Top class five star spot.
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Who: Steve “Stan” “I’m the gaffer” Staunton.
Where: Supervalu Ratoath
When: 15 mins ago
Wearing: Shorts & t-shirt
Stan was wheeling a trolley full of beer out to his mates car. Had the demeanour of a man stocking up to ease the pain of watching Spocks men later.
A taller man that I’d have thought (6’2ish) and still in good shape.
Didn’t go about asking him if hes available to replace Spock when the inevitable happens.
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Live spots Aonghus McAnally and Ronan Collins, Royal Andalus Hotel, Chiclana de la Frontera, Spain
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Must be doing a Spanish version of the Lyrics Board or something.
Golfing for the week like myself
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You couldn’t be abroad again surely?
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Whatever would make you think that
He’s only just back a wet week.
Is he? He never said?
Both spots.
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Spot
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Aonghus McAnally: ‘I grew up in a house that was full of AA. I saw every facet of alcoholism – the good and the bad’
Aonghus McAnally pictured for People and Culture. Photo: Gerry Mooney
Aonghus McAnally (68) is an entertainer and broadcaster. His late parents were both actors – Ray McAnally and Ronnie Masterson. Born in Dublin, he lives in Portmarnock with his wife Billie Morton. They have two adult sons and one of them, Aonghus Óg, is also an actor.
What were you like as a boy?
I was always smiling and I was a bit of a jester. I loved playing the guitar and that has remained to this day. My parents were actors, so we grew up going to the theatre. I was a bit of a daydreamer. My concentration levels mightn’t have been 100pc in school and I’d often get pulled up by the teacher. I remember one of them saying: “McAnally, you’re not in the Abbey now. Concentrate.”
Choose three words to describe yourself.
Perfectionist, encouraging and good-humoured.
Tell us about your childhood with your actor parents.
My mam and dad were out at night doing theatre shows or rehearsing during the day. We had a lady, Mrs Moffatt, who used to mind us when they were away. When I was eight, my dad was in the West End in London for a year and a half doing Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? I remember we had a black and white picture of him on the wall and we used to kiss it good night.
Did you ever see your dad on stage?
One of my earliest theatrical memories was watching him play the giant in a panto at the Queen’s Theatre on Pearse Street.
As a child, did you grasp the concept of make-believe?
I remember getting upset the first time I saw my dad dying and my mam comforted me, saying it’s only make-believe. As the years went on, I got used to it. I saw my dad being shot, being killed in car crashes, being stabbed and kissing other women.
Did you enjoy this life?
We liked our anarchy. There was great excitement with dad arriving home with white chocolate from England which you couldn’t get here. He would bring home the scented wipes from an Aer Lingus plane. It was so different.
Tell us about your decision to stop drinking.
I go gung-ho at things. At 19, having taken alcohol for three years, I woke up one morning and said ‘this is not a good idea’. I don’t benefit from this whatsoever. I don’t need it to loosen me up or for confidence on stage. I stopped drinking in March of 1975 and I haven’t had a drink since. I’m in a brilliant golf society for people who don’t drink because I like not feeling like the odd man out – which you do a lot of the time when you are a non-drinker.
Was this linked to your father being a recovering alcoholic?
I presume it was. I grew up in a house that was full of AA and he was a brilliant man to help people and 12-Step them and sponsor them. I saw every facet of alcoholism around the house, the good and the bad. He had stopped drinking by the time I was 12.
Tell us about someone who inspires you and why.
Recently I was a referee at the World Disability Snooker Tournament in Carlow. I’ve had a bit of back pain after surgery a few years ago and I struggle with it. But I walked in there and watched people in wheelchairs with limbs missing. One guy with a stump of an arm and no hand played better snooker than I will ever play. Talk about inspiring.
Tell us about your new Christy Hennessy show.
It tells his life story. He was a wonderful singer-songwriter, born in Tralee, who left school at an early age and worked on the building sites in England. He couldn’t read or write but he used to sing his beautiful songs into a tape recorder.
Your mother left you some money after she died, what did that allow you to do?
I was going bald and it really affected my self esteem. I’d always been defined by my thick head of hair and suddenly, I looked ancient. So I got a hair transplant. My mam told me to spend money on myself, as I’d usually spend it on family. Now I look in the mirror and think, thanks mam. It’s fantastic. Life-changing.
Aonghus celebrates the Life and Songs of Christy Hennessy. For info check out aonghusmcanally.com
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He’s a great live entertainer.
Who: James ‘Jimmy’ Nesbitt
Famous for: Hair transplant advocate, celebrity Man Utd fan, star of shows such as Cold Feet and movies such as Bloody Sunday.
When: Friday, September 22nd, circa 7pm.
Where: Merrion St. Upper, Dublin 2.
Wearing: Jeans and a navy light puffer jacket, one you might wear in spring. The ‘bands of puff’ were about 2 inches rather than the wider ones you might see on a winter jacket.
Other notes: This reporter had just existed a dining establishment on Merrion Street Upper following an afternoon lunch when said celebrity strolled by in the direction of Merrion Row. I was in conversation with my dining companions so cannot confirm with absolute certainty where Jimmy had come from, but it would be reasonable to surmise that he had just exited The Merrion. I remarked to my companions that from our vantage point, his hair looked quite well and that I considered it money well spent. Jimmy crossed the road in the middle of the traffic rather than at the pedestrian crossing at which point I lost sight of him. Later the same evening I noted Jimmy had appeared on the Late Late Show and was presumably making his way to Montrose when spotted.
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Would he get paid for going on the Late Late?
Who Gabriel Byrne the actor
Where: George’s St arcade
When: just now
Wearing: Large grey overcoat, navy half zip, jeans and pair of blue On trainers
Other notes: Gabriel was sitting at a table in the main arcade on a call using a pair of white ear phones with cable plugged into his i phone on the table. He looked like he had just finished a cup of tea and a sandwich. His hair was quite wild with a number of grey streaks. It sounded like he was admiring a directors body of work possibly pitching himself for a role.
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Some good quality spots in last few days
I’m wary of listing all my spots from The Ploughing as many could be described as “working”. But any chance to shout “HIT THE DIFF” at Marty Mone should never be passed up.
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