Sinéad’s debut show, Big Foot, sold out at Vancouver Fringe Festival, Glasgow International Comedy Festival, Brighton Fringe, Camden Fringe, and other tour dates across Ireland, the UK and Europe.
Bye Bye Baby is at the main room of the Workman’s Club in Dublin on October 4 (8pm, tickets available via Ticketmaster).
How did your upbringing shape your relationship with money?
I suppose in the way that I am more inclined to spend my money on experiences than just things. You will find me spending money on a meal or a match quicker than you will find me dropping huge money on clothes.
There were times things were good for my parents, and times things were hard, but we always had fun together, and we were always doing something or going somewhere over the weekends and school holidays. So I guess that’s where that comes from.
Have you ever felt broke?
Yes, more so when I was in college. I was working a lot but had no sense with money whatsoever. There were definitely times when the piggy bank was broken into for food shopping (and by food shop, I mean a bag of chips), or I was stuck for a bus fare to work or college.
Do you work in comedy full-time or do you have a day job?
I work for myself as a digital marketing consultant and trainer, so sometimes my income and time is split 50/50, sometimes 70/30 in either direction. It’s a huge relief to be able to dictate my own calendar and working hours depending on what is happening with comedy, but that comes with its own stresses too.
What’s your biggest extravagance?
Sometimes I go wild and add an extra 10kg bag and priority boarding when checking in on Ryanair. I may even pre-order a coffee and a Twix to my seat before I board the plane. It’s crazy, wild-child stuff – so I have to be very careful not to let it all go to my head.
What was your worst ever job?
I worked for an online education company many moons ago. The owners and C-suite were unwilling to listen to any of the web team’s advice. Repeated system failures, ridiculous demands and unworkable timelines put us all under massive pressure. The stress was insane.
However, when you’re in your early-to-mid 20s, you tend to roll with it. Also, the pressure of stand-up is genuinely water off a duck’s back in comparison, so silver linings and all that.
Have you ever been affected by the housing crisis?
I’ve rented pretty consistently since 2008. I never really wanted to emigrate, but when the landlord who owned the place I’d been living in in Dublin announced they were selling, one look at Daft told me that it was time to go.
I moved over here to Glasgow in June – and not only is the rent comparatively very reasonable, but the house prices are also not so eye-wateringly insane. Buying a place with my partner in the next couple of years feels really possible. It broke my heart to leave Ireland, but I don’t miss the overwhelming sense of panic or dread I used to feel every time the words “house” or “home” were brought into a conversation.
Your biggest financial regret?
Getting a student credit card that I absolutely should not have when I was in college. And paying £300 for an emergency plumber at 11pm on a Sunday night a couple of weeks ago.
Do you still carry cash?
Not consistently, but the best takeaways only take cash.
Are you a spender or a saver?
Sometimes I swear it’s like I have a fear of money and need it away from me as quickly as possible. However, in the last couple of years, I have been saving because I would like to someday own my own Mojo Dojo Casa House.
What three things would you not be able to do without if you had to tighten your belt?
Three- or four-ply toilet roll, real butter and the occasional fizzy drink or coffee after a big job. Again, crazy stuff, I know…