1. When did you think about a career in writing and what were your first steps into it?
I always thought it was what I'd 'end up' being but I did very little about it for a long time except write terrible stories and the first chapter of novels and then delete them. My wife, Anne Marie, bought me a copy of the Writers' and Artists' Yearbook early in our marriage and made me send out my first completed novel. After receiving dozens of rejections I was signed by the legendary Lilliput Press in 2010 who co-published my first two novels with Doubleday.
2. Best gigs you've been to?
AC/DC in the O2, London in 2009 with Anne Marie. My favourite band since I was 12 and it was incredible.
Damien Dempsey in Salthill, Galway in 2004. He was supporting Bob Dylan, but Damo stole the show.
Kathleen Turner, Ormston House, Limerick in 2017. A small room, small audience, a ukulele, and some of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard sung live.
3. Fantasy wedding/birthday party band?
The Pogues. Who wouldn't want Shane MacGowan, Jem Finer, Spider Stacey and Cait O'Riordan et al at their wedding? Having said that, our actual wedding band, Acoustra, led by the legendary Pa Wright, were phenomenal.
4. The record you'd take to a desert island?
Lou Reed's New York. There's something about it that soothes me.
5. And the book you'd take to a desert island?
Something huge, some kind of 'Complete Works'. Or a book about how to survive on a desert island.
6. Top three films?
Goodfellas, Rocky and Lenny Abrahamson's Garage.
7. Worst film you've seen?
Eat Pray Love. Aaaaaahhhh it was excruciating. I went to see it with Anne Marie and she loved it. In fairness, though, we had two toddlers at home so maybe I slept through the good bits. And what do I know? It made $200 million at the box office.
8. Favourite authors?
Stephen King, John Steinbeck and Doris Lessing.
9. Sports you most enjoy and top teams?
Soccer (Liverpool), Formula 1 (my favourite ever driver was Ayrton Senna) and boxing. My childhood hero was Barry McGuigan, and he still is.
10. Ideal holiday destination?
Anywhere with sun, a pool, cold beer and no poisonous insects.
11. Pet hates?
Self-importance, self-righteousness and sneering.
12. What's your favourite:
Dinner? Roast beef.
Dessert? Apple tart and cream.
Drink? Peroni.
13. Who is your best friend and how do you know each other?
Conor Cremin was my best man and I was his, we're godfathers to each other's kids, and we live in the same housing estate. We were introduced by our mutual friends Noel O'Shea and Garry Browne some time in the nineties and our friendship has never waned. He's part of our family.
14. Is there a God?
There is. And everything that exists is part of God. Deepak Chopra said, "I was an atheist until I realised I was God." He was kind of joking, but I know what he meant.
:: Donal Ryan's new novel,The Queen of Dirt Island, is set in the Tipperary market town of Nenagh. It's a story about four generations of women and the love and stories that bind them.
Donal will be chatting about his work and new novel, when he appears alongside Castlederg novelist Tish Delaney in Belfast's Crescent Arts Centre on October 19 as part of the Belfast International Arts Festival, Belfastinternationalartsfestival.com.
