{"id":218325,"date":"2025-12-06T09:37:09","date_gmt":"2025-12-06T09:37:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/218325\/"},"modified":"2025-12-06T09:37:09","modified_gmt":"2025-12-06T09:37:09","slug":"school-was-tough-i-was-bullied-and-had-undiagnosed-dyslexia-the-irish-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/218325\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018School was tough. I was bullied and had undiagnosed dyslexia\u2019 \u2013 The Irish Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

How agreeable are you?<\/b><\/p>\n

Generally, I\u2019d say I\u2019m quite agreeable, especially in group settings where consensus matters. That said, I have my own opinions, and I\u2019ve never been afraid to voice them, which is something that was ingrained in me when I was growing up. I try to be understanding, although I can have a hot head at times, so listening in the moment isn\u2019t always my first instinct. Ultimately, some people might find me very agreeable, while others might find me a bit challenging. I suppose it depends on the situation.<\/p>\n

What is your middle name and what do you think of it?<\/b><\/p>\n

My middle name is William, and I was named that after my grandad. I didn\u2019t get to know him, but he meant a lot to my mum, and having his name gives me a lovely connection to him.<\/p>\n

Where is your favourite place in Ireland?<\/b><\/p>\n

Although I\u2019ve travelled a lot for work, one place in Ireland always feels like home, and that\u2019s Killiney, Co Dublin. It brings back brilliant memories of my dad taking us there as kids, exploring the forests. I\u2019ve always loved nature, and standing on Killiney Hill looking out at the Dalkey Quarry or the Witch\u2019s Hat towards Bray Head reminds me how lucky I was to grow up somewhere so beautiful.<\/p>\n

Describe yourself in three words.<\/b><\/p>\n

Uplifting, compassionate, delicate. Uplifting because wherever and whenever I can, I love helping people feel good about themselves, whether that\u2019s through make-up, a chat, or just my energy. Compassion \u2013 not judging, being there for people, and caring deeply \u2013 is a trait I\u2019ve definitely inherited from my mum, who is one of the most compassionate people I know. As for delicate, I have a sensitive soul, and I feel things deeply. I check in with myself, depending on what life throws at me. I can take a punch and throw one, too, but I always keep a close watch on myself.<\/p>\n

[\u00a0Make-up artist John Corcoran: It is a lovely feeling to dress the way you want and be complimentedOpens in new window<\/a>\u00a0]<\/p>\n

When did you last get angry?<\/b><\/p>\n

I haven\u2019t been angry recently, but the last time I really felt it was when my 12-year relationship ended. There was anger mixed with a lot of other emotions, and it was a difficult time. I\u2019m still making sense of parts of it, but I\u2019m in a much better place now and moving forward.<\/p>\n

What would you have lost that you\u2019d like to have back?<\/b><\/p>\n

What I really miss is the feeling I had when I was a dancer and a dance teacher. There was so much passion and purpose; I lived and breathed it. Standing in the studio, whether alone or with my students, I felt completely alive. I\u2019d love to have that feeling back.<\/p>\n

What is your strongest childhood memory?<\/b><\/p>\n

I have loads, but one that stands out is my love for my toys. I spent hours disappearing into my imagination, and with everything going on in my family at the time, my toys were my escape. I also loved being outdoors. I\u2019d leave the house at nine in the morning and not come back until nine at night, just exploring with my friends.<\/p>\n

Where do you come in the birth order, and does it define you?<\/b><\/p>\n

I\u2019m the middle child, and it has certainly shaped me. I\u2019m as driven as my siblings, but more of a free spirit. I don\u2019t stress the way they do \u2013 we just worry differently. I\u2019m probably the most sensitive of the three of us. Being in the middle taught me to trust my own perspective; it might not always be right, but it matters. I learned a lot from my brother, and my sister learned a lot from me. It gave me the best of both worlds.<\/p>\n

What do you expect to happen when you die?<\/b><\/p>\n

I won\u2019t lie, I\u2019m scared of the idea of just stopping one day, but I\u2019ve always believed we\u2019re energy in temporary bodies. I\u2019m a huge believer in the universe, the stars, all of that. I think when the body no longer serves us, our energy goes somewhere else. Maybe it\u2019s reincarnation, who knows? Hopefully, in the next life I\u2019ll come back as a stunning butterfly.<\/p>\n

When were you happiest?<\/b><\/p>\n

When I got engaged. That was one of the happiest moments of my life.<\/p>\n

Which actor would play you in a biopic about your life?<\/b><\/p>\n

Johnny Depp, specifically 1990s Johnny Depp. The fashion, the quirkiness, that slightly chaotic energy … So iconic. He looks nothing like me, of course, but that era was stunning, so if anyone\u2019s playing me, it\u2019s \u201990s Depp.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s your biggest career\/personal regret?<\/b><\/p>\n

I wouldn\u2019t call it a regret, but if I could change something, I would\u2019ve gotten more support in school. Those years were tough as I was being bullied and had undiagnosed dyslexia. I kept myself compact, capable and curious, but I was also too afraid to speak up, the forgotten boy at the back of the classroom. The situation itself was out of my control, but what I wish now is that I had stood up for myself more. I wasn\u2019t as strong or as vocal then as I am now. I didn\u2019t point out that I was struggling or that I wasn\u2019t being treated right. I just kept my head down. What saved me was dance, which gave me confidence, structure, and a place where I finally felt seen. It took me into a career until I was 28 years of age, before I moved into make-up. Everything I learned, the discipline, creativity, and resilience, has shaped every challenge since. I don\u2019t regret where I\u2019ve ended up, and I\u2019m proud of my path, but I know that a little understanding and a bit more courage from me at that age could have made a difference.<\/p>\n

\"LilyLily Allen. Photograph: Vittorio Zunino Celotto\/Getty Have you any psychological quirks?<\/b><\/p>\n

I get fixated on songs \u2013 once I hear one I like, I\u2019ll put it on repeat for ages until I find another. The song I\u2019m obsessed with at the moment is Dallas Major by Lily Allen. I think it\u2019s because I always latch on to a particular sound, and she has such an unusual, instantly recognisable tone. The song itself is full of turmoil and messy emotion, with this whole dating-app persona running through the song, and she tells the story with that untidy honesty she\u2019s so good at. Her new album, West End Girl, is wild and a masterpiece in storytelling. I also have a fixation with my clothes and wardrobe, and if things feel out of place, my brain just won\u2019t let it go until everything\u2019s realigned. My favourite pieces are usually the ones that feel oversized and lived-in, anything relaxed, slouchy or slightly too big instantly makes me feel like myself. Something is grounding about clothes that don\u2019t cling or demand attention; they just let you exhale. Most of my wardrobe follows that same language, whether I\u2019m dressing casually or formally. Another quirk is that I talk to myself a lot. Usually, they\u2019re just little mutterings or random comments, and sometimes I even make myself laugh.<\/p>\n

In conversation with Tony Clayton-Lea<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"How agreeable are you? Generally, I\u2019d say I\u2019m quite agreeable, especially in group settings where consensus matters. That…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":218326,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[75],"tags":[18,117,19,17,85586,78554,2212],"class_list":{"0":"post-218325","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-entertainment","8":"tag-eire","9":"tag-entertainment","10":"tag-ie","11":"tag-ireland","12":"tag-lily-allen","13":"tag-trinny-woodall","14":"tag-weekendreview"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@ie\/115671954138719189","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/218325","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=218325"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/218325\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/218326"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=218325"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=218325"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=218325"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}