My Weekend: 'I feel very fortunate to get to work with my dad'

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your work:

My Name is Faye Shortt. I’m 27-years-old, from Limerick, currently living in Dublin. I always wanted to pursue acting as a kid and a teenager.

When it came to applying for CAO courses, I auditioned for the Gaiety School of Acting and went on to study there, as well as at the Bow Street Academy for screen acting. I graduated during covid which brought me back to living at home in Limerick with my family.

It was during covid, that I started creating comedy sketches alongside my dad, Pat. From here, we wrote a comedy show together and toured across the country.

Fast forward to 2026, and we have toured across Australia, New Zealand and also played in London.

We are currently on tour with our live comedy show — Shortt Stuff. It’s been incredible so far, and I feel very fortunate to get to work with my dad.

What is your ideal way to spend a Friday night?

To go and see a live performance, whether it be theatre, comedy, or even a film.

With gigging, I rarely have a weekend free, so getting to have a night off to sit in an audience and be entertained is a dream. I’m also currently working as a radio presenter on Spin 1038, weekdays from 7pm-10pm, so with that, a night off in general is amazing.

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

Up at the crack of dawn..... I wish I could sleep in, considering I don’t finish work till 10pm on a weekday and the same on the weekends, but my body clock is locked in.

Does work creep into your weekend at all?

My weekends won’t be free until May, so until then I’m working six days a week, which is a bit mad, but I know that it’s only temporary. Plus, I love my job, so it doesn’t always feel like work.

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

I would probably bring my partner with me.

We don’t get to spend a lot of quality time together because of me being on tour, so a weekend away would be amazing ... probably somewhere I’ve never been to before, like Copenhagen. I love my fashion, so it’s always been a dream to go to their fashion week.

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

Yes. I absolutely love going down to Kilkee in Clare on my time off.

I just love the beach and going for a sea swim, even if it is baltic.

What really relaxes me and chills me out is a sauna and a sea swim, they are everywhere at the moment.

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

I’m someone who loves company. I’m not great at being by myself so I’m always mad to meet up with a friend or family on my time off.

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

Honestly, not much. I do love going to a rugby match if I’m off.

I’m not even a huge rugby fan, but the atmosphere in the stadiums on a game day is incredible and it’s always a great excuse for a pint.

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

I love hosting drinks, but I don’t love hosting when it involves cooking.

I find the whole idea of cooking for people very stressful, so in that case I prefer to be entertained, but I do love having the girls over for a few drinks.

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

I absolutely love Cork. I used to spend all my summers down in Garrettstown on the beach.

The food at Fishy Fishy is incredible. I must book a weekend down there this summer.

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

If I have a gig closer to Limerick, I will stay at home with my family on a Sunday night and get some time to spend with them, but if my gig was closer to Dublin, I would stay at home in Dublin.

I always love it when we have a show close to Limerick, so I’ve an excuse to get home.

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

If I don’t have a gym class booked, I’ll try to sleep in till 9am, but if I have a gym class booked usually 6.30am.

Anything else you are up to right now...

I’m looking forward to bringing our show, Shortt Stuff , to Cork Opera House on Friday, March 6.

• See: www.corkoperahouse.ie/whats-on/shortt-stuff/