Home I’ve lived in Rathfarnham for most of my life and even if I wanted
to move now my kids wouldn’t let me. It’s close to the mountains, the
sea and the city. If I could pick anywhere to start over, it would be
Malahide – a gorgeous village, and there’s a train service to the city.
Restaurants I much prefer eating lunch out than dinner – a legacy of years of early newspaper shifts. My favourite restaurant is Chapter One. For a comforting portion of fish and chips, you can’t beat Burdocks. And for no-nonsense, home-cooked food I love Samir Sapru’s Indian Brasserie in Rathfarnham village.
Food Can’t cook, won’t cook – I love food but I hate preparing it. Marks & Spencer is my saviour for dinner parties. I can warm all the elements of a meal at the same time – after first hiding the packets in the bin!
Drinking I had my first drink in the Concorde in Rathmines (now Rody Bolands) in utter terror that a Black Maria would be dispatched by the gardai if they discovered we were underage.
Shopping I love the Avoca shops – particularly Powerscourt House in Enniskerry. My ideal day would be to take a walk in the grounds, eat lunch and then potter about the shops.
sport Editing a national newspaper is a blood sport! I’m an observer rather than a fan of any particular sport. Generally I pick it up by osmosis – I am the daughter of a fanatical Clare hurling fan and the wife of a dedicated Shamrock Rovers supporter. I’m not sure what that says about my taste.
Heroes Alice Leahy deserves a medal. She works without fuss to give practical help to people on the street. And she manages to stick it to the government when she gets the opportunity.
Villians The constituents of Ranelagh and Dublin West for failing to return Michael McDowell and Joe Higgins – two of the most colourful and controversial TDs in the last Dail. Politics is duller for their removal.
Pets I am the reluctant owner of a Jack Russell terrier called Ben. I say reluctant because my husband and children begged me to get a dog about five years ago with the promise that I would have to do nothing with him. I’m now the only one who walks him on a regular basis.
Hobbies I once heard Caroline Murphy of RTE say that women can have two out of three of the following – children, a career or a hobby. The former two keep me pretty busy but if I ever get time I love to paint. If I hadn’t gone into journalism I’d have gone to art school.
Work I love what we do at the Sunday Tribune. I’m still as idealistic as the day I started in journalism and I believe in its role as the fourth estate. Working every weekend is an occupational hazard and it’s pretty anti-social. As everybody else is winding down on a Friday afternoon, we are gearing up. But there’s no better feeling than going home exhausted on a Saturday night knowing that you’ve done your best and your newspaper will enlighten, inform and entertain people the next morning.
Media I used to love the London Times when they sent a proper full edition to Ireland, but lately they are giving us the international edition and it’s a poor imitation of the real thing. Online I read the Sydney Morning Herald, Slate.com and the Guardian. I read Vanity Fair, Marie Claire and Men’s Health. Jonathan Ross is my favourite talk show host and on RTE I like Ryan Tubridy. On radio I listen to Ray D’Arcy when I can. I dip in and out of the soaps. I like documentaries on National Geographic or the Discovery channel and I’m currently addicted to the TV drama Prison Break.
Journalists I’m lucky in that many of the journalists I rate highly are already with us – writers like Justine McCarthy, Nuala O’Faolain and Michael Clifford. I also think Deborah Ross is wittily brilliant and Matthew Parris is such a sharp political commentator. I really like Frank McNally of the Irish Times but I think his gift is lost on the Irishman’s Diary. Miriam Lord is in a class of her own in political colour writing.
Theatre I love musicals – especially big West End or Broadway shows. It’s something I share with my daughter Ella. We make a show of ourselves singing along (to the mortification of other family members). And it’s not very PC, but I love the circus.
Noirin Hegarty is the editor of the Sunday Tribune newspaper
If you're looking to politics for entertainment, I'll trade you a month's worth of cinema tickets for your vote. The Dáil may not be as fun for journalists with McDowell gone, but its real function is government, not circuses - and I'm pretty sure it can do that a lot better without him.
Posted by: Drew Shiel | January 09, 2008 at 14:31