Bernard O’Shea has been playing beloved characters on television, having the chats on the radio and making us laugh on stage for many years now.
How has he fared during lockdown? What’s his approach to parenting? These are some of the questions Irish Country Living posed when he agreed to take part in our 20 Questions series.
1 You have been in the public eye for many years, but what’s something we might not know about you? Well, speaking of eyes, I’ve technically green ones. They look brown but upon closer inspection they are green. I’ve been told by an optometrist that red hair and green eyes are very rare; thus I’m very rare. I’m also terrified of needles
2 What’s a memory that sticks out from your childhood in rural Ireland? All of it, really. I had an idyllic childhood growing up in Durrow, Co Laois, but [one memory] I’d have to say is the day myself and my sister “found” a dog and it turned out to be a neighbours’. We hid in a wardrobe.
3 Would you still consider yourself a country soul or have you fully given yourself over to city life? I’m living in Dublin 22 years now, but I’m still a culchie.
4 Your recent book Manopause delves into your personal – ahem – ‘approach’ to ageing – my husband is turning 40 in February; any tips for dealing with his impending mid-life crisis? Don’t try to stop it; it will only get worse. And more - if he asks, “Does my receding hairline look good in this?” say yes.
5 What do you think it takes to be a half-decent stand-up comic? A few half-decent ideas to start, and a complete lack of self-awareness. Failing that, jokes help.
6 Have you actually found growing up that difficult? How are your 40s going so far? I always feel like I’m a decade behind myself. I’m thinking I’m still 30, not 40. I suppose the characters I’ve played – especially years ago on Republic of Telly – were always in arrested development. I suppose I am, too. I’ve always found responsibilities daunting, but I try making them fun.
7 How was the process of writing Manopause – was it painful or cathartic, in a way? It was extremely cathartic as I discovered meditation, and with visits to a therapist – Siobhán Murray of “Twisting the Jar” (resilience coach and author) – found out some home truths that I would have never known, otherwise.
8 What kind of self-care have you been practising for the last year-and-a-bit? It’s been such a wild ride. Mostly walking and meditation. I cannot plug Dermot Whelan (Today FM radio host and meditation enthusiast) enough for taking the time out of his busy life to show what, why and how to meditate.
9 What’s the first thing you want to do when the pandemic is – once and for all – under control? Go for a pint and then get the train home; standing beside some smelly people.
10 How have your kids been handling the lockdown and the pandemic? They love it. It’s like a 24/7 holiday.
11 You’ve previously mentioned you don’t really know what to do with a baby and you’re better with toddlers – have you fallen into a parenting style now that you’ve been at it for a while? I call my parenting style “managing the quiet”. When they are quiet, I observe them – like David Attenborough – and try to keep them in that state.
12 Your previous book, My Wife is Married to a Feckin’ Eejit, gave readers a hilarious insight into your wife Lorna’s daily struggles. Has lockdown and working from home brought new levels of eejit-ness, or has it enabled you to work on being less of an eejit? We split the day, more or less. Some days both of us are up the walls; other days we are quieter. I have been known to go to the shops for milk and toilet paper only to come back with Sellotape and lightbulbs. It drives my wife mental.
13 What do you think is the key to a successful marriage? You’d have to ask my wife (the answer is in the reply).
14 Have you missed doing stand-up in the past year? Yeah I have. I miss the excitement of it. Entertaining can be like the colosseum, and stand-up is entertainment with the lions in the colosseum. It can be dangerous, but the rush is amazing.
15 Do you have a favourite comedy festival, venue or artist you particularly enjoy working with or seeing perform? I think we are spoiled in Ireland there are so many amazing comics. I love Karl Spain, Neil Delamere, Jason Byrne, Alison Spittle and Deirdre O’Kane, but Tommy Tiernan is cut from a different cloth; he is a prolific artist. Kilkenny would still be my favourite festival as it’s very close to home and it’s a brilliant weekend. My favourite venue would have to be Kavanaghs in Portlaoise; a close second would be Dolan’s in Limerick.
16 Do you have tentative plans for tours or gigs in 2021? In a nutshell, I’m not sure. I think it will be 2022 before I tour again.
17 What TV series have you been binging on over the past year? I’ve re-watched the US Office again for the sixth time but I loved Boardwalk Empire, Ozark and Succession. My wife is pushing The Queen’s Gambit on me now.
18 Did you watch the Tiger King (and if so, do you think Carol Baskin killed her husband)? I did watch it but I can’t remember it now. I’m just waiting to see if they will pardon Joe!
19 What’s something you never leave home without? My phone – it is also my wallet now.
20 If you could only have one takeaway for an entire year, would it be pizza, Chinese or chipper? Chipper.
Manopause: Bernard O’Shea is Having a Mid-life Crisis was released in October 2020. It documents his year-long journey of self-improvement as he finds himself hurtling toward a mid-life crisis as he approaches 40.
Bernard O’Shea has been playing beloved characters on television, having the chats on the radio and making us laugh on stage for many years now.
How has he fared during lockdown? What’s his approach to parenting? These are some of the questions Irish Country Living posed when he agreed to take part in our 20 Questions series.
1 You have been in the public eye for many years, but what’s something we might not know about you? Well, speaking of eyes, I’ve technically green ones. They look brown but upon closer inspection they are green. I’ve been told by an optometrist that red hair and green eyes are very rare; thus I’m very rare. I’m also terrified of needles
2 What’s a memory that sticks out from your childhood in rural Ireland? All of it, really. I had an idyllic childhood growing up in Durrow, Co Laois, but [one memory] I’d have to say is the day myself and my sister “found” a dog and it turned out to be a neighbours’. We hid in a wardrobe.
3 Would you still consider yourself a country soul or have you fully given yourself over to city life? I’m living in Dublin 22 years now, but I’m still a culchie.
4 Your recent book Manopause delves into your personal – ahem – ‘approach’ to ageing – my husband is turning 40 in February; any tips for dealing with his impending mid-life crisis? Don’t try to stop it; it will only get worse. And more - if he asks, “Does my receding hairline look good in this?” say yes.
5 What do you think it takes to be a half-decent stand-up comic? A few half-decent ideas to start, and a complete lack of self-awareness. Failing that, jokes help.
6 Have you actually found growing up that difficult? How are your 40s going so far? I always feel like I’m a decade behind myself. I’m thinking I’m still 30, not 40. I suppose the characters I’ve played – especially years ago on Republic of Telly – were always in arrested development. I suppose I am, too. I’ve always found responsibilities daunting, but I try making them fun.
7 How was the process of writing Manopause – was it painful or cathartic, in a way? It was extremely cathartic as I discovered meditation, and with visits to a therapist – Siobhán Murray of “Twisting the Jar” (resilience coach and author) – found out some home truths that I would have never known, otherwise.
8 What kind of self-care have you been practising for the last year-and-a-bit? It’s been such a wild ride. Mostly walking and meditation. I cannot plug Dermot Whelan (Today FM radio host and meditation enthusiast) enough for taking the time out of his busy life to show what, why and how to meditate.
9 What’s the first thing you want to do when the pandemic is – once and for all – under control? Go for a pint and then get the train home; standing beside some smelly people.
10 How have your kids been handling the lockdown and the pandemic? They love it. It’s like a 24/7 holiday.
11 You’ve previously mentioned you don’t really know what to do with a baby and you’re better with toddlers – have you fallen into a parenting style now that you’ve been at it for a while? I call my parenting style “managing the quiet”. When they are quiet, I observe them – like David Attenborough – and try to keep them in that state.
12 Your previous book, My Wife is Married to a Feckin’ Eejit, gave readers a hilarious insight into your wife Lorna’s daily struggles. Has lockdown and working from home brought new levels of eejit-ness, or has it enabled you to work on being less of an eejit? We split the day, more or less. Some days both of us are up the walls; other days we are quieter. I have been known to go to the shops for milk and toilet paper only to come back with Sellotape and lightbulbs. It drives my wife mental.
13 What do you think is the key to a successful marriage? You’d have to ask my wife (the answer is in the reply).
14 Have you missed doing stand-up in the past year? Yeah I have. I miss the excitement of it. Entertaining can be like the colosseum, and stand-up is entertainment with the lions in the colosseum. It can be dangerous, but the rush is amazing.
15 Do you have a favourite comedy festival, venue or artist you particularly enjoy working with or seeing perform? I think we are spoiled in Ireland there are so many amazing comics. I love Karl Spain, Neil Delamere, Jason Byrne, Alison Spittle and Deirdre O’Kane, but Tommy Tiernan is cut from a different cloth; he is a prolific artist. Kilkenny would still be my favourite festival as it’s very close to home and it’s a brilliant weekend. My favourite venue would have to be Kavanaghs in Portlaoise; a close second would be Dolan’s in Limerick.
16 Do you have tentative plans for tours or gigs in 2021? In a nutshell, I’m not sure. I think it will be 2022 before I tour again.
17 What TV series have you been binging on over the past year? I’ve re-watched the US Office again for the sixth time but I loved Boardwalk Empire, Ozark and Succession. My wife is pushing The Queen’s Gambit on me now.
18 Did you watch the Tiger King (and if so, do you think Carol Baskin killed her husband)? I did watch it but I can’t remember it now. I’m just waiting to see if they will pardon Joe!
19 What’s something you never leave home without? My phone – it is also my wallet now.
20 If you could only have one takeaway for an entire year, would it be pizza, Chinese or chipper? Chipper.
Manopause: Bernard O’Shea is Having a Mid-life Crisis was released in October 2020. It documents his year-long journey of self-improvement as he finds himself hurtling toward a mid-life crisis as he approaches 40.
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