This much I know: Ailish Tynan, Soprano

I was never particularly ambitious. I have been incredibly lucky.

I didn’t set out to be a singer. I considered studying law but my older solicitor brother put me off by telling me it was boring. I didn’t think an opera singer was any kind of real job so I did a degree in teaching. After two weeks teaching music and history in secondary school I decided it was not for me. I knew I wasn’t going to spend the rest of my life listening to brats! So I went back to the RIA to do a masters in performance.

My family are not a bit musical but they were massively supportive. My dad had a shoe shop in Mullingar and mum brought up six kids as well as working in a pharmacy.