'There are very few roads on the island that haven't been explored at some point...'

Musical Director David Hayes takes part in our Person to Person.

TELL us about yourself:

I am a Musical Director (MD), producer, orchestrator, educator and keys player in theatre, TV, live performance, studio and production across many genres of music including pop, jazz, trad, folk, rock, funk, etc, with 41 years of experience as a musical director / supervisor to ensembles and companies, instrumental, vocal and theatrical – of all shape and size – having first been an MD at age 15.

Work has since toured me nationally (there are very few roads on the island that haven’t been explored at some point!) and also internationally, including England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, France, Portugal, Spain, Germany, Netherlands, Denmark, USA, Canada, Australia and Japan.

Life is now mostly spent in the triangle bounded by the M7/8/9 and the sea.

Where were you born?

Dublin.

Where do you live?

Waterford. On the Dunmore East edge of the city, in beautiful Ballygunner (recently crowned All Ireland Club Hurling champions!) People love their county here, so they do!

Family?

For sure! My so very patient, long-suffering wife – Audrey, four wonderful daughters – Alannah, Karina, Jessica and Cara. And also very lucky to have my Mam and Dad in Dublin. And 1-year-old Benny (our Lockdown doggy!).

Best friend? Several: My Best Man, and fine friend of 33 years now – Ken Giles. My similarily long time music collaborator, colleague and friend – Nicky Bailey. And some very close colleagues who became dear friends more than colleagues many moons ago, and they know exactly who they are.

Earliest childhood memory?

Escaping across the ditch to the then racecourse behind us, with our then dog (Sooty) and running our greatest race together - with my dad a couple of furlongs behind (by the time he realised, we were out the gap – in every sense!)

Person you most admire?

John Cooke: Co-proprietor of Raglan Road, Orlando, Florida. 

An amazing businessman, a wonderful supporter of Irish talent, a fine musician, and a most wonderful, caring, humble, human being.

And my parents – for being the living embodiment of selflessness.

Person who most irritates you? People with no passion or care for what they do. What’s the point?

Where was your most memorable holiday?

Malin Head, Co Donegal – we rented a house with the Giles-es. The very best of times and memories for life.

Favourite TV programme?

8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown - a riotous relief from the real world.

Favourite radio show?

PK on Newstalk – always so polished and so incisive - and Sarah McInerney (when she was on radio) – absolutely superb.

Your signature dish if cooking?

Sorry... you’re breaking up!!!!!!!

Eh… Cornflakes – with banana!!!

Favourite restaurant?

Well now!!!!!

Waterford: Waterford Castle – so perfect – for that very special occasion.

Cork: Eastern Tandoori! Never ever had a bad meal there and I love that the fine hosts will leave you sit and talk all night.

Dublin: Trocadero – same.

Edinburgh: The Witchery!!! If you ever get the chance – you just have to because I have sent many folk there and it is still stunning by all accounts.

Orlando: Raglan Road – every dish is superb. Every day. An amazing achievement.

Best book you read?

McCarthy’s Bar – definitively LOL.

Last album/CD/download you bought?

Queen - on vinyl – as a present.

Favourite song:

A beautiful gem called Extraordinary Magic by Ben Rector that popped into my life on a late night drive.

And The Color of Roses by Beth Nielsen Chapman.

(Both on my funeral playlist).

One person you would like to see in concert?

James Taylor – sheer class - and what a band!

Do you have a pet?

After 12 years of pleading – finally, YES! Benny – the only other boy in the house.

Morning person or night owl?

BOTH - as many will attest!!

Your proudest moment?

Two: Conducting West Side Story at BGET – October, 2021. Conducting RTÉCO at NCH – November, 2021.

One: Having my family together at Christmas – a moment I look forward to every year – when we finally get to stop running - and the world is right - for a while – and the girls and Audrey on a roll with my Dad and my Mam secretly loving it.

(Oh, and that first tackle on the Blackrock centre in the McCorry cup for Clontarf!)

Spendthrift or saver?

Desperately failing at the latter so must be the former.

Name one thing you would improve in your area in which you live?

Take down the signposts before the rest of Dublin finds it!

Other than that - I wouldn’t touch it – seas, cliffs, coves, fields, lakes, mountains and calm, empty, untouched landscapes all within minutes. Shh - Don’t tell anyone. A complete antidote to the melee.

What makes you happy?

IN: A small glass of wine, 7up free, crisps, wine gums, a roaring fire, good company, a rugby match on TV and my family being/doing OK.

OUT: Any cove along the West Waterford coast, Audrey, a flask of tea, a couple of biscuits and my family being/doing OK.

How would you like to be remembered?

For caring.

What else are you up to at the moment?

Working on three very different original musicals – two in Cork and one in Dublin.

Working on a TV broadcast for BBC NI and TG4 for St Patrick’s Day.

Working on a fully EDI casting of Hairspray in Waterford and reaching out to new communities with workshop days and discussions and explorations in doing so.

Working on an almost-within-reach (3.5 years later) set of recordings that hopefully explore the music of West Side Story in a previously unheard way – titled Inside WestSide.

David Hayes is the Musical Director for Broadway Babes & West End Girls which will be performed as part of Finding A Voice at Old St Mary’s Church in Clonmel at 7pm on Friday, March 4.

Finding a Voice takes place from Thursday, March 3, and full details are on www.findingavoice.ie