Person to Person: 'If my mother spotted a talent in you for anything, you pursued it'

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your work:

I’m Anna Healy, I’m an actress from Derry, where I grew up with a family of six children, all of us close in age.

We played music and sport, sang in choirs, danced, did the Feis, went to Irish College in Donegal - but whatever we were involved in, the Healy children did it to the enth degree and beyond - if my mother spotted a talent in you for anything, you pursued it or she pursued you!

I started acting at an early age and remained a loyal performer on the amateur acting scene after I left school with The ’71 Players, a fabulous Derry company.

At the age of 20, I applied for RADA (the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art) in London, and got in with lots of stiff competition (25 places for 2,000 applicants). And that was the beginning of my wonderful professional acting adventures!

I have really been so lucky in my career - the wonderful artists I have collaborated with, the theatre, film, television, and radio work that I have crafted.

In 2023, I won Best ing Actress at the Irish Times Theatre Awards and I have done so much theatre over the years. You might also know me for my screen roles in ITV soap Emmerdale Farm; BBC’s hit TV series Showtrial (season 2), and RTÉ’s Fergus’s Wedding, to name a few.

I love Cork and the Midsummer Festival - the city has such a strong sense of itself, its culture and talent. The food is good, the pubs are hopping, and the people are warm, funny and welcoming! I’m very much looking forward to spending a week at the Everyman.

I’m thrilled to be here with a new staging of Escaped Alone by Caryl Churchill (by Hatch Theatre), which makes its Irish premiere at the Everyman from June 12-14 (then on to Dublin from June 19-28).

What is your ideal way to spend a night out? I was recently described as ‘hyper social’, hahaha! So take what you will from that - I love a party, a show, a film, a dinner with friends or family, or just a good chin-wag over a pint in the pub. I’m not much of a sit-in girl!

Lie ins or up with the lark.. which is it for you?

Sleep has never come easy to me - I have to be coaxed to go to bed at night, as I never want the day to close, and then I practically have to tie myself to the bed from 6am onwards!

I seem to be able to function at a high level with very little sleep – I’m sure that will catch up with me one day!

Does work creep into your weekend at all?

I don’t see life as weekdays and weekends - so there’s not really a day when working isn’t an option.

If an idea, inspiration, an article, or a book needs attending to, I jump on it when and wherever I want to.

Of course, that’s easier now that my children are adults and my time is my own again - but ultimately, I have always considered my life and my work as all one continuum.

If money was no object, where would you head to on a weekend city break? And who would you bring with you?

I love the old town in Malaga, Spain, and Marrakesh in Morocco - but most of all I love New York City.

Closer to home, is there some place you like to head to recharge the batteries?

Donegal is my soul place - I love the wild weather, the beautiful, rough landscape. I have always gone to Inishowen and Dunfanaghy to get a lungful of good thick air and a bit of headspace to ‘catch myself on!’

Do you like to catch up with family/friends?

My brothers and sisters, north and south, are very much principal players in the cast of my life, and we see a lot of each other and are in and out of the lives of each other’s families.

My three sons have settled in and around Dublin, to my great joy, and I see them as often as they can put up with me! And of course, there is my little grandson Bear, the star of the show. We all see Bear as much as possible.

Do you get to indulge any hobbies? Even as a spectator?

I love to swim for exercise in a swimming pool, and for my mental health in the sea.

Entertain or be entertained? If it’s the latter, do you have a signature dish?

Both - I love to feed everyone and throw a big party. I really enjoy cooking, I find it relaxing. Mostly, I like to make big, greedy family dishes - roast in the oven, trays of vegetables with roast meats, and plenty of potatoes of all denominations, and delicious puddings.

When we eat out, we like Indian food.

We have so many places to eat out in Cork - where are your go to spots for coffee/lunch/special meal?

The bar and grill at The [River] Lee Hotel is excellent. The Liberty Grill on Washington Street is my favourite for a meet-up and a bite to eat. I absolutely adore the Paradiso vegetarian restaurant.

How do you like to spend your weekend?

Sunday is a great day for long walks with my dog Betty, up a hill or by the sea - I often wonder, if dogs could talk, what would Betty have to say about all the comings and goings in my life – I’m sure she would have a wry comments or two!

Sunday evening would be about good food, a glass of wine, and prep for the week ahead.

What time does your alarm clock go off? No need for an alarm clock in this house - I am the alarm clock.

Anything else you are up to right now...

I’m about to open a wonderful play by Caryl Churchill called Escaped Alone that premieres at the Everyman Theatre, as part of Cork Midsummer Festival.

I’m also prepping for a summer production in Galway with Andrew Flynn called Finding Sophia, a very moving story about a Down Syndrome couple and their fight to be together – and where the leading roles are being played by two excellent actors, both with Down Syndrome, and I am playing their carer.