My Weekend: I came to Cork for what was supposed to be three weeks and I'm still here five years later

TELL us a bit about yourself:

I’m originally from Shankill, in Co Dublin. I’m a father of six fantastic children and I have three wonderful grandchildren. They all get on so well with each other and I really believe I’m the luckiest dad in Ireland.

I have one brother and three sisters who are amazing and incredibly supportive, my brother is my best friend.

I came to Cork in 2017 for what was supposed to be three weeks and I’m still here five years later. 

I was working in catering at the Aviva at the time and moved to Páirc Uí Chaoimh. All catering stopped during Covid-19 but an opportunity arose with the Quay Co-op on O’Sullivan’s Quay. It’s a great place to work and has a fascinating history. It’s different from other companies in that it’s owned by its members. We have an opportunity to get involved with all parts of the cooperative but I’m mainly focused on the restaurant and deli.

What is your ideal way to spend a Friday night?

My Friday nights are usually spent working. Friday and Saturday are the busiest days of the week in our upstairs at the Co-op vegetarian restaurant. My weekend moves instead to a Sunday and Monday. My partner Steff lives in Waterford so I would either go to visit her or she would come to Cork. Steff is the love of my life, I found her late in life and feel very privileged to have met her.

Lie ins or up with the lark.. which is it for you?

I’m an early riser and I’m up with the lark each day. My alarm goes off at 7am each morning regardless of whether I have work or not. 

Even though there is a bus stop outside my door, I walk to Douglas village to get the bus to town when I’m working. It’s a great way to get some exercise in.

Does work creep into your weekend at all?

I work every Friday and Saturday, but once I’m off work, rarely creeps in.

If money was no object where would you head to on a weekend city break? And who would you bring with you?

I would love to return to Rome. I was there once with my six children, we were on a cruise and it was one of the stops. It was fantastic. We hired a private car for the day and went on a whistle-stop tour of the city. He brought us to a lovely restaurant off the tourist trail, it was a proper Italian restaurant used by the locals. I love to return with my partner Steff and really experience the city over several days and sample some more Italian wine, which I adore.

Closer to home, is there some place you like to head to recharge the batteries?

I can often be found in Waterford or on a short break in Kilkenny. 

If I need to recharge the batteries in Cork, I love to walk from Fountainstown to Myrtleville or along the coast in Crosshaven. We also have some lovely walks in Cork City in places like University College Cork and the university gardens.

Do you like to catch up with family/friends at the weekend?

I’m really close to my family and I try to get to Dublin at least once a month to see my kids and grandkids.

Do you get to indulge any hobbies? Even as a spectator?

Walking is my biggest pastime and I try to get out walking every day. I cover longer distances on my days off.

I’m a big rugby fan and even though I’m living in Cork, I will always follow Leinster as well as the Irish rugby team. I also really enjoy reading crime thrillers.

Entertain or be entertained? If it’s the latter, do you have a signature dish?

I really enjoy entertaining, my ideal night is to have people over for dinner. You can’t beat nice food, nice wine, and good company. I generally do the cooking and my signature dish is stuffed pork steak which is a recipe from my mother. Since I started working at the Quay Co-op, I have found that I’ve reduced the amount of meat that I’m eating.

We currently have a lovely specials menu to mark the Quay Co-op’s 40th birthday which features a vegan “prawn” cocktail, mushroom stroganoff, and knickerbocker glory — all of which are exceptionally tasty and may have to be recreated for my next dinner party.

We have so many places to eat out in Cork — where are your go to spots for coffee/lunch/special meal?

I have to give the Quay Co-op a mention, the deli and cafe is a wonderful spot if you’re looking for a coffee or lunch. Upstairs at the Co-op is open for lunch and dinner too from Wednesday to Saturday.

My favourite restaurant is Jacques on Oliver Plunkett St, and for a special meal I would choose Bunnyconnellan in Myrtleville.

Sunday night comes around too fast... how do you normally spend it?

Sunday is usually my first proper day off, so I would usually go for a walk and then have a nice meal. I would normally take it quite easy on Monday evening before going back to work on Tuesday.

What time does your alarm clock go off on Monday morning?

Even though I’m usually off on a Monday my alarm still goes off at 7am every morning.

What else are you up to at the moment?

I’m kept really busy with long days at the Quay Co-op and spending time with my partner and family on my days off. However, I would like to return to Tanzania in the not-too-distant future. 

I went there with my mum when she was 80 and it was my most favourite trip ever. 

We raised funds to help build a centre for children with disabilities. I hope to revisit to see how everything is going and if they have any plans to extend the project. Irish people are so generous and I would be delighted to help with the fundraising again.