Barry Andrews, TD
What's your earliest holiday memory?
Ballyjamesduff, in Co Cavan, where my mother's parents lived. The Cusacks helped to organise the famous Frolics, and I remember being terrified as a toddler seeing people dressed up and screaming and shouting on the stage.
What was your worst holiday? I used to travel to soccer games in England with my cousin Chris (now a TD) when I was young, and I hated the ferry. This experience was repeated in 2006 when myself and a friend took the car to Holyhead on the way to the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff for the FA Cup final between West Ham and Liverpool. We got lost and spent seven hours driving through Wales. As a long-time Hammers fan, losing on a penalty shoot-out exacerbated the misery.
What was your best holiday?
I have been to Africa a good few times, and Namibia was the most spectacular place of all. Etosha National Park, the Skeleton Coast, Fish River Canyon and sand-boarding - any one of these would have been a highlight of a holiday, but I managed to cram the lot in over 10 days.
What is your dream holiday?
I would love to take a 4x4 into one of the great national parks in Africa, such as Okavango.
Who would you bring on holiday with you?
I was a great one for going off on my own in my student days, but now I always travel with my wife. I might even bring the kids.
What book would you recommend to read on holiday?
Some great big stuffy history book that you wouldn't touch unless you were on holiday. I used to teach history but have little time for it now, so I like to dip in and out of something fairly obscure.
Where is your favourite place in Ireland?
My parents have a house in Baile na hAbhann, in south Connemara, which is great. A few pints in Tí Johnny Sheain after a day's fishing on the Casla is just perfect.
Where to next?
My wife is from Boolavounteen, in west Waterford. We will have a nice break down there, where there are willing babysitters available, among other delights. Like the hurling team, Waterford has undelivered potential - places such as the Copper Coast, the Nire Valley and towns such as Lismore, Ardmore and Dungarvan are very attractive.
In conversation with Fiona Gartland
Barry Andrews is a Fianna Fáil TD for Dún Laoghaire