Laura O’Mahony is a stand-up comedian and co-host of the Red Raw podcast with Rob Heffernan. She is also a children’s TV presenter, Auntie B, and her new show, Auntie B’s Fantastic Facts, will be out on RTÉKidsjr in April.
Married to Shane, Laura has three children, Polly (10), Alfie (8) and Freddie (2). She lives in Cork city centre, and shares with us how she liked to spend her weekends.
Friday evening
If I’m not gigging, Friday is a real chill out evening with my family at home. The school week is very busy and the children have many activities on, as well as being in school. If there’s something brilliant on, like The Traitors, we’ll get cosy on the couch with lovely blankets over us and watch that. We just love being together and the weekend is all about family and friends.
Saturday morning
My husband will usually pop out and get coffee from Cork Coffee Roasters on St Luke’s Cross, and they do a great babycino as well for the babas. He’ll come back and we’ll settle in and have those to get our day going right.
On Saturday morning, Alfie goes to Brian Dillon’s GAA Club, and Polly has drama during the day. This weekend, my kids are dancing at the break of a basketball game with Dayl Cronin’s Dance Academy. So there are still activities, but they’re just definitely a bit more chilled.
Some weekends, myself and Polly might go and get our nails done in town, and we might have a little bubble tea somewhere along Oliver Plunkett Street.
If we have nothing else on, we’ll pop to the Marina Market, which is our absolute favourite spot to go and the kids love it as well. After a little stroll around there, maybe we’ll have something to eat from Poulet-Vous, which does Nashville-style fried chicken dishes with a Korean twist. Or we might get something else as you can’t go wrong in the Marina Market.
Saturday evening
We usually call over to my mum and dad. They are both retired teachers, and we’re so, so lucky to have them. Unfortunately, we don’t have the other set of grandparents, so we really value the time that we spend with my mum and dad and the kids absolutely love being over there. They are generally in great health, although my mum is just recovering from a back operation and a broken femur. We love snuggly, cosy time with Granny and Granddad, watching Gladiators or Beat the Chasers.
I could have a gig myself, maybe the Improv Show or a live podcast show, or I’ve done support for Deirdre O’Kane and Neil Delamere. If there was a John Spillane or Ger Wolfe gig, I’d absolutely be at them or a good comedy show.
Sunday
We sometimes like to go to the Castle Café at Blackrock Castle for breakfast as they have a great menu for kids and adults, and obviously there’s a lovely walk around it as well. Sometimes I just sneak out for a walk on my own to listen to my own podcasts – my favourites are I’m Grand Mam or Keep it Tight, and of course, my own one Red Raw.
If the kids were up for it, we’d go to the cinema in Mahon Point. We might get some SOS cookies in the little pop-up place there.
Sunday evening is usually spent trying to get everything sorted for the week ahead, and trying to get the kids off to sleep. Friday is when Rob and I record the podcast in my home studio, which I love, and I spend time at the weekend making sure that it’s all ready to go for its release on Monday morning.
In terms of work, my podcast is my pride and joy, and I’m doing more stand-up, and I’m directing a play in the Cat Club in May called Diva.
I’m very much at that stage of life where I’m all about family, while obviously trying to push the career forward as well. But for now, I want to be able to look at myself and say that I spent as much time as humanly possible with my three babies, so I think until Freddie goes to school in two years, that’ll be my main focus. We’re going to London in a few weeks to see The Wiggles, and my little girl is turning 11 soon and there are multiple birthday events being planned for that.
The main focus for me at weekends is to be with my babies, because of all the projects I’ve done in my life, the three of them are the best.
Where would you socialise with friends?
If we were socialising with friends, we’d meet my best friend, Laura, who does the Improv Panto with me. Our two families get on amazingly together, so we might go to Marina Market, Black Market, Douglas Market or Midleton Market – you name it. We love a good market for a stroll.
What do you like to do for entertainment?
I love to go to big plays or musicals or anything that’s on in the Opera House. I love a bit of comedy and went to see Joanne McNally in the Everyman recently as she was absolutely amazing.
Your favourite shops?
If I was having a little wander around town, Penney’s is an absolute classic with the kids. We love going in there for a mooch around. We love going to Lush too and having a good old root around TK Maxx.
Your favourite restaurant?
There’s an amazing place on Shandon Street called Café Jane, which does really lovely, home-cooked food. That’s a bit of a hidden gem.
Your favourite spot?
We love the city – we’re city people. You could walk the city from our house and we love all that area down by the Marina. The Marina Market is my favourite spot. The kids train with Cork City AC down in Pairc Uí Chaoimh during the week, so we’re very familiar with all that lovely area.
Red Raw Podcast is hosted by Olympian Rob Heffernan and comedian Laura O’ Mahony. Both from totally different backgrounds and thrown together on breakfast radio, Red Raw is unfiltered, real, honest, craic and chat between two friends. Nothing is off the table. If it goes on, it goes in. Family, friendships, health, stress, performance, resilience, you name it, they’ve talked about it. Enjoy a bit of chaos in an overly structured world. Bring back wild craic and pure joy.
