Kerry native Dáithí Ó Sé looks back at the last 46 years of his life and speaks to Michelle Dardis about the moments that shaped him, and what he’d like to tell his younger self…
What I learned in my teens
I remember being in secondary school and not wanting to be there at all! That’s one of my core memories from that time. I used to work in a butchers every Friday, Saturday and Sunday throughout my time in secondary school, and all I wanted to do was go to work. There was a few bob coming in and it was nice to have it! Academically, I didn’t do any work at all for my Junior Cert, but I didn’t do badly.
Coming towards 5th and 6th year, I decided to really put some effort in and try. It was a time when people’s ideas surrounding college shifted and really good courses were becoming available. I wanted to go for it, and I think I got about 310 points. My brother was in America and
I went over to him that summer. I didn’t really want to repeat my Leaving Cert but my mam asked me to come home for a year and try it again. I didn’t do half the work and got an extra hundred points! It opened more doors and I got into college. I wanted to become a teacher and coming from someone who didn’t want to be in school at all, it seemed kind of crazy!
What I learned in my 20s
I have a degree in history and Irish and I remember chatting to one of my lecturers about doing a Masters and she said: ‘Don’t bother, you don’t have the patience for it.’
It’s one of the regrets that I have. I was always in a rush to go out working and make a few bob. As soon as I got out of college, I wanted to go work. Now, looking back, I’m like what the heck was I at?! What was the rush? I wish I took more time out. I should have stayed in college for another few years to do something else I was interested in, but there was a lure to go work. Any teacher will tell you when you first start out the pay isn’t great so I subsidised that by working at the weekends, doing the weather with TG4…soon enough, there was a full-time position available.
I went for it and got it! This tv stuff fell into my lap and so I just ran with it. My twenties were taken up with work, I was getting different jobs on TV which was very, very exciting but it was really when I got into my thirties that the tv side of things really took off.
What I learned in my 30s
I got married when I was 36 and I think that’s average enough these days. I became a father then at 38 and being a dad is the best thing in the world. There’s nothing in this world that can prepare you for it, there’s nothing in this world that will ever match the feeling of seeing your son or daughter for the very first time, and there’s nothing in the world that will make you happier than seeing your kids having fun as they grow up.
It simply doesn’t get any better than that. People talk about getting a dream job; not at all, that’s only work, it’s a job that puts food on the table and pays a mortgage, that’s it. Family is the most important. One of my favourite family memories was the first time Santa came, and when Mícheál Óg understood it. It was a peak moment in my life. I thought it was just unbelievable, watching him go downstairs to see what Santa brought him.
He couldn’t believe that this really nice lad named Santa brought him a load of presents. What it does to you as an adult, is bring you right back to those childhood days when Santa came to you and that’s the magic of the whole thing. I loved seeing him notice that the carrot Rudolf ate was half gone and the milk too – but did anyone even ask if Santa was lactose intolerant?! The magic is just the best ever.
What I learned in my 40s
I’m 46 now, but two of those years were spent dealing with COVID-19! When I turned 40 I didn’t think it was a big deal, but all of a sudden I’m 46, looking at 50. It doesn’t bother me though, it doesn’t frighten me. 40 is a good age, it’s still very, very young. I did turn a corner at 40 though and decided to really mind myself, there was a few things I needed to start taking care of, particularly when it came to my health and my weight.
When you’re in your 20s and 30s, that falls off no bother at all, but when you turn a corner at 40, it’s a little harder to shift. It’s also important to get your cholesterol checked, that’s why I support this new Invisible Nation campaign, urging people over 45 to go get their cholesterol checked next time they’re in with their doctor because, with ASCVD (Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease), there are no symptoms.
I heed all these warnings, whether it’s to do with my heart or anything else. I try to go to the gym twice, if not three times a week. When I go to the gym, I sleep better, therefore I have more energy, I’m more positive and it feeds into my mental health. It’s all connected. Mícheál Óg is eight years of age, he wants to be out playing soccer in the garden and I want to be a good dad, being out there with him, so I need to mind myself.
What I’m looking forward to in my 50…and beyond
I’ll tell you one thing, I’m looking forward to working less [laughs]. I’d like to continue doing what I’m doing, but that’s it. I think people are just so consumed by work, that they’re so tired and use the weekend to flatline, so they’re feeling alive again to go to work on Monday. No way!
You have to be able to relax on a Friday afternoon, by Saturday we’re out and about being active, and that’s what it’s about, getting more time for that!
