Person to Person: From Cork to New Zealand to play music we love

TELL us about yourself;

I’m a violist from Cork and a member of the Calathea Quartet, with whom I’ll be performing at West Cork Chamber Music Festival in Bantry which takes place from June 23 to July 2. I studied at the MTU Cork School of Music and later at the Royal Academy of Music in London, where our quartet formed.

Where were you born?

Born and raised in Cork!

Where do you live?

I currently divide my time between London and Cork.

Family?

I’m from a musical family; my parents are both musicians, as is my younger sister. I also have an older sister, who has a ‘real’ job.

Best friend?

My sister Meadhbh - we’re very close in age and have plenty of photos of ourselves in matching outfits growing up. We drive each other completely mad at times but she’ll always pick up the phone when I need advice.

Earliest childhood memory?

Dancing to the ’90s classic Saturday Night by Whigfield at a Kids Club in Portugal. I would have been about four.

Person you most admire?

This is a tough question - I really admire all the women in my extended family; they have all led different lives and achieved amazing things and I’m lucky to have such wonderful examples to look up to and learn from.

Person who most irritates you?

Probably Meadhbh again - as I said, we do wind each other up!

Where was your most memorable holiday?

When I was in primary school, every year we would take the ferry to the Rencontre Musicale Irlandaise, a traditional Irish music festival, at Tocane St Apre in the Dordogne, France. 

My dad would provide the sound engineering for the festival while we were free to wander off and play with other children - mostly swimming in the river and jumping off the weir.

There were always fantastic concerts of trad music by both the specialist Irish teachers and the novice French students, as well as the annual hurling match - depending on the origins of the ref, the winner’s prize would be a Cork or Kilkenny jersey.

Favourite TV programme?

I’m pretty bad at keeping up to date with what’s new, but I’ll always rewatch Fleabag given the opportunity. To me, it has the perfect balance of being hysterically funny while also being extremely touching.

Favourite radio show?

Cillian Murphy’s Limited Edition on BBC Radio 6.

Your signature dish if cooking?

I don’t think I have a signature dish, but I love cooking food inspired by Mediterranean flavours, especially Italian, Greek and Lebanese dishes.

Favourite restaurant?

I love Good Day Deli for lunch, or Mannings Emporium in Ballylickey for something cheesy, but for a special occasion it always has to be Paradiso - when I was there over Easter the tasting menu really was spectacular.

Last book you read?

The Island Of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak.

Best book you read?

Very hard to choose, but from books I’ve read recently, I’d have to say 32 Words For Field by Manchán Magan. 

An absolutely fascinating look at how our natural environment influences our language.

Last album/CD/download you bought?

Mr Charles The Hungarian, by the Irish Baroque Orchestra and Peter Whelan.

Favourite song?

American Tune, by Paul Simon. I was lucky enough to hear him live at the RDS a couple of years ago, it was a really special evening.

One person you would like to see in concert?

Paul McCartney - the Beatles were always playing in the car when I was growing up, and I’d love the chance to hear some of my favourite songs live.

Morning person or night owl?

Definitely a night owl.

Your proudest moment?

Finishing my postgraduate studies; my two year masters coincided directly with the pandemic and it was tough undertaking a practical degree online.

Spendthrift or saver?

I’m a saver, though I can easily be persuaded to spend on good cheese or a mid-morning cake and coffee!

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

Definitely public transport links - the traffic is often bad and the buses can be unreliable, so it would be great to have trams or trains to bypass the traffic for the Cork city suburbs.

What makes you happy?

A swim in the sea, either at Kilcrohane Pier on Sheep’s Head or at Castlepark, followed by a pint of Beamish at the Dock. When I’m in Dublin, I always try to fit in a dip at the Forty Foot.

What else are you up to at the moment?

Following our Calathea Quartet performances at West Cork Chamber Music in June, we will be touring New Zealand in September, supported by Chamber Music New Zealand. 

It’ll be my first time in the Southern Hemisphere and I’m so excited to be travelling there with friends to perform music we love.

I’m also looking forward to some upcoming work with the Irish Baroque Orchestra, in particular performing in HandelFest at Dublin Castle on July 14.