Cillian Ó Donnachadha who plays Rhino in TG4's Ros na Rún.
Your Bike? A Suzuki Intruder 125 4 stroke engine
Why this bike? I was explaining to my cousin Gareth, who is a serious biker, that I needed a sturdy and reliable bike to get me from Dublin to Ros na Rún, which is in Spiddal, Co Galway. He suggested that I go for a good 125. As it turned out, I couldn't afford the insurance on a bigger bike anyway. The Suzuki Intruder is a great solid bike. In fact, it looks like a bigger bike than it actually is.
Why did you become a biker? Because they're fun, less expensive and there is definitely no better means of transport if you live in a city.
What do you use your bike for? Everything, especially for any journey that's further than one mile away!
Did you take any rider training? No, but I would love to though, and I'm hoping to get around to it soon.
Do you hold a full or provisional licence for your bike? A provisional, which explains why my insurance is just scandalous. I'm hoping to get my full licence soon and this should hopefully bring the insurance cost down a bit. Unfortunately there's only one company that will insure me so there's not much I can do about it.
Do you drive a car? No, and I don't know if I ever will now. I love my bike too much.
Was there any family resistance to you taking up biking? My Mam hates bikes and I know she would have preferred it if I hadn't got a bike. My girlfriend was also totally against it until she needed a lift home once, so now I'm a biker taxi.
Do you worry about your safety? No, but my girlfriend and my mother do! As long as you drive as safely as possible and try to avoid the idiots who still insist on holding their mobile phone to their ear while driving with one hand, you should be okay.
Any accidents so far? Nothing major yet, although any biker I talk to says that it's not a matter of "if", its "when". All you can do is try and ride as safely as possible and hopefully luck will be on your side. A man driving a Merc with a cigar in one hand and a mobile phone in the other nearly hit me once. He suddenly decided that he was in the wrong lane and, without any indication he just pulled out right in front of me as if I wasn't there. Luckily one of us was paying attention.
Do you take an interest in motorcycle sports? No. I wouldn't have any real interest to be honest.
Taken any trips abroad yet? No, driving from Dublin to Ros na Rún on a regular basis is as exotic as it gets at the moment, but who knows what the future holds.
Why do you think bikers share a special bond? Bikers understand each other. I got my first puncture up in the Wicklow Mountains and every car driver that stopped to help me were either past bikers or weekend bikers. Between them all we managed to get back to a garage and without them I would probably be still stuck up the side of that mountain! So thanks to everyone who helped, especially the ESB guy!
Have you any issues for the Minister for Transport? The Naas dual carriageway is just an absolute disgrace at the moment. I know it's being worked on currently, but the stretch of road just after Rathcoole has an uneven surface, there are no lights and potholes everywhere. It's a complete death trap at night.
Any tips for survival? If you're late, be late. What's the point in rushing and possibly losing your life?
What's your next upgrade? I'm very happy with current bike, which I've christened Mona Mor, but who knows!
Ros na Rún is broadcast on TG4 every Tuesday and Thursday evening at 8.30pm with an omnibus every Sunday night at 10.25pm.
- PATRICIA WESTON