Saturday with Sunway's Deirdre Sweeny: I wear factor 50 and always wear false tan

Deirdre Sweeny: General Manager Cruise, Worldwide, USA and Niche Holidays at Sunway Holidays

Sat, 03 Aug, 2024 - 02:00

Ruth O'Connor

08.00

I don’t get up any later than 8-8.30am because I need to log online to check the bookings, the airports, the news bulletins, to see if anything has happened overnight.

We have to be very conscious to make sure that all our passengers are getting to travel and that nothing major has happened. Then I go and have my coffee.

09.00

As I work full-time in the office, Saturday mornings are when I tidy up and get organised for the week ahead.

I’ve been in the travel business since I was 17, it’s the only career I’ve ever had.

There is never a morning that I don’t want to go to work — it evolves every year and nothing stays still. It’s challenging but very exciting.

I travel a lot — usually once a month — testing new products, on my own holidays or away for long weekends.

10.00

I try to walk for an hour every day and listen to music or podcasts.

I listen to travel podcasts about places I haven’t been to yet and to cruise podcasts — keeping up to date on new cruises being developed, ships being built, shipyards.

We’ve been selling cruises for about 18 years now. They’ve always been a slow burner but in the last seven to 10 years cruising has become phenomenal — the selection and volume is incredible.

They’re basically land-based holidays on luxury ships. We have five full-time cruise people in the business now selling cruises.

11.00

I have two adult children living at home so if they are there we might have brunch together.

My son established his business Dae Ice Cream — which makes dairy free ice cream and açaí — about three years ago, so on a Saturday we might go to one of the restaurants that stocks his product.

14.00

I have elderly parents so every Saturday I go to visit them and will go for a walk or a coffee with my mother.

I have a fantastic relationship with my parents. My daughter who is 25 and lives with us, will normally come with me.

For coffee I like Hatch in Blackrock Village — I’ll watch the world go by and then walk to Blackrock Park for the sea views.

I love the Ivy in Dublin for a cocktail on a Saturday afternoon. If I wasn’t in Ireland, my ideal Saturday would be spent on a cruise. I could be in Mykonos one day, Crete the next.

An ideal Saturday would be spent in New York or Rome — two of my favourite cities.

Last November I cruised from Barcelona to New York stopping in Bermuda along the way and spent a fabulous afternoon in New York.

16.00

We entertain quite a bit at weekends, are often in other people’s houses or we might go out for dinner.

I like to have things nice for guests. I sew a lot in my spare time — had I not been a travel agent I probably would have been a personal shopper or a seamstress.

I make a lot of things for the home — cushions, napkins and table runners. I also make a lot of clothes or I’ll alter something I’ve bought to make it different.

18.00

If we’re having people over for the evening the afternoon will be spent getting the house in order and cooking.

I do my main shopping in Dunnes and for anything special I’ll go to Donnybrook Fair or Cavistons.

My husband looks after the wine — he’ll generally go to O’Briens. He’s hopeless at cooking so I’ll be the chef.

I’m not a gourmet cook — for me, having people over is all about the atmosphere.

19.00

If we’re eating out we might go to Casper & Giumbini’s or Hartleys in Dun Laoghaire, Cavistons in Glasthule or a restaurant in Stillorgan.

In the city centre we might go to Peploe’s or Lemon & Duke for a relaxed meal. We like to go to the Shelbourne or Foley’s for a drink before dinner.

22.00

If we don’t have people over I’ll be in bed by 10.30pm. I’ll watch TV for about an hour before sleeping.

I’m careful with my skin and once a week I’ll do a face mask. I wear Factor 50 all the time and always wear false tan because I don’t sit in the sun these days.

I prefer to people-watch, walk the promenade or wander around the shops.

03.00

If we have guests over we could be up until two or three in the morning — we’re a big party house.

We have a thing called a wig basket. Everywhere I travel in the world I buy a headpiece or something flashy so we might have karaoke after dinner and whatever you’re wearing you’ve to sing something to match it — it’s great fun.