How agreeable are you?

I don’t think I’m controversial as a person, because there’s a bit of a people-pleaser in me. I don’t like being the odd one out or standing out from the crowd with my opinions. I definitely veer away from conflict, but I would say I’m also honest, so there is a line I would draw.

What’s your middle name, and what do you think of it?

My middle name is Rebecca, and when I was younger, I used to wish that I had been called Rebecca rather than Faye because I loved it. I’m not called Rebecca after anyone. I think my mum just really liked the name and wasn’t so sure about either that or Faye.

Where is your favourite place in Ireland?

West Cork would be my favourite, around Schull. It’s absolutely beautiful. I spent a lot of time down there during my teenage years, and I just love how you feel so removed from the rest of the world. I live in Dublin at the moment, and I lived in Dublin during college. I love getting out of Dublin because it’s so busy, but when you get to West Cork, it feels like you’re in a different country.

Describe yourself in three words.

Bubbly. Charismatic. Honest.

When did you last get angry?

I’m not a very angry person. I spend a lot of time in the car, though, so I can veer towards road annoyance now and again. I travel to gigs, and I drive to work, and some weekends I could leave Dublin for Donegal and then after the gig drive from Donegal to Derry and then from Derry back to Dublin. Angry drivers irritate me. I’m not an angry driver, but the actual road-ragers piss me off, for sure. You know, people beeping their horns over stupid things, or when they’re driving right up close behind you. I’m like, ‘Oh, my God, calm down, there’s no need for this, we’re all just trying to get home here.’

What have you lost that you would like to have back?

I lost a friend a couple of years ago, so I definitely would love to have him back. That was very tragic, actually, a road accident. He was knocked down by a car, a hit-and-run, around the corner from my home in Limerick. Yes, I would love to have him back. Sadly, there’s nothing you can do about it.

What’s your strongest childhood memory?

I remember as a kid spending a lot of time with my Dad [actor/comedian Pat Shortt], and he’d always have the television on in the morning. I was very, very young at the time, and – oh God, I’m talking about driving here again – there was some snippet on about a car accident. I remember him turning around to me and saying that I should never sit in a car without wearing a seatbelt. Maybe it was just out of sheer fear, but that stuck with me for some reason.

‘I don’t have any regrets, so far, in my life, and I try not to. I feel that I’m very good at grabbing opportunities’

Where do you come in your family’s birth order, and has that defined you?

I’m the eldest of three. I have one sister and one brother. I’m 27, and my sister is two years younger than me, and my brother is five years younger than me. There’s definitely a responsibility that comes with being the eldest. You grow up quicker, and that can sometimes make you a little bit more serious. Personally, I’m far more of a worrier in comparison to my siblings. Dad travelled and gigged so much when we were kids, so I would have felt that I had to help with my siblings, even though the age gap isn’t that big.

[ Pat Shortt: ‘My daughter didn’t recognise me at the airport. I got very upset’Opens in new window ]

What do you expect to happen when you die?

I think people will be quite upset and will find it tough and challenging. I was only recently having this conversation with someone. I’m not religious, but I do believe in something, although I’m still struggling with what that could or might be. I don’t believe in an afterlife, but I do like to believe there’s something out there. I also think you need to believe in something to get you through those times when you’re struggling or when you’re faced with bigger challenges.

When were you happiest?

I’m happiest after I’ve done a show, and it goes well. There’s a sweet point when you get off stage, and everything has gone well for you. You’re proud of your performance. The crowd enjoyed it. You get good feedback from the audience. It’s just such a sense of “Go you, you’ve done it!” I always feel very proud of myself for doing that because it’s not always easy getting up in front of so many people and putting yourself out there for good or bad reactions. Once you run off that stage and you know it went well, it’s such an incredible feeling.

Which actor would play you in a biopic about your life?

It has to be someone Irish… Saoirse Ronan. I would like to think that she would do a fair job of it. She’s very authentically Irish, and I feel that’s what I resemble.

What’s your biggest career/personal regret?

I don’t have any regrets, so far, in my life, and I try not to. I feel that I’m very good at grabbing opportunities, in that once I know it’s the right move, a lot of the time I say “yes” to something before giving myself the time to opt out. I try to put myself out there and not give myself the time to get scared. I have that same attitude in my life. I certainly feel that I charge at life. My mom says I’m not a very patient person, and that when I tick one box, I immediately say, where’s the next box to tick? I’m very determined and passionate about life. I love living.

Have you any psychological quirks?

Sometimes I can be weird about stepping on tiles and on cracks. I can be a little bit superstitious, but I don’t know where that comes from. That would be the only quirk, I reckon. What would other people say? Maybe that I need to chill out a little bit! That said, I’ve been told I’m an easy person to get on with. My co-presenter on the radio is a guy called Jamie, and he says I make his life a lot easier. Not being a pain in the hole is always a nice thing to hear about yourself, isn’t it?

In conversation with Tony Clayton-Lea