Rónán Kennedy, National University of Ireland, Galway

Rónán Kennedy, Electronic Resources Librarian, National University of Ireland, Galway

Q: What led you into your chosen profession?

A: An organisational (read detail freak?) mind I suppose, which helps, especially with the threat of information overload that we can all experience with electronic resources. A secret love of creating paths and patterns with information also led me into librarianship. I also wanted to work in a vibrant and dynamic community, and a university environment is a perfect example of that.

Q: What book are you reading right now?

A: Just to make it difficult, I usually read a few simultaneously! Right now it's Martin Amis' 'Money'. An amazing read and quite rightly a 20th Century classic. I'm also re-reading 'The Last Grain Race' by Eric Newby, which is one of the most enjoyable travel writing books you'll ever read; it'll instil a fascination with old sailing ships in even the most land-locked of readers.

Q: Who do you admire the most (past or present) and why?

A: That's a very hard question. I don't think I have an outright person, but rather different people for different reasons. Maybe the one that slightly edges out the others is Sir Ernest Shackleton - for sheer magnitude of spirit and desire to lead his men through their epic journeys, with an absolute refusal to compromise principles.

Q: What was the first and last music record you bought?

A: The first one was Led Zeppelin III, and is still one of my all time favourites, especially for driving with the window down and singing at the top of my lungs! The last CD I bought was 'Apricot Morning' by Quantic. Good background music when you're doing stuff.

Q: If you could have any career other than your chosen profession, what would you choose?

A: In an ideal world, I would have loved to be a photographer (or a shepherd on some sunny Mediterranean island).

Q: If you could have dinner with any 3 people, past or present, who would they be?

A: Ernest Shackleton, Ansel Adams and Sir David Attenborough.

Q: Money no option, where would you like to go on vacation?

A: No question here: Yosemite National Park in the US - for the fantastic scenery and photography potential, mixed with more rock-climbing sites than I could ever manage. Paradise!

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