What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Sunshine, a good book, a lounger, and all day to read and relax.
Which historical figure do you most identify with?
Dame Cicely Saunders, founder of the Hospice Movement. I have reason to be grateful to hospice in Ireland.
Which living person do you most admire?
It is so hard to get past Nelson Mandela.
Which is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
Failing to follow my instincts on occasion.
What is your greatest extravagance?
I love holidays and I love to pretend on holidays that the budget doesn’t matter. Then the credit card crisis comes later.
What is your favourite journey?
A sunny Saturday trip to Tipp, particularly the route from Horse and Jockey to Drangan.
On what occasion do you lie?
About my weight.
Which living person do you most despise?
I try not to despise individuals but terrorists who destroy life rate low on my list.
What or who is the greatest love of your life?
That’s simple...my daughter Aoife.
When and where were you happiest?
I find moments of perfect happiness come suddenly and unexpectedly. Too often we don’t pause to enjoy it and only realise it’s perfection when it’s past.
Which talent would you most like to have?
To sit at a piano and play a beautiful melody.
What is your current state of mind?
Galway focused, excited at bringing the Drivetime diarists to Cúirt and the Druid Theatre on April 23.
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Managing the juggling act between raising my daughter to be a wonderful decent young woman and an exciting, demanding, career in RTÉ.
If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what do you think it would be?
I try to work on the belief that you get one shot at this world and make the most of it.
What is your most treasured possession?
I treasure people not possessions but if pushed I’d have to say my books.
What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
Grief.
What is your favourite occupation?
Good conversation over dinner with close friends.
What is the quality you most like in a man?
A good sense of humour and openness.
What is the quality you most like in a woman?
Confidence.
Who are your favourite writers?
John McGahern, Ian McEwan, Joseph O’Connor, Carol Shields, Sebastian Barry, Colm Tobin are just a few...
What is your motto?
Park it and move on.
Mary Wilson presents RTÉ Radio 1’s Drivetime and will host the Drivetime Diarists Live event for Cúirt in the Druid Lane Theatre on Friday April 23 at 7.30pm. Admission is free.
Kernan Andrews
