A question of taste: Ultan O'Brien

Ultan O’Brien is from Ennis, Co Clare, and plays fiddle with Slow Moving Clouds. The group play in Coughlan’s of Cork tomorrow night, and at St John the Baptist Church in Dublin on Friday, writes Des O’Driscoll

Best recent book you’ve read:

Maria by Carlos Ruiz Zafón. Nothing like a bit of magical-realism every now and again.

Best recent film you’ve seen:

It’s Such a Beautiful Day. It’s an animated film by Don Hertzfeldt. It’s about a stick-man called Bill and it’s an hour or so of madness.

Best recent show or gig:

Emma O’Grady’s show ‘What Good is Looking Well When You’re Rotten on the Inside’. The show came from tapes Emma uncovered that her grandfather recorded before he died.

Best piece of music you’ve been listening to lately (new or old):

Saileog Ní Cheannabháin’s great album Roithleán.

First ever piece of music or film that really moved you:

I always listened to a lot of the fiddle playing of Tommy Peoples which I found amazing, and still do, but the true answer is probably my father blaring Tom Waits in the car.

The best gig or show you’ve ever seen:

Steve Reich’s ‘Music for 18 Musicians’ performed in the Franz Liszt Academy concert hall in Budapest, 2013.

Tell us about your TV viewing:

I don’t have a TV but I like to let Netflix stream away creating a delightful background noise.

Radio listening and/or podcasts:

I occasionally dip into 99% Invisible.

Your best celebrity encounter:

I drank coffee with Ellen Page.

Well, I sat near Ellen Page while drinking a coffee.

She didn’t notice me.

I drank a coffee.

Money is no object — what would be your ultimate musical instrument to buy?

A giraffe piano.

You can portal back to any period of human cultural history or music event — where, when, and why?

I’d love to see what the bards were really getting up to in Ireland before the 17th century.

You are curating your dream festival — which three artists are on the bill (living or dead)?

Ryoji Ikeda, Pauline Oliveros, Nell Galvin. Wild one!

Unsung hero — individual or group who don’t get the praise they deserve:

Arthur Russell. At least not while he was alive.

You are king for a day — what’s your first decree?

Cop on, lads.