Francis Brennan will never break his 'no selfies' rule
Popular hotelier Francis Brennan is back on the road with his Grand Tour, guiding a dozen charges, but tells why he will never break his ‘no selfie’ rule
Francis Brennan is the ultimate people person, a quality which has served him extremely well in his career as a hotelier, and latterly as one of the nation’s best-known TV personalities.
Whether he is tending to ailing enterprises with his brother John in RTÉ’s At Your Service or shepherding a motley crew of travellers on Francis Brennan’s Grand Tour, he is usually unflappable and never short of words. The concept that he would ever need to take a break from dealing with people is completely alien to him.
“No, never. I never get sick of talking. I wouldn’t be one for relaxing… I’m always on the go and that’s fine by me.”
After previous trips to India and Vietnam, Brennan is back on the road for Grand Tour, where 12 people sign up for a trip to a mystery destination, guided by the ebullient hotelier. This season’s destination is South Africa, with guests ranging in age from 23 to 83, including Darren Delaney, 26, from Douglas in Cork, whose tastebuds are tested by the challenging menu, and Finbarr Goggin, 57, from Bantry, whose travel adventures have been limited to the UK and one trip to Portugal.
More than 400 people applied to take part, with the numbers being whittled down to 20, with Brennan then helping to choose the final 12. While it may look like a holiday, Brennan approaches the programme like any other professional assignment.
When we’re on the road, I’m always thinking about the next appointment, timing, buses, traffic, whatever. I go in, do the job, get on great with the people. All the tours have stayed in touch, they chat or meet up, whatever. I don’t keep in touch with anybody after, that’s very rare.
Brennan has become such a fixture on TV schedules that it is hard to believe he only became involved in broadcasting 10 years ago.
”I didn’t do any media until I was 54. It is unbelievable to look at where I am at 64, 10 years later,” he says.
Brennan’s potential as a TV star was spotted by RTÉ commissioning editor Gráinne McAleer after he appeared in a show about building his home in the Kerry town of Kenmare, where he runs the Park Hotel with his brother John. He was initially reluctant to get on board with At Your Service.
“I said no for ages, a year and a bit. Then eventually John said, ‘will you go and do it because you will enjoy it’. The rest is history.”
Brennan proved to be a natural, with the qualities needed in his role as a hotel proprietor proving to be a huge asset.
“A hotel manager needs to know a little bit about everything and not a lot about anything. When I talk to people, I generally pick up on something I know a little about and maybe we can have a chat about that,” he says.
His mindful approach to life and capacity not to overthink things also helped.
“I never worry. I never see a camera. If I met you and we were going to do a piece for camera, I would say ‘there’s only two people here now, me and you — don’t let on the camera is there, just be yourself.”
While Brennan loves to meet his fans, there is one thing he draws a line at. “I’ve never done a selfie in my life,” he says.
I will take photographs with you but I won’t do a selfie. There’s only one selfie of me in the world…there was a young fella, Patrick, who I met in Lourdes, he wanted a selfie and I wouldn’t give it to him. He ran ahead of me and jumped up in the air and he’s in it, and I’m in it. It wasn’t a real selfie, I said ‘that doesn’t count, Patrick’.
Brennan is also involved in several commercial ventures, and is releasing another book in the autumn. When it comes to managing all his commitments, he says he takes everything one day at a time. He doesn’t sweat the small stuff, I suggest. He laughs heartily. “Will you stop? Not at all. Life is far too short.”
Francis Brennan’s Grand Tour starts on RTÉ 1 this Sunday, July 22, at 8.30pm.
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