Land of saints and scholars: Beckett? 'Don't know him.' Riverdance? 'Oh yes!'

Karin Gellen and Annie Sieger GERMANY

Did you come to Ireland for culture?

Yes.

Have you done anything cultural here?This is just our second day, but we want to go to St Patrick's Cathedral, Christ Church, Trinity College, the Cliffs of Moher and the Wicklow Mountains, Glasnevin Museum and on the Viking Splash tour.

Have you heard of these people?

James JoyceYes, a writer: he wrote Ulysses.

Samuel BeckettI can't remember what he wrote.

Seamus HeaneyNo.

U2They are a band.

JedwardDon't know.

Oscar WildeYes, The Picture of Dorian Gray.

RiverdanceOh yes!

Sinéad O'ConnorThe singer.

Riidun Wiring

NORWAY

Did you come to Ireland for culture?No, for a holiday.

Have you done anything cultural here?We went to Guinness and Jameson. I want to see Riverdance.

Have you heard of these people?

James JoyceHe wrote Ulysses.

Samuel BeckettNever heard about him.

Seamus HeaneyDon't know him.

U2Yes, of course: Bono.

JedwardThe boys with the funny hair?

Oscar WildeI know about him, but I couldn't tell you what he wrote.

RiverdanceYes, very much.

WB Yeats(Wiring's friend asks if he was married to Paula Yates) No, that was Geldof.

Enrica Calloni

MILAN

Did you come to Ireland for culture?We came for the Red Hot Chili Peppers concert.

Have you done anything cultural here?No.

Have you heard of these people?

James JoyceI read Dubliners when I was younger.

Samuel BeckettYes, Waiting for Godot.

Seamus HeaneyI don't know.

U2 Ilove all of their songs.

JedwardNever heard of this.

Oscar WildeI have heard of him.

RiverdanceYes, we know the theatre where it is on.

Book of KellsThat is in the library in Trinity.

Louis le BrocquyNo.

Caroline Zysset and Adrian Zopf

SWITZERLAND

Did you come to Ireland for culture?No. We would like to see the Guinness place and do some shopping.

Have you done anything cultural here?No.

Have you heard of these people?

James JoyceWe have heard of him.

Samuel BeckettHe writes plays.

Seamus HeaneyDon't know.

U2Yes, of course we know U2.

JedwardNo.

Louis le BrocquyDon't know him.

Oscar WildeDon't know.

RiverdanceYes, we know this.

Book of KellsI saw pictures of this on the internet.

Simon Grassa and Andy Matthew

AUSTRIA

Did you come to Ireland for culture?We are here with our school.

Have you done anything cultural here?Dublin Castle, Glendalough. This week we are going to a museum and the Guinness factory.

Have you heard of these people?

James JoyceHe was a very famous writer.

Samuel BeckettDon't know him.

Seamus HeaneyNever heard of him before.

U2Of course. Bono lives near Dún Laoghaire.

JedwardThe Eurovision band? I don't like them.

Oscar WildeYes, The Picture of Dorian Gray.

RiverdanceNo, don't know this.

Sinéad O'ConnorDon't know.

WB YeatsDon't know.

Louis le BrocquyIs he an actor?

Jerry Joiner

UNITED STATES

Did you come to Ireland for culture?We've been travelling all over Europe. We've done about nine countries.

Have you done anything cultural here?We just got here last night, so no.

Do you intend to go to any museums or galleries?Probably not.

Have you heard of these people?

James JoyceHe's a writer.

Samuel BeckettDon't know.

Seamus HeaneyNo.

U2They're an Irish rock group.

Louis le BrocquyNo.

WB YeatsDon't know.

RiverdanceI don't know that.

Thin LizzyYep!

Peter and Hilda Von Zanan

THE NETHERLANDS

Did you come to Ireland for culture?This is the third time we are here. Last time we went to Wicklow, Cork and Kerry. This time we started in the North. I like the culture, the scenery, the history.

Have you done anything cultural here?Newgrange. We did the Yeats tour in Sligo, and I took a picture of a line from his poem [The Lake Isle of Inisfree] and sent it to a friend. Last time we were here we went to the Natural History Museum.

Do you plan to go to any museums, galleries, concerts or plays?Some.

Have you heard of these people?

James JoyceI know Joyce, but I haven't read any.

Samuel BeckettDon't know him.

Seamus HeaneyHe is a writer.

U2I know U2 the band but don't know the members.

JedwardDon't know.

Oscar WildeI've read one or two of his books.

RiverdanceYes, Riverdance is very famous.

Book of KellsI don't know this.