She's full of fun and devilment, and she's a shark on the tennis court. She's the woman I hope to be one day."

Gordon D'Arcy Irish international rugby player "I'm the second youngest of four children and I have a very good relationship with my mother Peggy.

Mind you, it's been tried and tested over the years! Of course she's proud of me as she is of all my siblings. She's become interested in rugby through me, my older brother who plays schools rugby for Clongowes and my father. I think she enjoys going to the games now; but she still hasn't got a beany as to what's going on.

"In personality I'm definitely more like her. Dad is very cut and dry. Mum can be a bit flaky, a bit dizzy sometimes and I'm just like that in everyday life although I'm focused on the pitch. To me she's more than just a mother; she's my friend."

Grania Willis Mountain climber and journalist "I have a fabulous relationship with my mother Dylis. I didn't tell her I was attempting to summit Everest last year; I knew she'd be sick with worry. She lives in London as do all my family so I was able to hide it from them.

"Mind you, my twin sister guessed and confronted me the day before I went, but I was able to fob her off. It wasn't until the day I summitted, when I was writing my column afterwards, that I emailed my family and told them. My mum still cries every time she reads my book Total High, My Everest Challenge; she just can't cope with imagining me in such dangerous circumstances.

"I love her to pieces but we're very different. She often says she doesn't know where I came from. She's very artistic, very loving. I'm 49, but every time I come home she tries to feed me up.

"Unfortunately, I've no children of my own so I'll probably never experience Mother's Day. But then again you never knowf" Elaine Crowley TV3 newsreader "My mother is as mad as a brush in the nicest possible way. She was never a traditional mammy.

"She's not into cooking and cleaning but she did raise 10 children while working as a primary school teacher in Newtwopot House, Mallow and I have to admire her for that.

"Of course, she's proud of me being on television, but she's forever the diplomat;

she wouldn't say it in case I got a big head.

We don't look alike. She's 5'6" and has a tiny little frame but you'd know we were mother and daughter when we smile."

Claudia Carroll Author and actress "I'm the only girl, and as a result I've always been close to my mum Anne.

We're very alike; she loves the odd glass of wine and she's always the last to leave at a party.

She runs on rocket fuel! She's very organised and packs so much into her life.

"I take her to New York every Christmas and she says it's her spiritual home; she's happiest when she's perched on a stool in an Irish bar with a cocktail in one hand and a Macy's shopping bag in the other. She's also an avid reader; she reads a book a day, no joke, and I definitely got my love of literature and drama from her. She watches all the soaps and she never misses an episode of Fair City."

Barry Ashmawy How Low Can You Go?

presenter "I'm an only child from a single-parent family so I've always had a special relationship with my mother. My father was Egyptian, but it was my mum and my grandmother who brought me up in Rathfarnham. She really is my best friend.

"We've a similar sense of humour; mum slags a lot and she's very witty. Of course she watches me In How Low Can You Go?

but I'm not sure if she gets all the jokes.

She never says anything bad about it though. I'm an actor by profession so she's used to me playing different parts.

"I live in Stepaside, but I try to see her three or four times a week. When I lived in Australia we used to speak on the phone everyday. Sometimes she'd make me speak to the dog and I'd be standing in an apartment full of people making dog noises down the phone."

Ciaran Sweeney Designer "I admire my mum for a number of reasons but most of all because of the way she brought up five extremely varied people to be who they wanted to be. She was always part-mother, part-diplomat, partteacher and a bit of a United Nations peacekeeper. I remember sitting on the couch while she read us stories. As kids we felt safe with her. She's still the person I turn to in a crisis. She was never pushy like a lot of modern mothers.

"Years ago when I was at college, my sister and I were chatting one night in my bedsit. She described mum as 'a lovely woman'. I had never thought of her as 'a woman'. It was one of those moments when you get a deeper understanding of someone in your life.

"She makes me smile with the way she embraces the new. Her latest projects include aqua aerobics and acting. She loves a laugh and she equally loves a natter. She's warm, never judging, always has her own opinion and more than anything, she's a lady."

Maeve Higgins Naked Camera actress "Generally, I'm a pretty calamitous person. There are a few things however that I do with aplomb, all of which I learned from my mother. She taught me how to roast a chicken, hold a baby, respect myself, spot sleazy men, read James Stephens, choose my friends, wear orange and love my family.

"If it's true that all women turn into their mothers then that suits me. I'll be a cool lady with lots of children and I will endow each with random skills like making robots out of shells collected on the beach."

Andrea Roche Model "My mother Marion is half Indian, although she comes from Fethard, Co Tipperary. She was a beautiful-looking women when she was young. She had me when she was just 19. I'm the eldest of five children and at one stage she had three under the age of four. I admire her for that; it can't have been easy bringing us all up at the same time.

"These days we're more like friends than mother and daughter. We go shopping together and have the odd girlie weekend away. I think the older you get the easier it becomes to get on with your mum. We're alike in certain ways, but she's more stubborn than I am. She gives the best advice. It really is true that mother knows best."

Sheana Keane The Health Squad presenter "I'm very like my mother Maureen. We're both as stubborn as each other and we both love fashion.

In fact, the older I get the more I find myself dressing like her. She has a fabulous, tiny little figure and an amazing dress sense. She often walks into a room and takes my breath away with how glamorous she looks and she makes me so proud.

"Growing up she was always supportive of us three children. She taught us to work hard and she was always positive. I remember going through my goth phase and wearing ripped jeans which, looking back, were horrendous. She never said anything bad however. 'You look lovely my dear, ' would be her only reply when I walked into the room. As a result of her encouragement I've always stood on my own two feet. Now I aim to be like her in bringing up my own children."

Ray D'Arcy Today FM presenter "Mary D'Arcy raised nine children, of which I'm the third eldest. When we were young she used to threaten us that she was going to have a nervous breakdown. Of course we didn't take her seriously, but looking back I realise that raising us was no easy feat.

"People say we're alike in both looks and personality. My mother is quiet, diligent and very sweet. She makes me laugh when she phones, 'It's only me, sorry to bother youf' She's a clever woman who married young and later went back to work as the secretary in the local secondary school.

"Of course, she's proud of my achievements but she's egalitarian in her praise of all of us. I think she gets a little embarrassed when people mention that they heard me on the radio or saw me on television. 'Oh yes. That's nice, ' she'll say and then quickly change the conversation to the price of carrots."

Brian Murray Actor "I was the eldest of three boys and I've always had a good, strong relationship with my lovely mother Rosaleen. She was a working-class woman with high standards and she kept a tidy home.

"I had an idyllic childhood growing up in Islandbridge in the heart of Dublin city.

Maybe because there were no girls in the family she brought us up to do our share around the house. As a result I've always helped with the housework.

"She's always watched me on television and I know she's proud of me. I'm at an age now where I can say unashamedly that I love her and that she and my father were the perfect parents.

"I'm a parent myself with four children and I know the feeling of guilt that comes with parenting. You wonder if you're doing things right. I realise now that she did a really good job."

George Hook Radio presenter and rugby pundit "My mother has been dead for years but she was a huge influence on my life. I inherited my verbal ability from her. She was a quickwitted, clever Cork woman who had a great love of reading. She was a great talker too. My friends used to ring the house looking for me and she'd keep them hanging on for 20 minutes while she talked about everything and anything.

"I never used to give her anything for Mother's Day. I suppose I was a poor son in that respect but I know she was very proud of my achievements on radio and television when she was alive."

Micheal Martin Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment "I remember my mother Lana taking five of us on the train to the beach in Youghal with the tomato and egg sandwiches, apple tart and queen cakes packed. "She's a warm, loving and loyal person. She has a lot of humanity, she's non-judgemental and she trusts her instincts. She's a bit nervous of politics.

When I tell I'm appearing on Questions and Answers for example she tells me she'll says a few prayers."

Sean Moncrieff Radio presenter "I have four children of my own aged between three and 14. One of my daughters Keelin is very like my mother Molly.

Both have elephantine memories. My mum still gives out to me for eating biscuits in bed which I used to do when I was seven. I'm very different to her in personality. I'm more like my dad. I think she worries about what I do for a living. I could go home and tell her I won an Oscar or 10m in the lottery and she'd still turn to me and say, 'But do you have a job yet?'" TIED TO THEIR MOTHERS' APRON STRINGS. . .

THEY may come across as hard men, cool and collected, but come Mother's Day expect even the most manly famous fellas to be good little boys who love their mummies.

Many celebs wouldn't have got where they are today without being guided along clutching mum's apron strings.

LEONARDO DICAPRIO Who's the mummy? Germanborn Irmelin is Leo's mum and manager.

He says: "The best I can hope is to find a woman who has half of the qualities that my mother has. She's so much a part of who I am that I can't even talk about myself without talking about her.

She's my moral cornerstone.

No woman could ever compete with her. She's a good natured, honest, morally righteous person and she's been a tremendous example to me."

COLIN FARRELL Who's the mummy? Rita first pushed Colin into showbiz when she enrolled him in dance classes as a child. She remains his number one fan and insists on showing off his awards on her mantelpiece in Castleknock.

He says: "My mum is my best pal in the world and an amazing woman. Anything I am, or anything I hope to be, I have to thank her for."

DAVID BECKHAM Who's the mummy?

Hairdresser Sandra, who recently split from David's father, Ted.

He says: The England football ace revealed that he burst into tears when he first left home at 16. "I'm a little bit of a mummy's boy. I am very emotional. When I watch a sad film I have to go into another room and cry. I think I get it from my mum."

MATT DAMON Who's the mummy?

Professor Nancy Carlsson-Paige He says: "My mom's just great. She's given me this clear view of the whole fame circus that definitely helps keep you sane. I was never looking to become an overpaid sensation. I had fairly realistic expectations thanks to her."

LENNOX LEWIS Who's the mummy? His number one fan and inspiration, Violet.

He says: "I love you, " said Lennox when announcing his retirement from boxing. "One lesson she taught me is that it is easy to be around when everything is going well, but that true loyalty and love are expressed and revealed during hard times."

RUSSELL CROWE Who's the mummy? Former film-set caterer, Jocelyn.

When Crowe made his acting debut aged six in 'Spyforce', it was Jocelyn who was in charge of feeding the cast.

He says: "I remember when I won the Oscar for 'Gladiator', my mother cried so much she lost her false eyelashes in the aisle where she was sitting. I didn't do all the party hoopla and all that sort of stuff afterwards. I did take my mum to meet Elton John because she wanted to meet him. I have a photograph of that occasion which I treasure."

JOHNNY DEPP Who's the mummy?

Betty Sue (below), who recently moved into a new house in Palm Springs, paid for by her generous son.

He says: "We became very close when I was 15 and my parents split up. Sometimes she still looks at me and says, 'God, can you believe your life? Going from living in a motel to all this?' When it all started, she was still a waitress. Customers would say, 'You're Johnny Depp's mom!' and she'd be all proud."

BRAD PITT Who's the mummy? Jane Pitt, who has also acted as Brad's manager.

He says: "When I was a kid, we were not very well off but we used to go to the drive-in movie house and sit on the hood of the car to watch the movie. My mother used to make popcorn because it was cheaper than buying it there. It was down to her that I decided I really wanted to be an actor."

ROBBIE WILLIAMS Who's the mummy? Having played in school productions of 'Oliver!' and obviously showing a flair for entertaining, Williams' mum Jan, a school counsellor, saw an advert for auditions to be in a new boy band called Take That.

He says: On picking up three Brit Awards: "This is all down to my mum. I wouldn't be anywhere without her."

ELIJAH WOOD Who's the mummy? Debbie, who signed her little boy up as a child model as a way for him to burn off excessive energy.

He says: "My mom is one of the most together and sensible people I've ever met and she took care of me and my brother and sister in the best possible way. She has always believed in me and given me a strong grounding and sense of confidence. I give my mom all the credit in the world."