How agreeable are you?
I am pretty agreeable when people are relatively respectful. I think debate is crucially important. I think we’ve lost the capacity to debate in the modern world. And I like debating with people. I like being proven wrong. We see debate as conflict. That’s our natural default setting now. And that’s obviously being driven by the likes of X where you can’t say anything without being ripped apart.
The one thing I’ve learned in my PhD research is you shouldn’t hold on to your ego too tightly, because your opinion changes quickly.
What’s your middle name and what do you think of it?
Adam. And it actually nearly broke up my mum and dad. They had a big fight over that and then they debated and they found the middle ground, and it was Niall Adam Breslin. I like Adam. I don’t hear it too often.
Where is your favourite place in Ireland?
I have two favourite places in Ireland – Donegal, that’s where my dad’s from, and I love home. I love where I’m from. I feel very comfortable in Mullingar. To me it’s about feeling comfortable and at ease, and I love the people there. If it wasn’t home, I think Donegal is the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen.
Describe yourself in three words.
Disciplined. Focused. Restful.
When did you last get angry?
I was a bit angry with the turnout for the election. I was a bit upset by it. This was a huge opportunity to show the importance and power of democracy. And having returned from the United States where it is, whatever way you look at it, a complete circus. We need to really value part of our society. So, I was a bit pissed off.
What have you lost that you would like to have back?
My Gibson ES 335 guitar. My favourite thing that I ever put in my hand. I snapped the neck on it, and I still haven’t got over it. With guitars, it’s not just about having a nice guitar. Sometimes a guitar just becomes a part of you. I wrote everything on that. And it’s now just firewood.
What’s your strongest childhood memory?
Probably not a good one, but I remember my dad going overseas. He was in the Army and he was overseas most of my childhood. I always remember that memory of him being picked up at five in the morning and you wouldn’t see him for a year. I remember the fear of it. He was going to fairly rough, difficult places. You had all that stuff going on in your head. I was a worrier as a child and I wondered ‘will I ever see him again?’
Where do you come in your family’s birth order, and has this defined you?
I’m second youngest and it absolutely has defined me. I got away with murder for six years and I got a little sense of entitlement, until I was six and then my younger sister, Andrea, came along. Second youngest to me is a nice little sweet spot out of five. My parents were too bo***xed to care by the time I came along. I ran wild and roamed free around Mullingar.
[ Niall Breslin’s Where Is My Mind? has changed my mind about wellness podcastsOpens in new window ]
What do you expect to happen when you die?
I don’t believe in God. I think it was beaten out of me quickly. I have absolutely no problem with faith, I respect that. But I don’t respect the institutions of the church. As somebody who’s studied Buddhism and has a masters in Buddhism, I don’t believe we die. I believe our consciousness is just too powerful to disappear. I think there’s something in what they call the collective consciousness. The energy that we create.
When were you happiest?
I feel now. When you’re in your 20s and 30s there’s a constant need to prove yourself. Perception is a huge part of it. You’re constantly worried about your peers. I am not. I’m in my 40s now and I find it really quite nice. Things hurt and I’m slowing down, but I love the lack of f**ks you start giving, as you get older.
Which actor would play you in a biopic about your life?
I don’t know any tall actors. Probably Jason Segel or someone like that. He’s quite tall. Maybe Jason Momoa. I don’t like his hair, though. He’d have to cut the hair.
What’s your biggest career/personal regret?
I never got to prove what I was capable of as a rugby player. I always think about that. I got injured so many times. I don’t regret retiring, I had no choice, but I regret not being in a position to show people what I was able to do.
Have you any psychological quirks?
I am quite reclusive and I do enjoy complete silence and being on my own. Some people take that as antisocial. I really do have a certain bandwidth of how I can connect socially. I love meeting people but I do burn out quickly. My psychological quirk is that I like being alone.
