My Saturday with Shane Casey: I'll look at the Examiner's property supplement because I'm nosy
Shane Casey. Pic: Enrique Carnicero
We have a six-month-old, so the time I wake up is determined by him. I get up at around 6am to make a bottle and boil the kettle for a coffee. They’re getting quicker at consuming the bottle so I will chill out for a half an hour, enjoy looking at how the baby is developing, have a bit of fun, break some wind, and change a nappy. I love it. Being a parent is something I’ve always wanted.
At 43, I wonder if I should have done it years ago but I am happy it has happened now. I am currently refreshing the lines for my upcoming play so if I’m not thinking of the baby, I’m thinking of the lines. I’m refreshing them constantly and doing them in different ways so I’m relaxed for the performance when the time comes.
It’s what I wanted to do — it’s very rewarding when it pays off. I could have done something easier — a sequel to Wet Paint or something a bit more commercial but if people come to The Man Who Talks To Statues I really think they’ll like it because the feedback from the radio play which aired last year on Newstalk has been fantastic. I think it’s important to share your likes and dislikes and concerns — I’m bringing things into this play that maybe I like and dislike about myself.
After I feed the baby I might go back to sleep for a while and then I’ll get up for breakfast. I try to consume food early enough in the day as otherwise I might forget to eat. A good pot of coffee is put on and I try to get as many eggs into me as possible. It’s important for me to get protein into me early so I can maintain my day.
If I do get out I’ll run and grab a paper, usually the , and I’ll have a look at the property supplement because I’m nosey. Now that the Premier League is back I’ll have a look at Sky Sports to see if there’s any news. I might not have a chance to watch a game but I’ll be listening to see if there are any injuries and so on. I’m a Liverpool fan. The club picked me — I didn’t pick the club.
Every Saturday I do kickboxing with Paul Coffey — one-on-one training in his kickboxing academy in the Marina in Cork. I’ve been doing it for about two years and find it really good for my relaxation and my concentration — everything you do off your traditional stance in kickboxing you have to do the other way too so it’s really good for my flexibility and concentration. Taking it up, even as someone in my 40s, has been really good for my mental and physical health.
I will have a chat with Paul after the session and then I’ll head over to the Marina Market to meet some family friends for something nice to eat and another coffee. It’s handy because we can drive down to the marina, my wife can go for a walk with the baby and we can meet up again after my session. If I’m in a rush I’ll just get some sort of chicken but if I have more time I’ll wander around and chat to some of the great vendors there. I might go for a stroll up and down the marina and get another coffee in Cortado.
The child has just started eating solid food and my wife is leading the charge on that score. If anything, we are dialling back what we are eating because we know he’s going to be having some of what we’re having so it’s nothing too exotic.
If we are lucky enough to have a babysitter we might go to the cinema — as I’m in the middle of rehearsals I’m not overly concerned with going to the pub at the moment. If we were going into town though I usually like to pop into places along MacCurtain Street like The Shelbourne Bar, Dan Lowrey’s or MacCurtain Wine Cellar.
There are so many good places in Cork — Douglas Street isn’t a million miles from us so we might go down there — there’s great pizza in Fionnbarra and three or four good pubs and coffee places including Coughlans and Cafe Moly.
If we’re staying in we might get an Indian takeaway or chips from The Golden Fry and then watch a movie. We recently rewatched Mindhunter on Netflix recently — it’s brilliant.
Advice from a friend when it came to the baby was ‘Don’t be a hero — if your wife is up you should be sleeping and vice versa’ but I think they call it the baby’s revenge that when they are asleep you tend to stay up and watch a bit of TV. I might watch a film. I’ve rediscovered spaghetti westerns and have been watching a lot of them lately — sometimes when the baby is in my arms late at night or early morning.
- Actor Shane Casey is best known for his role as Billy Murphy in The Young Offenders. His play The Man Who Talks To Statues runs at the Civic Theatre from September 5 - 11 as part of Dublin Fringe Festival 2024. fringefest.com
