What makes me happy? Time in my garden and rowing on the Lee in the mornings

Tell us about yourself;

My name is Louise Foote and I am part of the organising team for Culture Night Cork City 2025 at MTU.

I am an artist, educator, mother, and wife who loves how different we all are and believes in the power of creativity to bring people together and make a difference.

As Head of Arts in Health & Education at MTU Crawford, I work with a team of people exploring how creativity can support learning, wellbeing, and connection, and providing training in this space.

Most weekends I can be found rowing up and down the River Lee with the Shandon Masters.

Where were you born?

Cork.

Where do you live?

In Rushbrooke, across the river from where I grew up, via a few decades in Cork city.

Family?

One husband, three young adult children, parents, and a load of brothers.

Growing up, home was a very male-dominated household, but now all those brothers mean I have a wonderful collection of sisters-in-law.

Best friend?

No one person in particular, but lots of friends in different contexts.

Earliest childhood memory?

It’s hard to distinguish the memories from the photographs, but lots of my (unphotographed) earlier memories involve exploring rock pools and building dams in the stream in our local woods.

Person you most admire?

Nerding it here, but right now I most admire an educational neuroscientist, Mary Helen Immordino-Yang, who is doing amazing work on the central role emotions play in how we learn.

She has recently published research that shows if we develop young people’s thinking skills rather than just feed them facts, they not only become better learners, but their wellbeing improves also.

Person who most irritates you?

No one person, but I do get irritated by people who only focus on the downside of a situation and can’t see the potential in it.

Where was your most memorable holiday?

A trip to the Loire in France with the kids a few years ago. None of us could believe how gorgeous the house was.

Favourite TV programme?

Birdsong – the recent documentary about Sean Ronayne and his mission to record the song of every bird in Ireland.

Favourite radio show?

Brendan O’Connor is always a good listen.

Your signature dish if cooking?

Whatever my husband is cooking.

Favourite restaurant?

The Ivory Tower – I still miss the food and the element of surprise.

Last book you read?

The Names, by Florence Knapp.

Best book you read?

There are lots and several of them are children’s story books.

Last album/CD/download you bought?

I love music, but haven’t bought an album in years. I’m on a bit of an Imagine Dragons roll at the moment.

Favourite song?

There are many – playlists and songs for different times of day and states of mind.

One person you would like to see in concert?

I saw Jack O’Rourke in concert a couple of years ago, and he was superb. I’d love to see him in the Rory Gallagher Theatre at MTU Bishopstown campus. Sending it out to the universe.

Maybe our MTU Arts Officer could help make this dream come true!

Do you have a pet?

Gary, a cat named after a pea crab who walked out of someone’s dinner in New York and had a musical written about him by a class of seven-year-olds. That’s a true story.

Morning person or night owl?

I’m transitioning. I’m not a great morning person, but took up rowing a few years ago, and it is always scheduled for weekend mornings.

Your proudest moment?

It’s ongoing these days – seeing my kids find their path and grow into amazing young humans.

Spendthrift or saver?

Saver, with a slight addiction to Vinted at the moment.

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

There was an award-winning public realm plan developed for Cobh a few years ago. I’d love to see it implemented.

What makes you happy?

Losing time in the garden.

How would you like to be remembered?

As an artist educator at MTU, I would love to be remembered for growing people’s awareness of the many different ways we learn, and (dreaming big) being part of change that sees engaging with the arts valued as vital within our educational systems and communities.

What else are you up to at the moment?

Currently doing a PhD exploring the role of the arts and how it supports learning and wellbeing in second-level education.