My Holidaysthis week talks to Aongus Ó hAonghusa, Director of the National Library of Ireland
Your earliest holiday memory?
It's a family holiday in the late 1960s in Carraroe. It was only 30 miles from home in Galway city but it was the first family holiday away. It was the novelty of being away. In those days holidays were a luxury. Beaches were the highlight. Irrespective of the weather, it was swimming, swimming, swimming. I was on a horse or a pony on the farm where we were staying. The following year we went to Ballybunion. We had a small baby with us - my young sister had just been born. You can imagine seven of us, travelling in a Volkswagen Beetle, all crammed in with the baby.
What was your worst holiday?
It was a camping holiday in the Lake District about 30 years ago. The rain was atrocious and I was washed out of the campsite. I was there about a week but then the rain came and that put a stop to my gallop. When every stitch of clothes you have is wet, things are miserable so I packed up and went home on the ferry.
Your best holiday?
Our family holidays in Tuscany in 2006 and 2007 were the best. Good weather, family, swimming pools, Italian culture and Italian food, what more can you ask for?
I've done a lot of walking and climbing and a holiday that was close to being the best - but it was so hard - was the climb to the top of Mont Blanc in August, 2004.
If budget or work were not a restriction, what would be your dream holiday?
A trip to Alaska, that's where I want to go. And the Andes, because both are places that are remote and big. Hillwalking and climbing, that's my passion and I'd love the whole sheer scale and size of Alaska. It strikes me as being a very wild place that you can get lost in. And in the Andes, particularly the southern tip, it's again the scale and beauty of it. I've read about both places, in particular there's a great Brian Keenan book about Alaska that I read called Four Quarters of Light: An Alaskan Journey.
If you had your pick, who would you bring on holiday with you?
For culture and sun holidays I'd bring my wife and children. For hillwalking I'd bring my long-standing walking friends.
Your favourite place in Ireland?
The places I love are Dún Chaoin in Kerry and Maam in Connemara and Achill in Mayo, but my favourite place is Portnoo in Donegal because we've had so many great family holidays there over the years. You could be on a different planet. There's a lovely little harbour. It's just the peace and quiet - it's about as far away from Dublin as you can get.
What book would you recommend?
I never go on holidays without a Lonely Planet or a Rough Guide.
Where to next?
I've no plans but I'm hoping to go on a walking trip to Scotland next year.
In conversation with Catherine Foley