1. When did you think about a career in comedy and what were your first steps into it?
I didn’t ever make a conscious decision to have a career in comedy when growing up. When I was younger, I wanted to be a variety of things: a musician, a footballer, a writer, but never a comedian. I started to talk to audiences about science at events and conferences as part of my career as a science communicator and my sense of humour started to show in the talks. People kept laughing and telling me they’d no idea science could be funny. And so I started getting asked to do comedy gigs and shows.
2. Best gigs you’ve been to?
Dublin singer-songwriter Glen Hansard in the Ulster Hall about six years ago. He played one of my favourite songs, When Your Mind’s Made Up, and I was blown away. I’m not a sentimental or emotional person, but in that moment there were tears in my eyes as I marvelled at how stirring and emotive that song was live.
‘Forget ‘fake news’, Shooting Crows is about what governments do to journalists when they tell the truth’ - Trevor Birney on new Loughinisland massacre book, legal vindication and the runaway success of the Kneecap movie
‘The police don’t arrest journalists just for doing their job. Do they?’ - Shooting Crows: Mass Murder, State Collusion and Press Freedom
I also went to see Taylor Swift last summer in Dublin. People laughed when I said I was going to see her as if it was uncool. All I can say is she was unbelievable. Pop perfection.
And Oxegen 2009. On the Friday Blur and Snow Patrol headlined, followed by Kings of Leon on the Saturday and The Killers on the Sunday. My first time away as an almost adult with bands I adored. Bliss.
3. Fantasy wedding/birthday party band?
Queen. I love Freddie Mercury and they’ve such a varied catalogue of absolutely classic songs. Do you think they’d play a wedding in Strabane??
4. The record you’d take to a desert island?
Forever in Blue Jeans by Neil Diamond. I love that song. It reminds me of my childhood and it never fails to make me smile. Neil Diamond was one of the first CDs my family had and my mum used to play this song all the time in the car and me and my siblings would sing along.
5. And the book?
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. I was obsessed with these books growing up. But re-reading them as an adult gave me a new appreciation of JK Rowling’s genius. Goblet of Fire is the best one.
6. Top three films?
Catch Me If You Can with Leonardo DiCaprio, Captain Phillips with Tom Hanks and Mrs Doubtfire – it’s such a feel good film and Robin Williams, for me, is the epitome of a comic genius.
7. Worst film you’ve seen?
Epic Movie. It was full of random nonsensical humour and gross clumsy. I’ve no idea how I ended up watching it, but I think it was a spoof of ‘epic’ blockbusters at the time like The Da Vinci Code and Narnia. I hated every minute of it.
8. Favourite authors?
JK Rowling, Dan Brown and John Boyne. He’s the Irish author who wrote The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas. But more recently, he has written The Heart's Invisible Furies, a story of struggles in Ireland, from the LGBT community to single parents. A beautiful, poignant book.
9. Sport you most enjoy and top team?
Football. I play football for a team called Belfast Ravens so they are definitely my favourite team. We play in the fourth division of the Northern Ireland Women’s Football Association league and you couldn’t imagine a more supportive, fun, wonderful group of women.
10. Ideal holiday destination?
Los Angeles. I’d love to see the Hollywood sign, check out all the big studios and visit the Hollywood Walk of Fame. ?
11. Pet hate?
Rude people with bad manners. It’s nice to be nice.
12. What’s your favourite:
Dinner? Ole Del Paso smoky barbeque fajitas.
Dessert? Could I have a cup of tea and a slice of Battenburg instead?
Drink? Milk. It cures all ills for me. Hungry? Milk. Feel sick? Milk. Hungover? Milk. If you want to know my favourite alcoholic drink, its Sipsmith sloe gin with ginger ale and lime.?
13. Who is your best friend and how do you know each other?
I met my two best friends on the first day of university nine years ago and we’ve been inseparable ever since. One is still my best friend. The other is now my partner.
14. Is there a God?
In the absence of any religious faith, my main belief is that humans should be kind to each other regardless of their differences.
:: Emer Maguire is one of the contributors on The Afternoon Club, the new educational programme aimed at primary-aged children and their parents. www.bbc.co.uk/afternoonclub
