This Much I Know: Man of many talents Mike Hanrahan

My sister Gabriella always says that during sibling whispers all I ever wanted was to be on stage.

I come from a family of eight. There was no room to hide so I guess I was outgoing.

I did think about working with food… but one stint at Shannon Airport working for a looper senior chef cured any early notions of a culinary career.

Neither of my parents played music but encouraged all of us to take up an instrument. All eight of us either played, danced or sang. We had a Céilí band with some neighbours.

My earliest memory is receiving a rubber band propelled plastic airplane when I was five. I launched it from our upstairs bedroom window and watched it fly around the garden. I cried when it crash landed.

As a musician and writer my life is almost constantly in the creative zone. I never view it as work. I find the garden a beautiful place to escape, I like cycling and I love cooking but they are all solo pursuits so I suppose I never really switch off completely.

The best advice I received was from Sammy Davis Junior at Lansdowne road where we [Stockton’s Wing] played with him in 1988.

Great home signing for @dinkyhanrahan - thanks to Dervila and Feargal in The Ennis Bookshop - and a nice excuse for a family reunion! #BeautifulAffair pic.twitter.com/WM5P5EpleR

— HarperCollins_Ire (@HCinIreland) October 12, 2019

After the show I could not thank him enough and he looked at me and said. “Mike, life is a two-way street, you are here with me but you know what, I’m also here with you. I have one of the great Irish bands playing with me on my Dublin show.

That works for me as much as it works for you.’ I live by that advice.

I started cooking vegetarian food shortly after I left school. I then discovered other foods of the world and was never really out of the kitchen.

In 2007 after 30 years as a professional musician, everything changed, my music partner and soul mate Ronnie Drew was diagnosed with terminal cancer and I had grown weary and tired of the industry.

I left the train at Ballymaloe cookery school and was reenergised. I decided to take a journey into food and set myself some fresh challenges. I spent 10 years working under the uncomfortable titles of commis chef, sous chef, head chef and teacher at Ballymaloe cookery school.

My most comfortable job title was simply that of ‘cook’, running my own kitchens, creating new food and developing a greater understanding of our wonderful food products while working with extremely talented producers.

I do not believe in fate or some path laid out before us. We create our own lives and our actions and attitudes determine who and what we become within ourselves. What other people do to affect that is basically out of my hands so I try to surround myself with positive people so that we may help each other on the journey.

When it comes to work, I’m certainly disciplined. When I was writing my book it was pre-dawn rising, every day and I loved every minute. Gig days get top priority, nothing else matters except the couple of hours on stage. My garden and my bike however show a very different pattern.

When I’m good I’m really really good and when I’m hopeless I break world disciplinary records.

Another book from a past graduate @dinkyhanrahan. This time though not just a recipe book. Find out about Mikes time with #StocktonsWing and working in East Cork as a Chef. pic.twitter.com/BxRmKMvC0b

— Ballymaloe Cookery (@BallymaloeCS) October 10, 2019

My idea of happiness is my relationship with Donna, my pal, partner, wife, soul mate and best friend.

My idea of misery is a row with Donna.

If money wasn’t an issue I would open my own restaurant, surround myself with non-grumpy chefs, cook seasonal food, bring back the crew from the old Artisan Parlour restaurant, give Pat Shortt a start as the Maître ‘d and build a special one-way door for rude customers.

Oh, and charge reasonable and affordable prices for the wines.

My greatest fear at this very moment is that people may not like my new book. Next year it will be a new album.

I think our life here is our only eternity and we should make the best of it. I’ve never met anyone who came back to tell me otherwise so I do not believe in life after death.

So far life has taught me to respect the gift of living. Cherish those people close to you and try to do right by them and keep reminding people to nurture mother nature.

Mike Hanrahan’s Beautiful Affair: A Journey in Music, Food & Friendship is published by HarperCollins €25.