On the Couch

Finbarr Fitzpatrick Occupation: Consultant Physician, Wexford General Hospital

Finbarr FitzpatrickOccupation: Consultant Physician, Wexford General Hospital. Current President Irish Hospital Consultants Association.

Personal & Family: Married to best friend, Mary. Maeve (22), Sinead (19), Eoghan (17).

What figure from the world of medicine/health do you most admire?

Frontline doctors, Médecin Sans Frontière.

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What other career might you have chosen?

Historian.

If you were appointed Minister for Health, what would be your first priority?

Insist on enough resources and give them, or else become Minister for Finance.

Do you have a phobia/what is your greatest fear?

Losing to Dr Kevin Ward at golf.

Have you ever been a patient and were you a good one?

Yes; I hope so.

What three books would you bring to a desert island?

Neuromancer, William Gibson. Garry Kasparov's Chess Puzzle Book; How to Survive and Build That Raft, by 'Imina Hurrie'.

Have you a fail safe method of dealing with stress?

Playing five-minute chess versus Fritz 8, a very strong computer chess program: crushing defeats for me usually.

What is your favourite TV or radio programme?

Live cricket; Lyric FM anytime.

If you did not live in Ireland, where would you choose to spend the rest of your life?

Mougins, Cote d'Azur.

Summarise yourself in 12 words.

Balding, bespectacled, curious, calm, patient advocate, healthy, fortunate, Cork boy, Wexford man.

Do you use alternative medicine/therapies?

No.

Who or what makes you laugh?

John Cleese. Des McHale.

(In interview with Muiris Houston)