FINBAR WRIGHT, BRIAN CODY AND MARIA McDERMOTTROE
Finbar Wright, of The Irish Tenors
One of the primary-school poems that has lodged itself permanently in my brain is:
"Tháinig long ó Valparaiso,
Scaoileadh téad a seol sa chuan,
Chuir a hainm dom i gcuimhne
Ríocht na Gréine, Tír na mBua."
This poem by Pádraig de Brún initiated an abiding fascination with the renowned Chilean city of Valparaíso which remains unsatisfied and unfulfilled to this day.
The original romance was further fuelled in my teenage years when my brother Robert, who worked at that time with the Merchant Navy, sent me a postcard from the port city of Valparaíso, which he was visiting at that time. I promised myself then that I also, one day, would visit this exotic faraway place, and although my musical career has taken me to most regions of the world, I have never been to Chile, or that part of the world.
My other interest in Chile is that one of its most revered historical figures is a man of Irish descent, Bernardo O'Higgins, whose father was born in Sligo. O'Higgins was a leader in the Chilean war of independence which freed the country from Spanish rule; he then ruled as the new state's first premier. Hopefully, his memory means that Irish people are particularly welcome in Chile.
The old quarter of Valparaíso was recently named a Unesco World Heritage site and the city was chosen as Chile's Cultural Capital in 2003, which should indicate that it is a colourful and artistically rich destination. Besides Valparaíso, I imagine the greater Chile itself to be a wondrous country to visit, having such natural jewels as the snow-capped Andes, as well as active volcanoes, the unforgivingly hot Atacama desert, beautiful Pacific beaches, stunning coastal fjords, lush valleys and fertile vineyards. It's a magical sliver of a country which runs right down to Cape Horn and the Straits of Magellan.
It would, undoubtedly, prove a sparkling adventure for my family, a chance to polish up my Spanish, and a fulfilment of a childhood dream - Valparaíso and Chile in 2009, here we come.
Brian Cody, manager of the three-in-a-row Kilkenny Senior Hurling All-Ireland champions
I would always be more than happy to go to New York. I wouldn't really know where to stay, to be honest with you. I was there last year for a few days and it was fantastic. I had been there 30 years ago, and hadn't been there since. It's a smashing, brilliant place. I'd love to go back again. It's just the whole buzz of the place. It's very, very safe as well.
I didn't get a chance to do all the things I'd like to do. There are so many things you could do, so I'd like to catch up on all those things, like Ellis Island, like taking in a couple of shows, and I suppose my wife, Elsie, would like to do a bit of shopping. I'd like to go back again.
I spent a short time in Central Park. I could spend a lot more time there. It is lovely to be there when there is snow. There was some snow when we were there last. It was lovely, really, really cold. But I'd like to go sometime when it's not snowing to be honest with you.
Actor Maria McDermottroe, who plays Mrs Gilhooley in the 'Killinaskully' series and is currently playing the Fairy Godmother in 'Cinderella' at the Gaiety
I want to revisit the trip I did on the Orient Express with my husband recently. We flew from Malta to Venice, we stayed three days there. We stayed in a gorgeous hotel on the lagoon beside St Mark's Square. Then we took the Orient Express overnight to Paris. We went through the Alps. The whole experience was wonderful. You nearly expect Poirot to come down the corridor to you. It was beautiful. When you step out of the train and you look up at the Alps and smell the cold air and the pines, it's just wonderful. And what stood out, too, was the silence in Venice, because there was no traffic.
We had two nights in the centre of Paris, just off the Champs-Élysées. You can see why it's a dream - we dined on the Eiffel Tower. I would definitely want to do it again. We took the Eurostar to London, and had two nights in London, and then it was down to earth and home. John is a complete train fanatic and his pleasure in the Orient Express was utterly uplifting. Just one thing after another stands out, literally. Venice is such a beautiful, amazing, unusual city. I had never been there before. Then the pure excitement of going on the Orient Express.
• In conversation with Catherine Foley