Saturday with Sharon Shannon: 'I always go into the audience after the gig'

Sharon Shannon headlines Rock against Homelessness in aid of Focus Ireland on March 17 in the Olympia Theatre

08.00

I might have to get up very early on Saturday but it depends on whether I’m gigging or not and on how far away I have to travel. Often if I’m doing a gig I’ll have stayed nearby the night before. I won’t get up for the hotel breakfast, I’ll stay in bed as long as I possibly can.

I do a lot of international travel — I recently performed at the Celtic Connections festival in Glasgow and was in Japan in December. It’s astonishing how interested people in Japan are in Irish music.

We had a session in our hotel lobby in Tokyo and there must have been 100 really talented musicians joining in along with some fantastic step dancers.

I have four rescue dogs and six cats. If I’m at home in Galway, I’ll feed the dogs and take them for a long walk. I’ll write tunes in my head as I walk along and I’ll sing them into the phone. One of the dogs sings along when I play the accordion — you can play him any other instrument and he won’t pay any attention at all.

13.00

If I’m gigging, I’ll check into my hotel before heading to the venue for sound check.

If I’m off on a Saturday, I love to do a bit of painting or wallpapering. I love shopping for tiles, paint, wallpaper, lighting or antiques. I enjoy looking for one-off items for my home and that can take years when each item is unique. I get a great kick out of doing stuff in the house.

I might browse around the secondhand shops or have a look online. I wouldn’t call myself a dressmaker but I have a mannequin and I like to alter clothes.

I love getting the sewing machine out and surrounding myself with lovely fabrics. It really puts me in good form - I like the sustainable aspect and I like being able to create something unique.

16.00

If it’s a gig involving Alan Conner, Gerry O’Connor, and myself, our sound check and rehearsal will only take about 40 minutes, so we’ll have time to grab a bite to eat afterwards. I love my food.

I’ve been a vegan for 12 years or more, having been a vegetarian for years before that. I love all animals, so it’s a moral choice for me. I find Ireland great for vegan food — I’ll often opt for Thai or Indian food.

I’m the patron of the MADRA charity in Connemara. They do phenomenal work. It’s shocking how many animals are treated badly in this day and age and it costs a lot to work with these animals. Vet fees alone for sick animals can cost in the thousands and that’s before you factor in the cost of housing, feeding, neutering and getting them vaccinated. A lot of money has to be raised, so I’m there to help with fundraising or anything else I can do.

I’m the patron of the MADRA charity in Connemara. They do phenomenal work.

18.00

I’ll get changed into my outfit and do my makeup. When I play to an audience, I am feeding off the crowd big time. Before I even go on stage, I can feel the air of excitement off the audience.

Sometimes people are so happy to be there that they’ll be in tears. Watching those people appreciate the music so much makes us very thankful as well –it’s a great experience for all of us. I’ve always had a huge age range at my gigs. I can tell by looking at the young children whether they play an instrument or not.

22.30

I always go into the audience after the gig. I’ll take selfies with people and they’ll often hug me tight. It means a lot to people to shake hands, have a hug or take a photo with me.

23.00

If the journey home isn’t too long, I’ll drive home. I’m a real homebird and I love my animals and my own bed. I get anxious when I have to leave the animals for more than a couple of days – I can’t talk to them to let them know that I’ll be back.

There’s nothing I like more than relaxing with them when everything is done at the end of the day. I watch a lot of concerts and educational stuff on YouTube, though sometimes I like to watch something really bad too because then it doesn’t matter if I fall asleep in the middle.

01.00

The older people say that one hour’s sleep before midnight is worth two after, but I never seem to manage that. I’ll sleep well though – I’m lucky that I’m able to switch off my brain and go straight to sleep.

Sharon Shannon headlines Rock against Homelessness in aid of Focus Ireland on March 17 in the Olympia Theatre along with The Sharon Shannon Big Band, Bob Geldof, Camille O’Sullivan, Garron Noone, Alky, Colm Lynch and special guests. She has released a book of photos ‘Now and Then: A Photographic Journey’, to coincide with her boxset ‘Now and Then’, sharonshannon.com.