How agreeable are you?<\/p>\n
I think I am quite agreeable, although hopefully not to the point of being a pushover. I do very much believe in picking your battles, and good manners are very important. I\u2019m definitely on the more agreeable end of the spectrum.<\/p>\n
What is your middle name and what do you think of it?<\/p>\n
It\u2019s Mary, like many, many Irish women of my generation. It\u2019s also my mother\u2019s middle name. I think middle names are a nice place to carry on nice traditions like that. Elizabeth is my Confirmation name but I don\u2019t have any connection to the church any more, so that doesn\u2019t really feel like a part of me in the same way as the middle name. <\/p>\n
Where is your favourite place in Ireland?<\/p>\n
When the sun is shining, everywhere in Ireland looks fabulous. The last two summers we have spent in Ardara in Co Donegal. It has incredible beaches and spectacular landscapes. I\u2019ve lived in Dublin most of my life and I love it here but it would be nice to get out of the city on a more regular basis. <\/p>\n
Describe yourself in three words<\/p>\n
Like a lot of writers I am quite introverted and I value my own time. But I\u2019m a natural optimist. That serves me well. As a GP I\u2019m quite patient, but in my personal life, [I am] a lot less patient in general. I think we can cultivate our personalities to a certain degree to the role we\u2019re in. <\/p>\n
When did you last get angry?<\/p>\n
I was driving home the other day and saw somebody just openly littering on the street and that really drives me mad. It feels just so out of sync with how the world is now that I am always surprised to see somebody do it so brazenly. You think, at least have the grace to look a bit ashamed of yourself.<\/p>\n
What have you lost that you would like to have back?<\/p>\n
We were moving boxes back into the house recently after renovating, and I found that some of the books inside the many boxes were mouldy and warped so I had to throw them out. There was no monetary value in them, just a couple of very old paperbacks, but I\u2019ve brought my books with me to every house I\u2019ve lived in. I nearly see them as a timeline of my life. <\/p>\n