twitter's explosion among users that we've left out all of last year's top 30 to reveal a new crop of discoveries.

Pat Phelan @patphelan

Why The Corkman co-founded online fraud prevention technology firm Trustev, Europe's hottest start-up, as well as founding several other businesses. He is one of Ireland's best-connected entrepreneurs.

Followers 14,297

Niall Harbison @niallharbison

Why The chef turned social media agency founder sold his business Simply Zesty to UTV last year. Expect tweets on everything from his views on Apple's share price to Google Glass.

Followers 12,275

Ronan Lyons @ronanlyons

Why The Daft.ie economist and soon-to-be assistant prof of Trinity's economics department is one of the best sources for tweets on Irish property. If you're thinking of dipping your toe back into property, he's well worth a follow.

Followers 11,878

John Breslin @johnbreslin

Why The NUI Galway lecturer and researcher is also a serial internet and software entrepreneur. A great way of staying in touch with the tech scene in Galway and overseas.

Followers 8,332

Nick Leeson @thenickleeson

Why The rogue trader who broke Barings Bank and ex-CEO of Galway Utd FC now leads the Dublin practice of GDP Partnership, a debt advisory firm. Worth following – along with his business partner @conor_devine – for anybody struggling with debts.

Followers 6,986

Paul Sommerville @paulsommerville

Why Economic news, market updates and insightful observations on current affairs from the CEO of Sommerville Advisory Markets. Not quite Ireland's Max Keiser but certainly not short of intelligent opinion.

Followers 5,189

Barry O'Sullivan @silconbarry

Why He's one of the RTE Dragons' Den dragons and a senior Cisco executive.

Followers 4,595

Eamon Leonard @eamonleonard

Why The Dubliner is a serial software startup founder, adviser and angel investor and a networking and software programming enthusiast.

Followers 4,367

Darina Allen @darinaallen

Why The world-renowned chef owns and runs the Ballymaloe Cookery School in Cork. Anybody in the restaurant or food industry should keep an eye on her.

Followers 4,103

Eoghan McCabe @eoghanmccabe

Why Employing 26 people in Dublin and San Francisco, his successful customer relationship management software startup Intercom won backing from Twitter's co-founder Biz Stone among others.

Followers 3,884

Theo Lynn @theolynn

Why Tweets on e-business, digital marketing and more from the DCU Business School lecturer and entrepreneur.

Followers 3,921

Brian Caulfield @briancvc

Why He's a serial technology entrepreneur who now advises and invests. A real champion of Irish start-ups.

Followers 2,987

Teagasc@teagasc

Why News and research on food and farming from the State farming and food development authority.

Followers 2,943

Louise Kennedy@1Louisekennedy

Why She's an award-winning women's fashon designer. Cleverly uses Twitter to alert followers to her latest wares and special offers.

Followers 2,655

Peter O'Brien @peter_obrien

Why Tweets on the business of fashion and design from one of Ireland's leading designers. Entertaining views.

Followers 2,476

Ramona Nicholas @ramonanicholas

Why The joint MD of the Cara Pharmacy chain of chemists also stars on RTE Dragons' Den.

Followers 2,431

Connor Murphy @connorpm

Why He's the founder of Datahug, a successful customer relationship software firm. Follow him around the world as Datahug keeps growing.

Followers 2,372

John Hartnett @cjhartnett

Why Tweets about technology, startups and Silicon Valley from the Irish Technology Leadership Group founder, investor and adviser.

Followers 2,278

Louis Copeland @louis_copeland

Why Tweets from Ireland's best-known men's tailor. Shows how a small business can leverage Twitter to promote its brand.

Followers 2,270

Jonathan Cloonan @cloonanj

Why The Castleknock native currently works on digital strategy for global advertising giant WPP and made last year's Forbes magazine 30 under 30 list.

Followers 2,253

Colm Lyon @colmlyon

Why He founded and is CEO of Realex Payments.

Followers 2,220

Archipelago @archipelago_ie

Why News, events, "archie talks", loads of tips and advice from "the largest community of young entrepreneurs in Ireland". Set up by John Egan, an ex-investment banker who has just written a book on the future of banking.

Followers 2,059

Rory O'Driscoll @rodriscoll

Why Clare-man Rory O'Driscoll co-founded Scale Venture Partners in 2000, which has raised $1.5bn to invest in dozens of Silicon Valley companies. Forbes named him in the magazine's prestigious 'Midas list of Tech's Best Investors', earlier this year.

Followers 2,763

Mcor @mcor3dprinting

Why A good source for the latest developments in the industry from a Louth-based manufacturer of 3D printers. Won't help you make a 3D gun but will help you with everything else.

Followers 1,891

Jordan Casey @caseygames

Why Follow the success of this 13-year-old Waterford native and his award-winning video game startup Casey Games.

Followers 1,863

Shane Curran @techieshane

Why Thirteen-year-old multi award-winner Curran is already working on his second software startup. His company accounts @Libramatic and @Loginify provide more information about this smart cookie.

Followers 1,605

Danielle Ryan @tearneck

Why Late aviation entrepreneur Tony Ryan's granddaughter's blossoming empire includes a luxury retail group, an investment firm, and there's also a drama school, the Lir Academy.

Followers 1,445

Barry O'Neill @barryoneill

Why The CEO of interactive children's book firm Storytoys is also chairman of games industry group Games Ireland.

Followers 1,360

IIBN @iibn

Why Tweets from the global network for Irish entrepreneurs and business professionals in London, Dublin and New York.

Followers 1,303

Liam Ryan @liamhq

Why He's the co-founder of innovative health gaming technology firm GetHealth.

Followers 1,253

Denis Collins @denisjco

Why Leading a cloud, data and analytics division of IBM at a global level, he's also on the board of Cork's Chamber of Commerce

Followers 1,234

Geoff Scully @geoff161

Why The latest developments in selling online from the commercial director of Littlewoods Ireland.

Followers 1,185

Sophie Morris @sophmorris

Why The 2012 Image magazine businesswoman of the year is the co-founder of successful food firm Kooky Dough.

Followers 1,158

Mary McKenna@marytouramerica

Why An eclectic mix of tweets on business and travel from the founder of travel firm Tour America, which she started in 1995.

Jonathan Sugarman@whistleirl

Why The tweets of this former risk manager at Unicredit Bank Ireland are compelling, detailed and extensive, pointing to why our banks collapsed.

Followers 1,132

Emmet Oliver @emmetoliver

Why Keep track of job creation and inward investment news through the IDA's head of corporate communications. Also expect the odd comment on football.

Followers 1,117

Grainne Barron @grabar

Why Informed technology news and updates from the founder of online professional video ad firm Viddyad.

Followers 1,064

Enterprise Ireland UK office @EI_TheUK

Why Essential information from Enterprise Ireland's UK office. An essential follow if you are doing business with our closest trading partner.

Followers 1,027

Una Fox @unafox

Why The Cork native is a senior technology executive with Walt Disney and co-founder of computer programming education group CoderDojoLA.

Followers 716

Irish Social Enterprise Network @socentie

Why The go-to organisation for information about social enterprises – businesses that provide essential community and other services.

Followers 677

Enterprise Ireland Innovation news @EI_innovation

Why A good source for news about innovative, export-focused Irish companies.

Followers 592

Barry O'Brien@barrytobrien

Why The former diplomat is now a managing director of Silicon Valley Bank's corporate venture capital division.

Followers 574

Patrick Edmond @e2consultaero

Why The former Cityjet manager tweets extensively about the aviation business.

Followers 458

Mike Lyons@mikelyons1956

Why His team at Trinity's nanoscience institute has just discovered a 'world's first' - a new way of cheaply producing hydrogen gas - the potential clean fuel of the future.

Followers 402

Edmond Harty @edmondharty

Why The CEO of milking parlour technology firm Dairymaster was last year's Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year.

Followers 359

Crowley Carbon @crowleycarbon

Why Energy efficiency news, advice and research from Norman Crowley's energy services business.

Followers 215

Dr Pearse Lyons @pearselyons

Why The Dundalk native's Alltech animal nutrition, whiskey and beer empire employs over 2,800 people and has a $1bn annual turnover.

Followers 211

John Fingleton @JohnFingleton1

Why Fingleton previously ran our Competition Authority and Britain's Office of Fair Trading. He tweets about banking, general business, innovation and regulation.

Followers 193

CoFunder @co_funder

Why They're the latest entrant to the emerging peer-to-peer and crowdfunding for small businesses here.

Followers 162

Pat Gill @pat_gill

Why He's a good source for news and updates on Ireland's renewable energy industry. Working on the Spirit of Ireland energy project and community renewable co-ops.

Followers 53