Matt Cooper, journalist, presenter, broadcaster

Where did you go to school?St Joseph's on the Mardyke in Cork for primary and the North Mon for secondary.

What was your best subject?English and Maths.

What was your worst subject?Irish, to my embarrassment, as I now struggle to do even basic Irish homework with my girls.

If you could put a new subject on the Leaving Cert, what would it be?I suppose something to do with motoring would be a good idea.

What was your earliest career ambition?From second class I wanted to work in radio and newspapers. Three of us had a pretend radio station behind the oil tank in the school yard and I also wrote my essays as newspaper reports.

Who was your favourite teacher and why?At the Mon we had a really good French teacher, Vincent Healy. He nearly had me thrown out of the school in Leaving Cert year, mind you, but I met him in a pub many years later and we had a pint.

Who was your childhood idol?Leeds United's Peter Lorimer.

Who was your best friend?Pat Field. He is godfather now to my oldest boy.

What is he/she doing now?He has a senior managerial position with Pfizer.

What TV programme/film most reminds you of your school days?Hill Street Blues.

What song most reminds you of your school days?The Spirit of Radio by Rush.

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

What was your school uniform like?We didn't have one. We could wear what we liked apart from denim.

What's the boldest thing you ever did in school?It's too complicated to explain and it nearly got me thrown out of the Mon, but the class rallied behind me. A couple of guys who I wouldn't have been close to were the strongest in making my case for me.

Who did you bring to your grads?A girl called Ruth. Years later I was in San Francisco and met a guy who said, "I know you. Your picture is on top of the television at home in Cork." It was the picture of his sister and me from the grads.

What was your most memorable holiday?During the 1970s I used to spend July in Belfast with my mother minding my grandmother. It was at the height of the Troubles but I loved going there because of the sense of adventure.

What's the last book you read? Don't You Know Who I Am?by Piers Morgan. It's nowhere near as funny or informative as his previous diaries, The Insider.

Did you go to college and if so, what did you study?University College Cork to do a commerce degree between 1983 and 1987 and then the NIHE (now DCU) to do a graduate diploma in journalism.

Would you send your own children to the same school that you went to?As I live in Dublin it won't be possible.

What was the best thing about your education?The people I went to school with and the preparation it provided me for the opportunities I had later in life.

What was the worst thing about your education?I was too young doing my Leaving Cert (I didn't turn 17 until a month after it finished) and too young to appreciate and enjoy college.