Catherina McKiernan

Athlete Catherina McKiernan is mammy to Deirbhile (12) and Patrick (8).

“When I was growing up, we didn’t make a big deal out of birthdays and Mother’s Day,” says Catherina. “My own mother had seven children so she was very busy. For me, it’s gone a bit commercial. The true meaning is gone out of it. Every day should be Mother’s Day, every day is an important day.”

Catherina hasn’t hit the terrible teens yet, but she’s not worried.

“I have a good relationship with Dearbhile and Patrick. They know what’s right and what’s not. They’re into sports, sport is a great levelling ground,” she says.

But that doesn’t mean they can’t wrap her around their little fingers.

“At the moment they’re in an athletics club, but it often clashes with swimming. They prefer athletics. I like to have variety. They try all the tricks of the trade to go to athletics instead. Because I’m so passionate about running, they appeal to that, saying: ‘It’s such a lovely day outside, why should we be inside swimming?’”

What’s the best thing about motherhood?

“Just having them. They’re such good company. I love seeing them progress, seeing them learn, seeing them walk, learning to ride a bike and seeing their personality grow. As long as they’re healthy and have good manners, I’m happy.”

Mary Byrne

Former X-Factor finalist Mary Byrne is mother to 27-year-old daughter Deborah.

Mother’s Day is a big thing in Mary Byrne’s house.

“Deborah is very good to me,” says Mary. “The whole year round she cleans for me, she cooks for me. On Mother’s Day she makes me a cup of tea and toast in bed. She does it every day but it’s special on Mother’s Day because it’s made with love. I know that sounds cheesy but it’s how it is.

Is Mary Byrne a worrier? “Yes,” she answers. “Me and Deborah were together for a long time without anyone, and still are. I brought her up to be a strong independent girl. I want her to do things on her own because, at the end of the day, the only person you can rely on is yourself.

Mary says she was strict with her daughter growing up, particularly one Christmas when Deborah had her heart set on a Disney buggy.

“I had to sit her down and tell her I couldn’t ask Santa for that. She was seven-years-old but she accepted that. I never held anything back from her. She had to learn the value of money.

Although Mary was sick for the first three months of her pregnancy, suffice it to say she enjoyed the experience more than most.

“It was the most fascinating, most magnificent thing for me. Nothing has topped that, not even X-Factor. When she was handed to me it was a bit of heaven.

“We do fight, like cats and dogs sometimes. But I’m her best friend and I’ll always be there for her. She only has to look at me sometimes. I just melt and give.

“Being a mom is one of the hardest things but it can also be one of the most rewarding. I love her to bits. I wish every mother out there the best Mother’s Day.”

Marcella Corcoran Kennedy

Fine Gael TD Marcella Corcoran Kennedy has two children, Evan (24) and Rebecca (20).

What kind of a mammy is Marcella?

“They think that I’m a bit of a hover mammy,” she says. “That I’m watching everything they’re doing. They say: ‘You do realise what age we are?’ I’m always telling them when they’re going out to mind yourselves and stay with your friends.”

Isn’t it difficult to be a “hover mammy” with such a busy schedule?

“They’re young adults now and living in Dublin, but my first year in the Dáil was a challenge because Rebecca was doing the Leaving Cert,” she says. “It was hard to always ensure she had good nutritious food because I was away three days a week. On occasion I’d try get down on Tuesday if there was no vote on. Sometimes I’d make dinner in the mornings before leaving and she’d wake up to the place smelling like curry at breakfast.”

Marcella says that in terms of discipline, it was very much about taking away their privileges when they were little.

“I used to restrict things they’d look forward to. When they knew I’d carry out my promise, it worked. I found the teen years challenging in terms of pushing the boundaries, but very entertaining because they were becoming their own people. But rewards come back in multiples, we enjoy each other’s company. It’s more a friendly relationship now. It’s interesting to bounce things off them. They’re barometers for me for a lot of things as well. It just feels great and I really feel privileged to be a mammy.”

This civility is a far cry from the days when Marcella was running in the local elections and was responsible for the “biggest mortification of their lives” when she collected them from school in her promotional car.

Nora Owen

TV personality and former Minister for Justice Nora Owen is mammy to sons, Vincent (42), Richard (41) and Edward, the 38-year old “baby”.

Nora’s son Vincent was adopted in 1972 at a time when she was, unbeknownst to her, pregnant with Richard. And so it came to be that nine months later she had a newborn and a nine-month-old. Nora says the first nine months were not as hard as the second nine months when Richard was crawling “like billio” around the house and Vincent was walking.

Richard and Edward live very near Nora in Malahide, while Vincent lives in Thailand.

“We see him once a year or once every year and a half,” says Nora.

“He will Skype or text on Mother’s Day and the other two will arrive with flowers or a plant.”

Nora was a working mother from 1981 when she became a TD.

“I was out a lot and my husband was a wonderful father. He was here for teatime and bedtime. Most days I was able to bring them to school in the morning but I wasn’t there for bedtime. I had a wonderful housekeeper, Esther, and she would stay until Brian came home.”

Nora says the hardest thing about being a mother is ensuring you keep a balance.

“You have to be careful not to have favourites,” she says.

“You have to help each child in their own way. Some children need more help than others. And you have to be the disciplinarian. I’m sure there were times when they didn’t like me very much.

“The best thing about motherhood is the sense of having people outside yourself that you love unreservedly,” concludes Nora. “They are yours and they see you as parents, and that’s where they come if something goes wrong.”