Person to Person: How would I like to be remembered?...as Feis Maitiu winner 1994 

Tell us about yourself;

I’m from Cork. I left when I was 15 to try and become a dancer and that took me to a conservatory in Pittsburgh before living for seven years in New York as well as Brussels, London and Shanghai. Over that journey, I worked as a performer with the British immersive company, Punchdrunk, for over 12 years and have been producing my own work in Ireland since 2013. I found myself in West Cork for the pandemic and that led to moving back fully in 2023. Now I work in theatre and dance as a choreographer, a writer and a director. I have a company called Attic Projects. This summer, I’m working with Des Kennedy on the Everyman’s site-specific production of Pool (No Water) by Mark Ravenhill which opens on June 12 as part of the Cork Midsummer Festival.

Where were you born?

The General Hospital just off Anglesea Street. I grew up on Patrick’s Hill.

Where do you live?

Now I’m living in Cobh, staring out at the harbour.

Family?

An amazing wife, a genius sister, a charismatic father, a deeply missed mother.

Best friend?

Part of having moved around so much is I have very close friends spread out across a lot of corners of the world. I grew up a stone’s throw away from my cousins so it’s great to see them so often now that I’m back.

Earliest childhood memory?

I was pretending to be a bull when I was four, my sister was holding a red towel and I was running at it head first. Then I ran head first into a toilet seat and chaos ensued.

Person you most admire?

I’m kind of in awe of my wife, she’s moved across the Atlantic, and had to restart her career in a completely new scene, and it’s going just brilliantly. She has a show on at the Midsummer Festival, OffSpring: A Modern Frankenstein - when you see it; you’ll get it, she’s unreal.

Person who most irritates you?

Drunk guy on the plane on an 8am flight.

Where was your most memorable holiday?

Iceland is breathtaking.

Favourite TV programme?

At the moment, Severance and The Pitt.

Favourite radio show?

Sean Rocks was an incredible advocate for the arts on Arts Arena, I still love the show but he’s greatly missed.

Your signature dish if cooking?

I just waddle along trying to follow the New York Times recipes and never feeling particularly confident. I did a butter chicken which turned out OK.

Favourite restaurant?

In Cork? Miyazaki.

Last book you read?

Kick The Latch, by Kathryn Scanlan

Best book you read?

Tenth Of December, by George Saunders.

Last album/CD/download you bought?

A Dawning, by Talos and Olafur Arnalds.

Favourite song?

I heard Modern Girl by Sleater-Kinney again recently and it’s been stuck in my head. When the drums come in, brilliant.

One person you would like to see in concert?

Future Islands seem like they’d be great fun live.

Do you have a pet?

Nope.

Morning person or night owl?

When I’m rehearsing, morning person. When I’m performing, night owl.

Your proudest moment?

My dad has a video of me winning Feis Maitiu when I was seven and it looks like I was full of beans.

Spendthrift or saver?

Saver.

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

There’s an amazing group of people fund-raising to open a theatre in Cobh, Great Island Theatre. Donate.

What makes you happy?

I love what I do, outside of that; the sea, Kilcrohane, a good film, a good view, being around a lot of different types of people.

How would you like to be remembered?

Feis Maitiu winner, 1994.

What else are you up to at the moment?

I am working as Movement Director with the Everyman production of Pool (No Water) starring Evanna Lynch and directed by Des Kennedy which opens on June 12 continuing until June 27. I have two productions on tour right now, we just took Volcano to the Hong Kong Festival in March and another production Scorched Earth to New York in April. Next up, Scorched Earth heads to the Brisbane Festival in September. And I’m writing the script for my next project, Ingenium.

• See: www.everymancork.com