Iris Meehan aka Miss Funtime Gustavo Alternative Miss Ireland 2006/07

Where did you go to school?

St Mary's, Glasnevin, Dublin.

What was your best subject?

I was really good at art and always got As in it, which was just as well because I failed everything else.

What was your worst subject?Maths. Luckily my weakness hasn't affected me in any way - at least not that I know of.

If you could put a new subject on the Leaving Cert, what would it be?Musical theatre. I wish I could have studied singing and dancing at school.

What was your earliest career ambition? Iwanted to be an air hostess. I'm glad I didn't follow that dream. I don't think the job is what it used to be.

Who was your favourite teacher and why?Brigette MacCarthy was the first trainer I had when I started working with horses. She was an inspiration.

Who was your childhood idol?Bette Midler. I have been watching her films since I was a child and I've always found her hilarious.

Who was your best friend?Tara Monaghan. We were both short stumps so we stuck together for support. We had a shared passion for horses.

What is she doing now?She is still working with horses.

What TV programme/film most reminds you of your school days?The Goonies. I used to try and go on similar adventures with my friends.

What song most reminds you of your school days?

I'm Still Standing, by Elton John. I was so bad at all my subjects in school, apart from art, that I used to sing that song to myself every time I failed an exam.

What food most reminds you of your school days?Toasted cheese sandwiches.

What's the boldest thing you ever did in school?I used to bunk off school all the time. Once I was sitting outside a petrol station having a cigarette when my year head drove by and looked me right in the eye. I was 12 years old and wearing my school uniform. The next day she called me in and I brazenly denied the charge.

Who did you bring to your debs?I left school at 15 to become a jockey.

What was your most memorable holiday?I came into an inheritance at 18 and blew it in a year. I spent a good chunk taking myself and three mates to a five-star hotel in Bali.

What's the last book you read?Stone Butch Blues by Leslie Feinberg. It's about gay culture in 1950s New York.

Did you go to college and if so, what did you study?I went to Grennan College and did Equestrian Studies.

Would you send your own children to the same school that you went to?If I ever had any kids I'd send them to boarding school.

What was the best thing about your education?I kept failing so it's hard to find a positive.

What was the worst thing about your education?Getting ignored in class because I was not academic.