This much I know: Audrey Carville

When the red light goes on and I’m live on air I see it as a performance.

I was quite shy growing up and I suppose in many ways I still am. I wasn’t a born performer. But radio allows you to step outside of who you are. It gives you a certain amount of leeway and confidence.

A lot of the time my job doesn’t really feel like a job at all. News and current affairs are part of me. It would be abnormal for me not to follow events and listen to programmes.

I grew up in Castleblayney in a house that was very much politics and current affairs driven. My father was a councillor for 25 years. The radio was always on and there were newspapers everywhere. There was no escape.

I’ve learnt not to stress out over things. My motto is ‘this too shall pass’.

I’ve always felt very comfortable on air although I still don’t like listening back to my own voice and I still get nervous to this very day. I was presenting Morning Ireland for the first time this morning and the butterflies were there.

But it’s about how you channel those nerves — positively instead of negatively. I focus on the programme and what it is that we’re going to be doing, rather than thinking that I may freeze.

There is only so much preparation and research that a presenter can do. There is only so much you can know. Thankfully I’ve never got a major piece of information wrong so far and if something unknown comes up, or if I ask a question that is factually incorrect — unless it is something very serious — I’d let it pass and let the interviewee answer and then let them move on.

I am pretty disciplined and organised. I like order.

My idea of misery would be being thrown into a work situation without the opportunity to do any preparation. I’m not good with chaos.

Happiness, in terms of my life, is my family. Just spending time with my husband and four-year-old daughter and seeing the love in their eyes. I also enjoy theatre, run a lot and keep as fit as possible. I’d love to do a marathon but haven’t got there yet. I have been very lucky but I don’t believe in pure luck: it also has an awful lot to do with the work one puts in.

I’m an optimist at heart. I do believe in the goodness of people. Change in society is never easy and it takes a long time. But I haven’t given up. If I could change one thing in this country I’d like to see us being kinder to each other. Certain people in our society — such as the sick and disabled — get a very raw deal.

I think I’m more of a morning than a late night person but I’m still not sure. I spent the last year presenting Late Debate and it was difficult to adjust my body clock — prior to that I’d usually be ready for bed by 10pm rather than ready to go on air. Now, with Morning Ireland, I’m up at 4.15am and in work by 5.15am. There’s not a lot of chat in the office at that hour. It takes a while for the team to warm up.

The most important trait for a presenter is the ability to listen and to give the person you are interviewing time to tell their story. You need to be able to pause as those pauses can be revealing and they can allow people to express themselves.

Socially, I prefer speaking to people one-on-one than speaking to large groups. I don’t like being the centre of attention.

Since joining RTÉ Radio 1, Audrey has presented Morning Ireland, Drivetime and Late Debate.