Luke O’Neill: My wife owns the toolbox in our house

The world-renowned immunologist on his sweet tooth, his morning routine and his guiltiest pleasures

Prof Luke O'Neill says his dream dinner party guest would be his father

PROFESSOR Luke O’Neill has just finished lecturing his students when we sit down to chat. He’s wrapping up a few things ahead of his trip to Las Vegas to see U2 play live in the Sphere.

“I can’t wait,” the Trinity College Dublin immunologist says gleefully. “I’m a huge fan of U2. I got a lovely quote off Bono for my book too, so I owe him.”

A reassuring presence across media especially during the pandemic, Prof O’Neill has gone on to write several books.

His latest, To Boldly Go Where No Book Has Gone Before delves into the history of science and the human stories behind the latest discoveries.

Already he’s cooking up ideas for his next project. “I might do something on the future of medicine,” he says. “The medical advances are so exciting at the moment.”

How do you keep fit?

I don’t take any exercise. Isn’t that horrendous?! But I do walk everywhere. I walk at a pace to get my heart rate up.

Do you have a morning routine?

You can’t beat routine. On the way to work, I jumpstart my day with a big coffee to get my brain working.

What is one thing you do every day?

Brush my teeth.

What are your healthiest eating habits?

Seafood. I love a bit of fish, shellfish, prawns and all those omega-3 fatty acids.

What are your guiltiest pleasures?

I have a terrible sweet tooth. I can’t go without my biscuits with my cup of tea.

What keeps you awake at night?

Nothing much actually. I’m a great man for getting a good night’s sleep.

How do you relax?

I love watching old movies. I get lost in them. I think it’s a kind of nostalgia, especially if it’s a movie I’ve loved before. I just watched Close Encounters of the Third Time again.

Who are your sporting heroes?

My wife Margaret. She’s a fantastic golfer. She just won the All-Ireland Women’s Golf Championship with her club. I went to watch it down in Woodenbridge and she was the star player.

What is your favourite smell?

I’m from Bray, Co Wicklow and you just can’t beat the smell of the sea, especially on a stormy day. It’s very evocative.

When was the last time you cried?

I went to a funeral three weeks ago. The father of a friend had died, and the music was just spectacular. A beautiful aria caused a little tear.

What is the best health advice you’ve ever been given?

Recently, I came across a study showing you need to get 4,000 steps a day. We were advised it was 10,000, but it turns out 4,000 a day is sufficient.

What traits do you least like in others?

A lack of kindness to others. I think you need to be kind to everyone as much as possible. You don’t know what journey others have been on.

What traits do you least like about yourself?

I’m hopeless at fixing things about the house. I can’t even change a lightbulb. My wife owns the toolbox in our house.

Do you pray?

I don’t. Prayer for me might be trying to think positively about something, but I don’t pray to a higher power.

What cheers you up if you’re having a bad day?

A good book. You can escape by reading a good book and it can change your whole mood.

Who would you invite to your dream dinner party?

My father passed away in 1996 and he never met my sons. That’s a big source of regret. I think he’d have been a great grandad. So if I could bring him back, and bring him to dinner with my family, that would be magical.

What quote inspires you most and why?

I came across a quote by Dame Judi Dench that really struck me. She said: “Look for the pluses in life. Being negative erodes everything. If something bad happens, I always say cancel and continue, and get back on track.”

Where is your favourite place in the world?

In my local pub having a drink with friends and laughing.

What’s something nobody knows about you?

My favourite TV show is Death in Paradise.

• To Boldly Go Where No Book Has Gone Before by Luke O’Neill is published by Viking and is available in stores and online from October 5. O’Neill’s children’s book Show Me The Science is published by Gill Books and is also out now.