When it came to choosing a secondary school I chose 'The Tech' in Carrickmacross ahead of the High School. I went a different route to my friends because I wanted to do Art, to be creative. It was my first time to choose creativity over convention - it was a trait that would be repeated from that day to this.

   I never painted in secondary school. I didn’t like paint. It was messy and there was a big clean up and I had only ever experienced water-colours - which were impossible to control. So…I didn’t paint.

I loved sketching and the flexibility of pastels and charcoal. So I could draw. I could, by and large, create a realistic representation of whatever it was I wanted to commit to the page.

 It was expected that I would use my skills to venture further into the world of art. But I didn’t.

Instead, I ventured into Radio and a reasonably successful 30 year long career. My other love - writing - offered me a parallel creative output. I’ve written for theatre, television and radio.  

Then, in 2019, whilst working on a new podcast documentary, I happened upon Padraig Lynch - a renowned artist with over six decades of artistic success.

On hearing that I hadn’t practiced my art for years, Padraig said it was a shame that my children had no idea I could draw.  And so began a journey. Under Padraig’s advice, guidance and stern critiquing, I was painting. In oil.

And like so many half-finished pieces, I’m still a work in progress.