Tony Clayton-Lea asks some public figures what they look for in a summer break - and hears about their best trips
LIZ O'DONNELL, TD
'Drinking wine, staying up roaring laughing all night. Oh, and dancing in the moonlight'
Given the pace of my life, my ideal type of holiday is to chill out, read novels, walk beaches; it is, preferably, not reading newspapers, not listening to news bulletins, and not having to have a view on everything. I'd go to Donegal, it's where my husband is from: the Rosguill peninsula. My brother and his family live in Madrid, so I would go to see them. And then very good friends of mine have a house near Toulouse, and they invited me there - it's in the countryside. It's arranged that college friends will be there the week that I'm off, so it's not eating out; it's going to the markets, buying food, making salads, and eating al fresco, just talking and enjoying the sunshine. Holidays are also a time for me to get to see my family in Limerick. A holiday is about doing something completely different from your work - and having an unplanned day is my idea of a holiday, because my life is so structured around Dáil sittings and the usual diary-driven things. Best holiday so far? I love that break in Toulouse; it's so different and so quiet. You can laugh and cry and talk about old times - that's what I like - drinking wine and staying up all night roaring laughing. Oh, and dancing in the moonlight. I like my dancing - that's part of my holidays, too.
MARY KENNEDY, TV PRESENTER
'I like city breaks at spring and autumn, sightseeing and doing the art galleries'
I take holidays with my children, and my brother's family. We go the first two weeks of July, because exams tend to be finished by then. This year it was the south of France. For 11 years we went to Rosslare, but the children outgrew it, and the mothers were lacking sunshine in their lives, so last year we went to Portugal. It was gorgeous, but there was a lack of interaction for the kids, so this year we had sailing classes for them, and so on. I like city breaks at spring and autumn, sightseeing and doing the art galleries and museums. I love going around Ireland, which is why the new Nationwide series about festivals such as Galway Arts, Donegal's Earagail and Waterford's Spraoi, is right up my street. My sister lives in Inis Mór, so we tend to spend some weekends with her. I love driving into the country; and I like trains, but I find that airports, especially Dublin airport, wear me out. But moaning about the travelling process is nit-picking, it's something you have to do to get from A to B. Best holiday so far? A few years ago, when the children were younger - we went to Disneyland in Florida ... just to see their eyes wide open when we went to places like the Magic Kingdom. But I don't tend to rate holidays; I loved Portugal last year, and I adore Africa, but I take a holiday on its own merit and enjoy it for what it is.
DARA O'BRIAIN, COMEDIAN
'Tokyo is the most foreign place you can go that still has flushing toilets'
One of the huge advantages of my job is that I get to travel a lot. You do Asia, the Arab world, America. I'm due a chunk of wanderlust soon, and that's great because you can disseminate your experiences in front of a crowd. Usually, I'll get away after the Edinburgh Festival. Why? Because you're worthless to anyone - you've no voice, and you couldn't come up with a new joke if you were paid. I try to do something very different now and again, so this year I went to Vietnam. It was fantastic; it's a glorious and extremely beautiful country, with incredible vibrancy. It also has an astonishing back-story, which is helpful in a holiday - that huge cultural hinterland that you can explore. I went to the War Remembrance Museum, which was previously known as the Museum of American Atrocity. They renamed it to make it more tourist-friendly, but didn't change the museum contents. My ideal kind of holiday? It depends on the energy levels going into it. If I get a chance it'd be over two weeks, travelling around somewhere I haven't been to before, and learning about the place. I'd love to go to Guatemala - the Mayan Trail - and the Galapagos Islands. A bit of nature is always very good on a holiday, I think. Best holiday so far? Costa Rica was fantastic, but for a working trip it has to be Tokyo. It is so phenomenally cool. It's the most foreign place you can go that still has stuff such as flushing toilets and the preponderance of electronic equipment. Yet it's still 90 degrees from what you're expecting.
GRANIA WILLIS, JOURNALIST AND EVEREST CONQUEROR
'I'd pay to get the packing done. And for a Sherpa to do the carrying for me!'
I know that I couldn't go on a holiday and lie on a beach. I have to do something active. Last year I spent practically all of June in Chamonix and we just climbed mountains - it was magical. Physically, I need a rest now, but I know I need to start writing my book. A great holiday for me would be for whoever published the book to send me off to somewhere like Tuscany - then I'd just sit under an olive grove and write. Unless that happens, I probably won't be able to get off this year. The process of travelling? I hate that aspect. Coming back from Everest we went from our camp through the Chinese border, spent an entire day on a dreadful bus to Kathmandu, from there to Abu Dhabi, from there to Heathrow, and from there to Dublin. That was vile. I'd love space or time travel - that'd be great. Or relaxed travel - airplane to airplane and airport to airport is grim. And the packing - I'm useless at it. I'd pay to get the packing done. And a Sherpa to do the carrying for me! Best holiday so far? Mostly skiing holidays I would look back fondly on. That said, last year's holiday in Chamonix was just incredible, because it was mixed - mountain, rock, sea cliff, we even swam in the Mediterranean. That was bliss. But it was very active, and I'm not sure I want that right now. The olive grove and the laptop in Tuscany sounds good!
RICHARD CORRIGAN, CHEF
'Anywhere near the sea - any sea'
Last year we went to a villa in Tuscany, which was incredibly expensive - we left it to the last minute. We drove down there, and although I loved it, it was a long drive. But when we got to the villa, we had the most beautiful holiday. A house with a pool, a vineyard - just beautiful. But that was very expensive - definitely a few holidays wrapped into one. This year we're thinking of taking a house in Spain with a pool, or going to the west of Ireland, where we have the very generous use of a holiday home. If we go there it'll be great, because my wife comes from that part of the country. But if it rains ... we had a holiday in west Cork a few years ago, and it rained every day. My ideal kind of holiday is anywhere near the sea - any sea. I love going out in a boat and wandering around, but sailing is not the ideal family holiday because boredom might set in after several days. Package holidays? I can't cope with them; I'm dealing with loads of people in the restaurant business, and to be crowded again on a holiday would just stress me out. There's no place like Ireland when the sun is shining. Best holiday so far? Tuscany last year is up there as the best holiday I've ever had. We had some of the most fabulous food we've ever eaten on a family holiday. All the children enjoyed going out to restaurants - my five-and-a-half-year-old son keeps asking when we are going back there!
ADRIAN DUNBAR, ACTOR/DIRECTOR
'I'm off to the Bahamas, and I've arranged for there to be a shack on the beach for me'
I'm lucky this year, because I'm getting the jobs that are taking me to fabulous places, which is amazing. As a family, we always go to Ireland in the summer, north County Leitrim. Leitrim is off the beaten track, it's quiet, and there are some beautiful places tucked away here and there. There are still lanes you can walk, old tracks where you meet just people. The best type of holiday is where I get a book and read up about an area, and find out the history of what happened there. I'm off to the Bahamas shortly, and I've arranged for there to be a shack on the beach for me, rather than staying in a hotel room. That way, I'll catch as much of the atmosphere, true atmosphere, as I can. I'll shop and cook for myself, all1 that stuff; room service would do my head in. I'm in the Bahamas for over a month, which will give me a sense of the place. Best holiday so far? Many years ago, we went off on a family trip for three months - we flew into Bangkok and went up to Chiang Mai. We came back to Bangkok, and flew into Sydney - where my wife is from - and then went on a big trip up to the Reef and Cairns. After a month, we flew to Bali, spent a couple of weeks there. It was incredible, because when you're away that length of time things start to happen to you fundamentally - you bond together. It was great for the family, and it was an amazing holiday. Just incredible.
MAIRÉAD NÍ MHAONAIGH, SINGER
'Would I prefer Bali over Donegal?
Give me Donegal any time'
My ideal kind of holiday is somewhere laid back, that wouldn't have any commercial demands. A few years ago, Altan played in Athens, and I was fortunate enough to be invited to a place called Loutro, on the island of Crete. I didn't know what to expect, but it was one of the nicest places I've ever visited. Loutro is where it is said St Paul was born; it's a small community, less than 200 inhabitants lined in neat little houses on the verge of the Mediterranean Sea. It's also one of the most relaxing places I've ever come across - apart from the picturesque scenery, time seems not to matter there. It can only be approached by boat, and nobody was in any rush to get there. The only problem I have with holidays is that you have to travel home afterwards. By the time you're wound down, returning home takes the good out of it, especially if there are delays. Since we've come back to Donegal we've come to the conclusion that if the weather is good, we'll probably stay here. Best holiday so far? When we went to Bali I thought it was very exotic. I'd always wanted to go there because they're so artistic. We stayed in the main town, and we had a fantastic time. Being musicians, we thought the traditional Gamelan music was appealing, and so soothing. Would I prefer Bali over Donegal? Give me Donegal any time! Bali was very exotic, so you knew you were somewhere foreign. In Donegal I feel at home.
CIARAN SWEENEY, DESIGNER
'One of my favourite places is the Red Sea. Swim with the fishes - it's like Finding Nemo for adults'
I'm just back from America, so I'm not sure if I'll go on a foreign holiday this year. One place I'll certainly be going to is Ardara, Donegal, because I tend to go there every summer. In fact, out of everywhere I've been in the world Donegal has to be one of the most beautiful places - sadly, some people in Ireland don't know that. One of my favourite places abroad is the Red Sea - I think everyone should go there. There's an island there, a place that you can only go to during the day - they have the most amazing sound system built into the sand, and a chef. They give you a snorkel and you go and swim with the fishes - it's like Finding Nemo for adults. I've never seen anything like it in my life. Other kinds of holiday? I'm not into trekking, and all of that; I'd prefer to relax because that's what a holiday is for - sun, wine, food, talking more than reading, meeting people. Getting up at seven in the morning to hike? Don't think so. Best holiday so far? I've found Portugal quite interesting - the west part of the country is so wild, and the lower part is so Mediterranean-like. It's way nicer than southern Spain, I think, and the people are lovely, too. It's like Ireland with sun.
ORLA BARRY, RADIO PRESENTER
'I'm not a five-star hotel kind of person'
I've just been on a short holiday - a wedding in Amalfi, Italy. Later in the year, around October time, I'm planning to go to Cambodia - pure pleasure. I like the cultural side of holidays. Generally, when we head off somewhere we tend not to book in advance, maybe the first night, but after that we use whatever guide or contacts we get to try to spend time at family homes. I'm not a three-, four- or five-star hotel kind of person. I feel you're cut off from what's going on in the country if you choose the hotel option all the time. It's when you go to countries like Cuba, Chile or India, and spend a bit of time with real people, that you get genuine value and a very rewarding aspect of the holiday. It's all in the challenge, isn't it, and you always appreciate your own bed when you get back home. Holidays are an adventure - places you don't know from day one. Part of the excitement is you don't know where you're going to be from one day to another, or where you'll end up sleeping. Work is a routine - holidays are there to break out from all of that. Best holiday so far? I'd say it was Cuba a few years ago. We thought we were staying in Havana itself, but I hadn't realised I'd booked a place miles away from the city. We ended up at the side of a mountain in a hotel-cum-hostel. And in the room we looked out the window - an enormous mountain, lush vegetation, a little village. It was like a scene from paradise.