Derek Ryan

What do you like doing on your day off?

I like going for walks, jogs if I can, I like going to the theatre, I like going to comedy shows, just regular things, cinema, takeaways, the usual stuff.

If you were to choose your favourite meal what and where would it be?

There’s a Tapas restaurant in Carlow where I live and it is one of the top attractions in Carlow, it is sensational. My actual favourite meal would be garlic prawns they’re really nice.

What has been your proudest moment?

Probably my number one album, ‘The Simple Things’. Also certain times when my songs have got reactions at live shows, they would be proud moments as well.

What was your most frightening moment?

I don’t like flying and I was coming back from America and we’d really bad turbulence and the captain announced that it was going to get really really bad and that they couldn’t do anything about it. They went up to avoid it, they went down to avoid it, they couldn’t get out of the airstream and a plane ahead of them had radioed them and said it was going to be really bad, and it was.

How would you describe your taste in clothes?

Some people would say really bad. I like to keep up with the trends. I do like high street stuff like Topman and Zara and all those kinds of shops.

What music do you like?

Obviously I like country music, I like traditional music. I like stripped back music of any genre, just maybe with the guitar and it’s all about the vocal. I’m a sucker for 80’s rock like Bryan Adams, Bon Jovi, I love all that kind of thing.

What is your greatest remaining ambition?

I’d like to have a hit in America with either a song that I’ve written or my own song, so that’s an ambition.

If you were stranded on a desert island what three things would you want with you?

A guitar, a notebook and a pen.

Favourite things

Car: I have a Mercedes and it’s quite nice so I’d say my own car. I spend so much time in a car, I spend more time in my car than I do in my house.

Film: Saving Private Ryan

Comedian: Peter Kay

CD: Bryan Adams MTV Unplugged

Book: Roy Keane’s autobiography

Actor: Tom Hanks

Actress: Nicole Kidman

Drink: A pint of Guinness.