Róisín O is from a famous musical family as the daughter of Mary Black, the niece of Frances Black and the sister of The Coronas' frontman Danny O'Reilly.
Ahead of the release of her new album Courageous on Friday 29th April and a live date at Opium on the 30th, she tells us all about her favourite haunts and hangouts.
Home is...
I live in Terenure, in an apartment with my cousin Gavin, who is an amazing photographer, and my Jack Russell, Blue. She's my absolute pride and joy.
I love the village and most of my family lives within about two kilometres of Terenure, so it's a great spot. There are a few great pubs, and it's so close to Rathmines and Rathgar – and not too far from town.
It's a lovely community vibe, but not in the sticks either, which I like. It's a great spot.
How I get around the city:
I bought a Peugeot 508, which isn't fancy but it looks really fancy. My friends are all saying I look like someone's dad with the car.
The public transport is not great around Dublin, so with gigs and everything I need the car for getting around.
The best place in the city for a date:
There's a great place on South William Street called The Hideout. It's a pool room and you can BYOB. It's a brilliant place to go, because rather than sit down and stare at each other over, you actually have something to do, playing pool, which I absolutely love.
I grew up in pubs, at sessions and stuff, when I was younger and I played a lot of pool, so I love surprising lads because I'm pretty good at it and I usually beat them!
My favourite pub in the city:
Probably Slattery's in Rathmines. I love that sort of old man pub vibe, but it's still really nice and the staff are really nice. And because it's not right in the city, it still has that community vibe in Rathmines, where there's a lot of local people in there.
It has all the different levels and there are fireplaces on the upper levels, which are lovely on a winter's evening. It's nice to stroll in there, for sure.
My favourite restaurant in Dublin:
I really love Bellagio in Terenure. It's a really good Italian, run by an Italian family who are so lovely when you go in there. Just really good pastas, pizzas and wine.
Probably my favourite food is Italian food, so I love it in there.
My go-to café or coffee shop:
South Bank, just beside the Harold's Cross bridge on the canal. They do really good coffee, really good sandwiches and breakfasts that are healthy-ish – it's not greasy, it's proper fresh food. Really nice cakes and coffees. And again, the staff are just super-friendly.
Also, they allow dogs in. I bring my dog all the time and she sits under the table. I love dog-watching in there, it's really lovely on the canal.
Where I get my exercise:
Usually with my Gaelic team. I play for Templeogue Synge Street and we train in Bushy Park or sometimes Dolphin's Barn.
I find gyms quite depressing but I absolutely love team sports, and we have a great bunch of girls at Templeogue Synge Street on the senior B team. So I get out with them as much as I can when I'm home.
It's the best way to exercise, with a few people throwing around a ball.
My favourite shops:
I love George's Street Arcade whenever I'm in town. I might not even buy anything, but just walking through, looking at all the stalls and all the real quirky shops.
There's a jewellery shop on the George's Street end that does piercings, we used to go there when we were 13 and they'd pierce our ears without our parents – so funny! That jewellery shop is still there and they have really nice stuff.
My favourite place for a haircut:
I have to give a shout out to my local salon, Colour Touch hairdressers in Crumlin. They're a lovely bunch of women who run that place.
You can go into town and go to the expensive places which are great and all, but there's something lovely about just going local, when you have a hairdresser that just knows what you like.
My favourite place in Dublin to get away from it all:
I live really close to Lakelands, they call it – Terenure College, the grounds there.
During lockdown, because we had to stay in the 5k, I was absolutely blessed having that little piece of land there to walk to from my apartment. It's so nice for a little walk around the lake.
People sort of forget about it, but it's got beautiful wildlife. It's a little part of Dublin that I wouldn't say a lot of people would know unless you live in the area.
My favourite place to let my hair down:
I have to say Whelan's – it's such a great live music venue and I've grown up doing gigs there. It's really my local; especially before lockdown, I'd be in there every weekend. I know all the bar staff and the security guys and the managers, and it's such a great bar.
After the gigs are finished, the main venue turns into a dancefloor and they play Arcade Fire, Franz Ferdinand and all these songs I absolutely loved when I was in college.
Me and my pals, when things opened up on freedom day, we were like, 'We have to go into Whelan's', and we threw ourselves around the dance floor for old times’ sake. It never gets old, I love that place.
The last live event I went to:
I went to see Damien Dempsey at Vicar Street just before Christmas. I've been to see him a few times now at Vicar Street, and it’s like a religious experience.
I'd suggest to anyone, if they're looking for something to do around Christmas, go and see Damien Dempsey at Vicar Street – big time.
Dublin's best kept secret:
You can start at Bushy Park and walk all the way along the Dodder across Dublin, and there are all these great restaurants along the way.
You're in Dublin, you're in the suburbs, but you're surrounded by this beautiful river the whole time and these lovely walkways. It's a lovely place to spend a Sunday afternoon.
Róisín O's new album Courageous is out on Friday 29th April, and she plays live at Opium in Dublin on Saturday 30th. www.roisino.com
