My Weekend: 'I enjoy kayaking and walking..they can trigger inspiration'

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your work:

I am from Carrigtwohill in East Cork, but live in Aghada at the water’s edge now – love it. With the glorious weather we’re having this week, there’s no better place. Beautiful beaches, a fabulous tennis court, woods, superb cafes…I’ve said too much already…we like to keep it a secret. When I was younger, I didn’t appreciate the beauty and couldn’t wait to get out. I went to college in Galway and then on to Dublin to do Medical Microbiology. I worked in pathology in the Mater Hospital for two years before studying acting at The Samuel Beckett Centre, Trinity College. I went from acting to writing and then directing and producing.

What is your ideal way to spend a Friday night?

If there’s a good play on in the city, I’ll head to Cork for that. We’re lucky with the level of work that’s in Cork at the moment; some fantastic writers, actors and directors who could be seen at Cork Midsummer Festival this year. What an interesting programme. Cork Arts Theatre always has something great to offer, and their summer programme this year is incredible. I might be a tiny bit biased, as I have my play, Violet Gibson: The Woman Who Shot Mussolini, on in it. There really is an incredible standard of work, though, and very varied - something for everyone at corkartstheatre.com.

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

Usually, I’m up around 7am to drive my daughter to school or at the moment she’s working at Fota Adventure Centre, where they are having great fun with school tours and summer camps. If I do have a late night, I might sneak back to bed for a lie-in. That’s one of the advantages of being self-employed. Learning a script at the beach on a sunny day, as I did today, is another one. There are plenty of disadvantages too, but we won’t go into them. With two different productions coming up in July, life is looking pretty good at the moment. Of course, it means that I have two scripts to learn at the beach, so hopefully this heatwave will be with us for a while.

Does work creep into your weekend at all?

It kind of has to at the moment, with two productions within a week of each other. That’s not always the case. I don’t mind as I love what I do and am always delighted to have the opportunity to share my work. Of course, you have to perform at weekends a lot. Usually, it’s the same production one weekend after the other, but for the first time, I am doing two different productions within a week. I will perform Cáca Milis, Cúpla Focal agus Cupán Tae on Thursday, July 19, at the West Cork Literary Festival, and then the following Wednesday, July 22, I open Violet Gibson: The Woman Who Shot Mussolini at Cork Arts Theatre, and it runs for the week. What was I thinking? Was I even thinking?

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

A weekend in London where I’d stay in a luxury hotel in the city centre and go to see all the shows in the West End. I’d bring my mother as she loves the theatre. It was she who inspired me to be an actor. She’s probably seen everything that has come through the Opera House, The Everyman and Cork Arts Theatre in the last 20 years, since she retired.

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

I love to head to one of the nearby beaches with the family dog, Joey, for a long walk followed by a swim. Guileen is especially beautiful when the tide is in and the water is calm, like glass. There’s also a pub there if I get very thirsty after the walk. I did say long walk.

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

I always like to catch up with family and friends, but weekends can be tricky depending on what I’m working on. Sometimes I’ll drag them along. My sister is coming down to the West Cork Literary Festival to see me perform Cáca Milis, Cúpla Focal agus Cupán Tae one weekend, and then the following weekend she is coming to Cork to see Violet Gibson. She lives in Dublin. In fairness, we always have a great time together, and there will be lots to see in Bantry for the festival. Jonathan Coe, who wrote The Proof Of My Innocence, is on later the same evening, and the next morning will be the festival swim, followed by the launch of the From The Well Anthology. My short story, Fly, was chosen for publication, so I’m thrilled. The first time one of my short stories was chosen for an anthology. Then, that evening, we’ll have Liz Nugent and Louise O Neill reading and chatting about their new books. Roll on West Cork Literary Festival.

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

I play tennis and kayak, which are great ways to clear the mind and exercise. I’ve tried meditating, but feel I’m too energetic for it, so playing a sport or walking, kayaking, or something that requires mindful attention works well for me. They can often trigger an inspiration. Tennis is quite social as well, which is great if you’ve spent the day on your own in front of a computer.

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

Since I entertain as my career, it’s nice to be entertained. I like to think I contribute with stories. I love when a dinner party or social outing includes a couple of storytellers. Not professionals but people who always have a story to tell, whether it’s an anecdote from their holidays or a memory of a humorous occurrence. I think Irish people, for the most part, are great storytellers, and I love that the cúpla focal are coming back into play. I was delighted to be able to translate my play Fruitcake into a short, simple piece as gaeilge that is easy to follow. It’s great fun after, having a slice of the cake (here’s one I made earlier) and the cúpla focal afterwards.

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

I am within walking distance of all three. Corkbeg Cafe in Whitegate does the best coffee and cake/sandwiches. Rostellan Farm does great lunch and deli, and Rosie’s in Aghada is the restaurant for occasions and music evenings. They have been known to have the odd play performed there, too. To clarify, the plays aren’t odd; it’s just that, on occasion, they have allowed me to use their space as a little theatre. I’m just around the corner from Ballymaloe as well, so if it’s a very special occasion, that’s my go-to.

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

Reading a good book, which I am doing a lot of at the moment, as we have some amazing writers coming to the festival this year, and I like to have as many read as I can before I meet them. I meet most of the writers coming through the festival as I am one of the artist liaisons, lucky me.

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

6.55 am - up and out the door. I may even still be in my pyjamas in the car. I don’t have too far to go, but I often think about how horrified the nuns from school would be. I mean, what if I had an accident and no clean knickers on?

Anything else you are up to right now...

Between Cáca Milis at West Cork Literary Festival and Violet Gibson at Cork Arts Theatre in July, I don’t have time for much else. Oh no, wait, hang on… I finished a masters in creative writing at UCC recently, so I am also writing a novel and hope to start a PhD soon. And… I am doing Fruitcake, the play that was adapted to Cáca Milis at Cloyne Cathedral and Midleton Books in August. Another script for the beach.

• Alice Barry will be at The West Cork Literary Festival on July 16 at 7pm in Ma Murphy’s to perform her play Cáca Milis. The West Cork Literary Festival takes place from July 10 to 17. See: www.westcorkliteraryfestival.ie