Weekends are our busiest time... we are rarely at home

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your work:

I am currently living in my beloved West Kerry with my son Ted, aged two, and my husband Fred, who also does comedy. Like Garth Brooks we spend most of our lives commuting from Kerry to Dublin. I often joke that when we were deciding where to live, circa January 2020, Fred wanted to live in Meath and I wanted to live in Kerry so we came to a compromise and we are living in Kerry.

I am a comedian (Joanne Mc Nally support 2022, Des Bishop support 2019, Tommy Tiernan support 2018), writer (I have a weekly parenting column in the Irish Examiner) and podcaster (Crimeland and formerly Up to 90 Podcast).

My new show Oops, this is Toxic is a love letter to Britney Spears but also an examination of 00s misogyny. It sold out at both Edinburgh and Dublin Fringe and the latter was awarded the First Fortnight Award.

What is your ideal way to spend a Friday night?

Performing is my absolute favourite way to spend a Friday night, and I am so proud of the response my show Oops, This is Toxic has been getting; it makes every performance all the more special. There really is nothing like creating something and having people come and really enjoy it — it makes me so happy.

Lockdown was lovely in that it allowed Fred and I to nest a bit, but we are both just so happy to be back gigging and doing what we love most, even if it does mean missing the good bits on the Late Late.

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

I tend to be the morning person in the marriage, and that’s okay because I love being up and about and getting the bits and bobs done. Because we have a little boy though, lie-ins as such are a relic of a different life! A lie-in these days might consist of staying in bed until 8, and Fred only reminded me that back in the day we would only have been getting in at that hour!

Does work creep into your weekend at all?

Weekends are generally our busiest time, so we are rarely together or at home in West Kerry. Because we live in West Kerry it just means gigs are always that bit farther away, and we try to arrange things together so it doesn’t involve as much travelling but it doesn’t always work out like that.

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

Lisbon was a special place for us as it’s the first and only time we got away together and I’d love to go back one day. I would definitely bring my main men Fred and Ted. Fred keeps asking when we are going on a honeymoon so that we could chalk that down as the mí na meala and sure it’s another job done!

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

We are spoilt for choice in West Kerry, and I do try to get out for a walk on my own most days. It sounds like such a small thing but just getting out for a half an hour and getting to listen to a true-crime podcast or two makes such a difference to my headspace. 

I come back home a different woman and ready to tackle the washing with the newfound vigour! Sometimes I leave the true-crime on and Fred thinks it’s the news which always results in Fred being very alarmed.

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

Because our weekends are busy with work we don’t necessarily get to catch up with family and friends, but I have tried to make a bigger effort to stay in touch via the phone. I know it’s not the same, but the older I get the more I truly appreciate my family and friends and really want people in my life to feel valued and that I am really giving them my time when we do have the chats. I always say a great sign of friendship is not being in touch for a long time and just taking off right where you left off.

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

I love sea-swimming (yes, between that, starting a podcast and having a baby I am every lockdown cliché going). I haven’t been able to indulge for a little while but I’m hoping to get back into it because anytime I brave it in the winter I always feel like one of the X Men.

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

I tend to get very stressed when entertaining as I want everything to be perfect for people, but then I hate people doing things for me so it’s a bit of a lose lose situation!

We live quite far away from a lot of our friends and family but if we do ever have people round I try to keep it simple with something like plaice or sole and fried potatoes.

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

I simply adore Cork — Cork Coffee Roasters always reminds me of my UCC days and honestly even though so many coffee places have sprung up since, I still think it’s way ahead of the game. I love SpitJack for brunch and you can’t beat Market Lane for dinner.

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

I’d love to say I light a scented candle, run a hot bath and journal my intentions for the week ahead but as a former teacher I generally spend Sunday night panicking that I don’t have the copies corrected and a feeling of impending chaos looms. 

Because our weekends tend to be hectic I can never believe we are back into Monday and the mayhem begins all over again.

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

My alarm clock comes in the shape of a very cute two-year-old who generally gets us up for seven on a good day.

Anything else you are up to right now...

As well as touring my show Oops, This is Toxic, I am currently writing my parenting column every week in the Irish Examiner and recording my podcasts Crimeland and Trapped with my husband Fred.

Julie Jay will be Live at The Everyman in Cork with her show, Oops, This Is Toxic on Thursday, October 20th. Booking on www.everymancork.com or 021 450167