This much I know: Sinéad Kennedy

Some people feel you are public property because you are on TV.

I’m a little bit over sensitive which is not good when it comes to some of the comments on social media. I need to develop a thicker skin. If anyone has anything critical to say to me I take it better to my face than on Twitter. If they are nasty I simply say ‘well, that’s your opinion’ and that’s fine.

My advice to anyone who wants to get into presenting is to do it for the love of the job and not because you want to be famous. And the old cliché is true: be yourself.

My main fault is that I can be too self deprecating. I can be very hard on myself. I try to laugh things off if I fluff something but sometimes I will stress over it.

I grew up in Ballincollig. I was the eldest and quite outgoing and bossy, the usual traits of older siblings. I’m still friends with the people I hung around with back then. I went to school in Bishopstown and a lot of summers were spent in Tipperary as both parents my parents are from there.

When I was 19, I saw an ad for a job in RTÉ. I always wanted to be on television. I don’t know why. It’s not in my family. My mother works as a special needs assistant and my father works in computers. I was offered a four-month contract and deferred going to college. I was just really lucky. My parents were fine with it.

Working with Marty Whelan is great craic. People may think it is an odd paring but we respect each other and enjoy a gossip together in our dressing rooms.

I love the buzz of the studio and live television and that’s how I got started, on young people’s television. I don’t even know if I like performing, I used to as a kid as I cared less about what other people think, now I’m not sure. But I love the adrenaline rush and get more excited than nervous exactly, I have never dreaded doing anything. The nervous energy is good, without it you can get too complacent.

I’m getting a lot better at having a work/ life balance now that I’m married. Before that, I’d happily stay in work late, writing ideas, go home and watch television and go to sleep.

Now I’m more settled.

I met my husband Conor through work. I was presenting the Cork Capital of Culture launch in 2005, doing live links on the banks of the river in conjunction with the Navy. Conor was tasked with looking after me. He was in uniform. I got his number. I told the whole crew. I was 21.

I’m a bit of a perfectionist in terms of keeping the house and even my desk tidy.

And I plan everything, I plan my days. Otherwise it can all go to pieces. I love walking but I hate the gym and running. I tried yoga but it gave me too much time to think. I quite I’d like a dog and to try a bit of surfing.

My idea of misery is never being able to travel again. A sense of relief rushes over me when I get on a plane for three months away, or even three days. We went backpacking around Central America for six weeks on our honeymoon. I’ve been to India and South America and next, I’d like to try the Trans-Siberian Express.

If I could change one thing in our society, I’d change sentencing for serious crime. A lot of it can be quite lenient which I never understand, it seems bizarre to me.

If I could be somebody else for a day I’d like to be Nelson Mandela.

I’m quiet claustrophobic. Even sometimes on the Luas I can have a silent brief panic. I believe in karma. Sometimes I wish it would hurry and catch up with certain people though.

* Sinead Kennedy presents Winning Streak alongside Marty Whelan on RTÉ One on Saturday nights.