My Weekend: 'I don't think I have ever entertained'

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your work...

My name is Bláithín Mac Gabhann. I am from Cork city. More specifically, from the Corner House Pub on Coburg St, which my family own. I’m an actor, singer, and dancer, currently on tour with Malaprop Theatre Company on their show HOTHOUSE-coming soon to a theatre near you.

What is your ideal way to spend a Friday night?

Ideal Friday night is on the couch, watching a movie with my boyfriend and some extremely bougie takeaway food. Indian food, specifically, if we feel like spending €1m on a meal.

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

Oh, lie-ins all the way. I wish I was a morning person, but I’m just not. I’d be completely nocturnal if I had a choice. If it’s for work, I’ll usually get in to a good routine for a while of waking up early and going to bed early. But, left to my own devices, I’m awake all night and asleep all day.

Does work creep in to your weekend at all?

I mean, you’re always processing things in your mind. You’re running lines or coming up with new ideas for scenes. Or absorbing notes you were given during the week. But, physically, any time off I get is for relaxing and recovering from the week behind me.

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

I mean, if money is no object I’ll be going to London and seeing as many shows as I can. Probably go see Hadestown four times in a row. And I’d be bringing Rob (Le boyfriend). Either that or back to Amsterdam with my friend, Sadhbh: the prettiest city I’ve ever seen. Or back to Paris on the train with Martha, to take increasingly silly pictures of the Eiffel Tower. And to spend our whole day looking forward to going home and watching Frasier.

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

I’m pretty sedentary when I’m home. I travel a lot for work and it really takes it out of me. My friends and boyfriend live three minutes down the road from me, and their living room/back garden is the most relaxing place I know. Either that or my friend Green’s living room — one of my favourite places on Earth. Mostly because that’s where Green lives.

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

Yeah, I usually head down to Alchemy and visit my pal Anna. Get some food and do the crossword with Rob. I mostly use weekends to catch up on chores, though.

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

I’m a bit of a workaholic, to be honest, so, sadly, I don’t have many hobbies. I’m trying to develop more of them. I was big in to dance when I was younger, did it for most of my life. Would love to get back in to a ballet class again. I did go ice skating for the first time in years last winter and I would have spent a full day there if I could have. Wish it was there year-round.

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

I don’t think I have ever entertained in my whole life. But if I did, it would have to be a pasta-based meal. I have one recipe that I got from my Junior Cert home economics book, a knock-off of chicken paprikash. Any time I get the urge to cook, I usually make that.

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

For coffee, it’s Some Dose — Tamzin and Jared are absolute dotes, along with all the staff there.

Lunch isn’t big for me, I usually have it at home. Brunch, however…Rob and I are trying to hit as many breakfast/brunch spots as we can. Tony’s Bistro is a recent favourite. And for a special meal, you can’t get much more special than The Glass Curtain: Some of the nicest food I’ve ever eaten.

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

In bed, watching telly and doing as little as humanly possible.

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

It depends. But whatever time it is, it’s too early.

Anything else you are up to right now...

Touring HOTHOUSE around the country with the best people ever. Really excited to see all the little parts of Ireland I’ve never been to. Also, just finished writing a first draft of my first play, with the support of Cork Theatre Collective. Exciting, and humbling times.

 HOTHOUSE is at the Everyman Theatre on Wednesday, April 30, at 8pm. See https://everymancork.com/events/hothouse/