UNTIL I WAS 11 years of age I lived in Loughlin, Co Roscommon, and attended the local national school. I got a great grounding in the 3Rs and Irish there - when we moved to Dublin and I started at St Louis in Rathmines, I found that I was more advanced than the class I joined.
I settled easily into my new school. I was an avid reader and although a quiet child, I was quite competitive. I always liked to be in the top three in class and put quite a lot of pressure on myself.
As a result, I could never say that I really enjoyed my schooldays. At Louis' I took part in debating in both Irish and English. I've always been very glad that I did so, because this helped me to overcome my shyness.
The nuns were great at helping you to realise your potential. I wasn't interested in sports and they put no pressure on me when they discovered that I was good at debating.
UCD, where I studied English and French, was the most enjoyable experience of my life. My lecturers, including Laura Reynolds, John Jordan, Denis Donoghue and Gus Martin, were wonderful.
I took to university life like a duck to water - I joined the L&H and the Dramatic Society and took part in a number of major productions.
The sense of freedom was enormous. My parents were very strict, and before I attended UCD my social life was minimal. My father always said that I was too young to stay out late, but if I got a good Leaving Certificate and went to UCD, I would be able to enjoy myself all the more.
He was right. I didn't arrive in college with a jaded palate and I savoured every moment of it.
When I graduated I wanted to get a job, but was not interested in teaching. I applied to all the major organisations, including RTE, Bord Failte, the IDA and Coras Trachtala, but never received a job offer.
Although I didn't want to be an academic, I returned to UCD to do an MA on Oscar Wilde. By this time most of my friends had left and UCD was no longer the same place for me.
Eventually, Kenny's Advertising offered me a job in public relations. I remember discussing it with Denis Donoghue, who was my tutor. He asked: "Do you want to be an academic?"
When I told him I didn't, he replied: "I'd take the job. It would suit you and you can always read in your spare time.
He gave me good advice, and I've never looked back.
